Page 36 of Double Play

“Baaaaabe,” she replies, batting her long, dark lashes.Oof, she’s laying it on extra thick with the pet names.“It’s nostalgic. Mario and Peach, back together again. Please wear it…for me?” Her bottom lip pushes out, and like clockwork, his body accepts defeat, slumping as he exhales slowly.

“Fine. But how come he doesn’t have to wear one?” he asks, pointing to where I’m lying against his pillow with my arms propped behind my head, because this isway betterthan TV. I wink in his direction, and he flips me off.

“She looked, but they didn’t have anything in my size. Apparently, they only make them for dudes with small dicks.” He looks at her with wide eyes like he’s expecting her to say something, making me chuckle smugly under my breath. She shoots me a look, and I go silent, stopping while I’m ahead since I narrowly escaped what she so creatively called athrouple’s costumewhen she placed the order.

“They were sold out of Luigi and Bowser because you both waited until the last minute to tell me about this thing.” She puts a hand on her hip, her sassy fucking attitude making me want to put her over my knee and turn that tight little ass red.

Later, Hellcat. I have plans for you.

“That’s because I didn’t want to go,” I quip under my breath at the same time Jackson shouts.

“Bowser? You gave him the option to beBowser?” He shoves an exasperated hand through his hair, the other shooting in the air before dropping against his thigh with aslap. I hold in my laugh at his outburst, because I’m pretty sure he’ll kill me with his bare hands if I don’t. His ears are bright red, and his jaw opens and closes several times before he continues. “When I wanted that costume in the fourth grade, you told me no! And look what happened! All along, Bowser was in love with Peach! He evenwrote a song about it, Arden!”

She steps into him, wrapping her small arms around his waist and pulling him in. He relaxes, hugging her back as he rests his cheek on top of her head. I love seeing them like this. Jackson has always been the guy who gives all of himself to others, easing their pain and anxiety without asking for a thing in return. Watching the way they connect, bringing each other peace and comfort, is something I feel lucky to be a part of. Even though the whole reason behind him losing his shit is fucking hilarious, this is them. And I love the way they love one another.

He pulls away slightly, looking down at where she has the cutest, most innocent expression plastered across her face. I know he’s about to fold like a cheap lawn chair even before he does, becausefuck, so would I. Arden has us both wrapped so tightly around her finger that we’d probably go to the party as slutty nurses if she asked us to.

“Okay,” he says, smirking as a bright smile reaches her big brown eyes. “Mario and Peach are back together.” She jumps up and down in celebration, pushing to her toes and planting a chaste kiss on his lips. He rolls his eyes playfully, cringing as he takes in the ridiculous costume one more time.

She pulls her phone from the pocket of her hoodie, gasping quietly as she checks the time. “I have to go. I’m meeting Monroe and Lark to get our hair done. I’ll see you at the event center.” Hurrying to where her outfit for the evening is draped across the corner chair, she quickly zips it into its bag before scooping it up. She gives Jacks one last kiss before leaning over the bed and doing the same to me. “Love you!” she yells, disappearing down the hall as we both return the sentiment in unison. We listen as she rushes down the stairs and pads through the entryway, opening and closing the door behind her.

He turns to me, an annoyed scowl creasing the skin between his eyes. “What costume did you end up with? Something edgy and cool, I bet.” He looks like a four-year-old who didn’t get the candy he wanted in the checkout aisle, and to be honest, I’m really enjoying it.

I stand, smoothing the non-existent wrinkles from my clothes as I strut past him, smugness dripping from my demeanor. “You’ll see.”

THIRTY

JACKSON

Fuck.My. Life.

Not only am I standing—stone fucking sober—in the middle of a ballroom wearing an overstuffed pair of overalls, a fake mustache, and a stupid floppy hat, but Arden isn’t even here yet. I showed up to the party on time, expecting the girls to be here, only to get a text shortly after saying they were running behind. It’s been almost an hour, and there’s still no sign of my Princess Peach.

“You good, bro?” Riggs says from beside me, a bottle of beer hanging haphazardly from his fingers. I can’t even look at the jacked motherfucker in his gladiator costume without wanting to punch him. He looks fuckingawesome.

“I’m fine. Where are they?” He pulls his phone from God knows where—since he’s only wearing a pair of leather hoochie-daddy shorts and a red cape—and opens his text app. I lean back onto the bar, tapping my giant black shoe against the marble floor impatiently while he types out a message.

“Monroe said they’ll be here in five,” he replies just as Ace sidles up beside us in his cheetah print loincloth, every rippling muscle in his body on full display as I try not to roundhouse kick him directly in the nuts. “Maybe we should wait outside for them.”

“Yeah, right,” I scoff. “And risk someone taking a picture of me in this getup while you guys all look like Greek gods? Not a chance.”

“Why’d you wear it if you hate it so much?” Ace asks.

A sly smile flashes across Riggs’ face as he looks around to make sure nobody else is in earshot. “It’s the power of the pussy,” he says quietly, lifting his beer to his lips and taking a sip. “They can get us to do anything for them and they know it. Last week, Monroe spent thirty-five thousand dollars on a purse because itspoke to her.”

My jaw drops. “What did you say about it?”

“Nothing,” he replies, raising a brow. “She showed me her tits and all of a sudden, I wasn’t mad anymore. That’s how they get us.”

Ace laughs, nodding his head in agreement. Not that I’d expect him to disagree. Lark could tell him to get on his knees and bark like a dog right here with hundreds of witnesses, and he’d do it without a second thought.

I roll my eyes. “I wore it because, unlike you guys, we can’t be open about our relationship right now. Our parents are coming to visit next weekend, but we’re laying low until we talk to them. So, if this is the only way I can make her feel like I’m loving her out loud”—I pat my hands on my stupid, giant stomach before giving it an exaggerated shake—“I’ll do it.”

“We get it,” Riggs says, his eyes softening. “She’s lucky to have you. Hawk, too.” The sentiment makes warmth spread through me, because I realize how lucky we are to have friends that are supportive of our relationship with Arden. I know it’s unconventional, but she makes us both really fucking happy, and knowing that they’re behind us feels good. He looks around, surveying the room. “Where is he, anyway?”

I scan the crowd. We arrived in separate cars because he needed some extra time to get ready, and I haven’t seen him yet. I’m honestly shocked he’s dressing up at all. Last year, he showed up in black jeans and a matching hoodie, only staying for about thirty minutes before he disappeared. It was pretty on-brand for him—at least until Arden loosened him up a little bit. He’s been a different person since she moved in, and I’m glad they both have someone that makes them feel seen and understood.

“No idea. Probably changing into the coolest, most badass costume we’ve ever seen.” I grimace, using my fingertips to forcefully press the corners of my stupid mustache onto my skin. It’s been coming unglued all night, and if it weren’t for the fact that it’s going to make my girl smile when she sees me, it would already be in the trash.

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