Page 36 of The Rebound Plan

I frown. “Russ won’t string you along.”

“I know.” She beams. “No, I really, really do know that. But I have four older brothers who also play in the league. The oldest has been married three times. My sisters-in-law are not monsters,” she clarifies to peels of laughter. “But I know how it is.Hesays when I’m added to the group texts, andhesays when I’m taken off it, which isn’t a game I want to play. So I’d rather you get to know me as Camden Granger’s little sister, rather than Russ Armstrong’s girlfriend. The former is forever, and the latter, while nice, is…who knows? But Rusty and I are also BFFs whether he likes it or not. So I might haunt you all, anyway.”

“Ah,” Harper says seriously. “Soyou’rethe monster.”

Emery cracks up.

Ani grabs another bottle of wine. “Okay, so I have some questions about growing up in the NHL, in that case.”

“On that topic, I am an open book,” Emery says, leaning back against the wall. “What do you want to know?”

CHAPTER 14

RUSS

I'm asleep when Emery crawls into bed next to me, but since I usually sleep alone, I wake up at the slight pressure on the other side of the pillow barricade.

Then there's a giggle.

“Did you survive the gauntlet, Buzz?” I mumble.

“Oh no,” she whispers.

“What?”

“I woke you up.” I blink one eye open, squinting at the pillows. A wild riot of blonde waves peer back at me, until Emery shoves her hair out of her face and grins. “Sorry.”

“You don’t sound sorry.” I stretch. “What time is it?”

“Three.”

“So, I’m on my own for golf at seven?”

“Definitely.”

I reach over and pat her head. “Okay.”

Then I close my eyes again.

“Your friends are hilarious.” She sighs happily. “And they care so much about you being happy.”

Huh? I sit up and rub my face. “What are you talking about?”

“Nothing.” She rolls onto her back and smiles dreamily at the ceiling. “They’re just really nice and I had fun.”

Then she hiccups.

Her eyes flare and she presses her hands to her chest. “I am not a fish,” she yells.

I jolt and curse in surprise.

She waves her hand at me. “It works.”

“Yeah, you aren’t a fish. Success,” I say.

“I cured my hiccups.” Her hand stays pressed to her chest, and as the night’s silence stretches around us, I realize that yeah, she doesn’t have another one.

“How…?”

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