Page 191 of Hat Trick

“Please.” I snort and roll my eyes. “They know I’ve been obsessed with you for years. And they gave me some good advice recently that I took to heart. There was a whiteboard. Liam even participated. The world might be ending.”

“Wow. So everyone knew about your feelings for me except me?” Lexi grabs my collar and tugs my mouth to hers. “I don’t like missing out on secrets.”

“It’s not a secret anymore.” I kiss her then pull away with a smile. “But we should take bets on who says the weirdest shit to us.”

“Ethan,” she announces without a second thought. “You know he’s going to be the one who will give us his honest opinion without holding back.”

We step into the foyer and take off our shoes, walking into the living room where my teammates are spread out on the couches. I rub my thumb over Lexi’s knuckles, smiling when she rests her head on my shoulder and surveys the room.

“Hey,” she calls out, and two dozen pairs of eyes look our way. “Who won the bet?”

“What bet?” Grant asks innocently, and I have to hand it to him. His fake surprised face has come a long way. I almost believe that he’s caught off guard by us showing up together. “Is there something you want to share with us, Lex?”

“Nope.” She stands on her toes and kisses my cheek, flipping everyone off when a round ofawws echo in the room.

Everyone settles in, handing over plates and silverware and water bottles. Hudson doles out the lasagna Madeline made. Ethan helps slice the sourdough loaf he cooked all by himself after he shows Lexi the forty-seven photos he took of himself with his starter, and I’m not sure I’ve ever seen him so proud.

“You know, I’ve never been the jealous type, but it’s pretty unfair that all of you are walking around and showing off how happy and in love you are,” Grant says after we all finish our food. “Is there any justice for us single people?”

“We’re young, G,” Ethan says, shoving a hot dog in his mouth. “We can’t spend all our time settled down. Where’s the fun in that?”

“It’s plenty of fun,” Hudson says.

“I can have sex whenever I want,” Maverick adds, and Emmy hits him in the face with a pillow.

“Not tonight you’re not,” she says, and Lexi bursts out laughing beside me.

“That is a nice perk,” she murmurs to me. “Maybe after the playoffs are finished, you can have book club at your place. You can tie me to your bed and make me wait there while you and the boys talk about your favorite parts of the novel, and none of them will ever know.”

“Jesus, Lex.” I blush and take a long sip of my water. “I need some warning before you say those kinds of things.”

“You put a blindfold on me last night and smiled while you did it. Me tied to your bed is where you draw the line?”

“When I’m around my nosy fucking teammates who are probably eavesdropping? Yes.” I put my hand under her thigh and drag her across the couch to me. “You know I’m pathetic when it comes to you.”

“Yeah.” Her grin is sharp and sly. “I do.”

“What are we talking about?” Ethan asks, leaning on my shoulders from behind the couch. “Anything good?”

“Mind your business, Richardson, or I’m going to use the massage gun that hurts when you get on my table tomorrow,” Lexi says, and he pulls away.

“Yes ma’am,” he hurries to say, and I laugh.

“Great. Now you’ve scared him.”

“He’ll be fine.”

“Listen up,” Maverick calls out. “One of the people in the social media department wants us to take a group photo. She said the fans are requesting more behind the scenes access, and since they’re not getting into the locker room, a quick snapshot of us all together will appease the masses. Everyone off your asses.”

“They should post a photo of you in your smock when you’re painting,” Lexi teases, and I pinch her hip.

“You told me it was cute.”

“It is cute.”

“I have to go in front. I’m short,” Grant says, and Piper moves to the first row with him. “Who else is a short king?”

“I’m the tallest on the team,” Maverick declares. “So I’m going front and center. Get in here, Emmy girl.”

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