Page 124 of Breakaway Goals
“No,no,” Morgan spluttered. “How many goddamn times do I have to tell you that I amoff-limitswhen it comes to you and Finn?”
“Just checking,” Jacob joked.
“God, you’re the worst.” Morgan couldn’t say he wasn’t a little worried about Braun finding out about him and Hayes—he’d given Jacob kind of a lot of crap when he’d gotten together with Finn. And if there was one thing he knew about Jacob, it was that he could take it, but he could also dish it right back.
“Where are we going? Don’t tell me you were gonna take Danny to that bar by your house.”
Morgan made a face. “What’s wrong with that place?”
“It’s a shithole.”
“Yeah, exactly. Why I like it.”
What he actually liked was that he didn’t get bothered there. That nobody cared that he was Morgan Reynolds.
“If you insist,” Jacob said, shrugging.
Of course, when they were at the bar, two hours later, and Danny shot him a look full of semi-outraged disbelief, Jacob didn’t bother holding back.
“It’s Mo’s favorite,” Jacob said.
“You’ve really changed,” Danny said.
Morgan made a face. He’d expected Danny, at least, to understand. He wasn’t going out for status or to be seen. That had changed when he’d retired. Now he just wanted to slide under everyone’s radar.
Hayes had said it best. Sometimes Morgan just wanted to take all this shit he was carrying around andput itdown.
It was easier said than done, but coming to this shitty, hole-in-the-wall bar, with its sticky tables, floor littered with peanut shells, and completely disinterested clientele was one of the best ways.
“You bring Hayes here?” Danny asked under his breath when Jacob leaned over the bar and grabbed the bartender’s disinterested attention.
“Uh, no.”
“Oh, right why would you? He hates your guts now.” Danny shot him a knowing look.
Jacob turned back to them with three bottles in his hand. “We’re all set,” he said, distributing the beers. “Who hates Mo?”
“Nobody,” Morgan said quickly. “And everyone, honestly.”
Danny laughed as they made their way to a booth in the back of the bar.
“I was just wondering who Mo’s brought here from the team.”
“Finn came here once and then refused to come back. Said he’d rather not get rabies,” Jacob said chuckling.
“Definitely not Hayes then. He’s got taste.” Danny eyed Morgan again, like he was mentally finishing that sentence withGod only knows what he was doing with you.
“Right,” Morgan said weakly. Trying desperately to come up with a reason to get Danny alone so he could 1) remind him that Hayes was off-limits as a conversational topic and 2) explain exactly why that still was.
Sipping his beer, Jacob leaned back in his chair. “Hayes isn’t all that snooty, though. He’s a great guy. Real chill, honestly, but a leader. Finn likes him a lot.”
Danny waggled his eyebrows suggestively and Morgan wanted to murder him. “You worried about Finn liking him too much, Braun?”
“No,” Jacob said, rolling his eyes.
“They’re very happy. Totally domesticated. Just don’t ask him to go into more detail,” Morgan said, while he tried to decide which subject was potentially worse: Hayes in general or how loved up his son was with Jacob Braun.
“Well, now we gotta make Mo here squirm a bit. Tell me more,” Danny said, leering as he leaned in.
