Page 43 of The Rebound
“One seltzer coming right up.”
I turn on my heel and nearly run smack into Aspen and Summer, who have obviously been lurking over my shoulder, waiting for an audience with Kinley.
“Is this guy bothering you?” Aspen asks playfully as Summer grins over her shoulder.
Kinley throws her head back and laughs.
Summer nudges me away. “Go on. Get.”
“I’m gone, I’m gone.” I chuckle as I make myself scarce. Those girls are something else.
When I come back with Kinley’s drink, she’s completely immersed in a conversation with Summer and Logan, her gaze darting between the two as she listens intently to what I’m sure is the story of how they met. It’s a good story, from what I can remember, so I don’t interrupt. I pass off her drink, and she shoots me a grateful look before focusing back on the conversation.
The door swings open again, and Eden waltzes into my condo like she owns it, with her husband, Holt, on her arm. This is the first time I’ve seen her since the suspension meeting, so when she flashes a genuine smile at me, I can barely believe it.
“Hey, Eden, thanks for coming. Holt.”
Holt’s handshake is a death grip, as usual. He gives me a short nod and turns to Eden, gesturing with a gift bag so large, it could hold a small child. “I’ll put this with the other gifts.”
Eden turns to me to answer the question I didn’t ask. “It’s brimming with athleisure loungewear and maternity robes. I figured everyone’s getting stuff for the baby, so I took it upon myself to pamper the mother.”
I give her an impressed chuckle. “How thoughtful of you. I didn’t think you had it in you, boss.”
Eden throws her head back with the laugh of a matriarch dealing with a dirty peasant. “Oh, Saint. I’ve barely thought about you at all lately, and believe me, that’s a blessing for both of us. Good to see your face.”
With that, she leaves me at the door and runway walks to Kinley, who’s doing a greatdeer caught in the headlightsimpression. I thought I’d have to introduce her around, but I can barely keep up with everyone. I guess it’s been a while since I was in a social setting like this.
Later, when Eden gets distracted by the promise of Lydia’s fruity cocktails in the kitchen, I find an opening. I crouch down to Kinley’s level, placing a hand on her knee before I remember that her brother is within swinging distance.
“How are you feeling? Need anything?”
“Honestly, I’m good.” And from the looks of it, she is. She’s all glowing and smiling, picking at a plate of grapes and party mix.
“Huh. You’re kinda an extrovert, aren’t you?”
She shrugs happily. “More than kinda. I love being around people.”
“Me too.”
I have the overwhelming urge to drop a kiss on her forehead when I stand, but instead, I catch Reeves’s eye from where he sits with Lucien. He nods to me, and I think I’m meant to take that as an invitation to come talk to him.
Here goes nothing, I guess.
Lucien spots me approaching and practically leaps from the couch to return to Camille’s side in the dining room, where she’s chatting with Coach and Les.
No witnesses if shit gets murderous. Great.
“Hey, man, how’s it going? Can I get you another drink?” I say as I approach Reeves, feeling on edge immediately. What do they say? Kill ’em with kindness.
His brows drawn together, he gestures around the room with a half-empty beer bottle as he grumbles, “This party turned out pretty nice. You did all this?”
He sounds so skeptical that I’m kind of annoyed. “More or less.”
“And what do you get out of it?”
Is this a trick question? “It’s not about me.”
His narrowed eyes widen ever so slightly. “Well, thanks.”
