Page 74 of Best Kept Secret
Emily has a birthday lunch for her mom at her parents’ house, so I know she won’t be at brunch. And the last time it was just Fran and me, things didn’t end so well, so I’m cautious with my response.
Me: Sure. Who all is going?
Fran: Just us. Is that okay? I promise, no alcohol.
Me: It’s a date
I meet Fran at an adorable corner café in SoHo with a forest green façade, striped awnings, and potted flowers everywhere. We sit at a table outside, the sun doing its best to try and crack through the cloud cover, and while we wait for our food, Fran is telling me everything I missed last night after I left. Apparently, Coach Draper had a few too many beers and stood on the bar giving a performance of “Don’t Stop Believing” by Journey.
“Where did you go?” Fran asks, tipping a sachet of sweetener into her coffee.
Fuck. Logan and I didn’t talk about what we were going to tell everyone about our sudden departure from Coach Draper’s birthday. I stir my iced latte, avoiding her gaze.
“Another urgent… strategy paper?”
It’s her tone that causes me to look up, and when I do, I see it in her arched brow, in the smile that toys with her lips. She. Fucking. Knows. I swallow. Hard.
“I saw you guys, you know?” Fran says, grinning to herself as she looks down her drink, stirring slowly.
My cheeks flame and my stomach rolls. “W-what are you talking about?”
She snaps her head up, eyes bulging. “I saw you two”—she lowers her voice to a stage-whisper, leaning across the table—“when he was finger fucking you in the middle of the party!”
“Oh, my God!” I cry out, causing a few people nearby to look over. Burying my face in my hands, I groan. If Fran saw us, who the hell else saw?
“Not gonna lie,” Fran continues, and I look at her through my fingers. “That was all kinds of hot. It turned me on, that’s for damn sure. Robbie even asked why I was so wet by the time I got home.”
“For the love of all that is holy on a Sunday morning, will you please fucking stop?”
She bites down on her smile. “I knew something was up the other night at Dallas and Emily’s. I have a sixth sense for these things.” She taps her temple, waggling her eyebrows deviously.
I roll my eyes. “I don’t even know what you’re talking about.”
“Funny.” She sits back, folding her arms across her chest, smug smirk still lingering. “Your soon-to-be sister-in-law once said that exact same thing when I questioned her about your brother.”
I take a sip from my drink, looking out at the traffic, up to the rain-threatening clouds, to a pigeon standing on the side of a trash can in the small green space across the street, picking at a discarded Burger Shack bag, literally anywhere but at Fran.
“So, is it the wholeforced proximitything?” she asks, ignoring my silence. “I knew the second Robbie told me you were moving into Logan’s spare bedroom that something would happen. He’s hot. You’re hot. It was only a matter of time.”
“We hooked up last year,” I admit sheepishly.
Fran gasps, her mouth falling open. “What?”
I chew on my bottom lip, nodding. “When the guys played Detroit. I met Dallas for dinner, and then afterwards, I went to a club and… I met Logan.”
“Oh, my God, tell me every last detail,” Fran squeals, leaning in and placing her chin on her hands all excited. “There’s literally no detail too filthy or depraved; I want itall.”
I can’t help but smile. And, if I’m being honest, it’s kind of nice being able to talk about it. With Fran and Hannah both knowing, it doesn’t feel so sordid or clandestine.
“Fran, Dallas can’t find out,” I say, shaking my head.
“Why?” She rolls her eyes. “Please don’t tell me he’s one of those brothers who become borderline creepy possessive about their sisters dating their friends?”
“Ew. No.” I laugh. “I mean, he’s always been protective, but that’s just because he knows how gross guys can be, because he’s gross. Or at least he was, pre-Emily.”
Fran nods in understanding. “Oh, I know. I was unfortunate enough to witness it with my own eyes.”
“Dallas made me promise that I’d never cross a line with any of his teammates because he doesn’t want things to be awkward. Hockey is his life.”
