Page 211 of Coach
“Strong,” I said.
Elliot nodded again. “Good. Weak beer is for cowards and Republicans.”
Omar gawked.
Mike beamed. “He speaks. We’ve been blessed.”
Matty leaned in. “Speaking of blessings . . . have we interrogated Mateo yet?”
I groaned, “God, not again—”
Mike gasped. “Is he cute?”
I hesitated.
Elliot raised an eyebrow. “I will break him if he hurts you. You know this, right?”
I slapped my forehead then accidentally slammed a palm to the table. “Ow, shit. Wait! I—no! There will be no breaking!”
“Why not?” Matty asked. “Breaking can be fun. At least, a little bending . . . backward . . . so you can get it in allthe—”
“Matty!” I tried to turn away, but we were too packed into the booth for me to escape his gaze. “No breaking, no bending. Besides, he’s bigger than Elliot.”
Omar whistled, somehow delivering the sound with a British accent, if only in my head.
“He’s definitely Elliot-esque,” Mike said, already practically vibrating.
“No!” I insisted then thought better of it and said, “Well, yes, actually. He’s huge and . . . crusty.”
“Crusty-hot?” Matty asked.
“Crusty like an emotionally stunted badger,” I said. “He builds furniture. He glowers. He wears boots like he’s planning to fight God in an alley.”
“So yes,” said Mike. “He’s Elliot-esque, and you’retotallyinto him.”
I hesitated, blinking a few times so my brain had time to catch up. “Maybe. I might be. A little.”
Matty put a hand over his heart and singsonged. “Our baby is in love.”
“Stop,” I snarled.
Omar leaned forward. “Does he know what he’s walking into?”
I paused again, my gaze falling to my folded, fidgeting fingers. “I may have described trivia night as ‘chill’ and ‘low-key.’”
Elliot let out one quick bark of a laugh that echoed like thunder.
Mike grinned. “You’resoscrewed.”
“We’ve got a bachelor party tonight”—Todd slid by and dropped off a tray of drinks—“andyou’rethe loud ones?”
“We’re the winning ones,” Mike replied with a smug smile.
“Oh,” Todd said, raising a brow at me. “This isthatcrew?”
I nodded. “Be gentle.”
He looked at Elliot, then at Mike, then at Matty, then back at me. “Handsome, if your man survives this group, marry him.”
