Page 13 of Just Friends
“Was joke,” Niko said with a grin.
I dropped my towel and started dressing. The boys began to discuss more pressing plans—like where to eat dinner tonight, and which club to go out to afterward.
“You in, Big Rig?” Mikey Vedros, my defense partner, asked.
“Hell yeah.” I reached for my phone. “Lemme see if Piper wants to join us tonight.”
I started tapping out a text. The room went quiet and I could feel everyone’s eyes on me as I composed my message. I knew exactly what was coming: ball-breaking time.
“Pst,”someone gleefully whispered.“What do you think he’s writing right now?”
Jean-Gabriel Parisi—AKA Frenchy, the team clown—speculated aloud in his thick Québécois accent:“ ‘Dear Piper. Will you make me the happiest man alive and join us for dinner and drinks? Signed, Big Rig. P.S. I love you.’ ”
The boys busted into laughter.
And they werestilllaughing when I pressed ‘send’ on the text to Piper.
“Idiots.” I chuckled, setting my phone aside.
But I’m used to it. The Blizzard boys used to chirp me all the time about Piper, too. Because of course a guy can’t have a girl as his best friend without secretly being in love with her, right? I don’t know why everyone else thinks they know more about my friendship with Piper thanwedo, but whatever. It’s dumb and a little childish, but at the same time, I know it’s all in good fun.
“We’re just bustin’ your balls, kid,” Reavo said, slinging an arm around my shoulder.
“I know it.”
My phone chimed a moment later. I opened Piper’s reply:
“I’d love to, but I think I should stay in tonight. I’ve been working all day and I barely got any sleep last night. I’m really sorry, Jax! Maybe next time? Good luck at the club tonight!”She ended the text with a string of winking emojis.
Reavo peeked over my shoulder and read the text. “Bummer. How come she never comes out with us anymore?”
Parisi snickered. “Maybe because she’s sick of seeing Big Rig hook up with other girls?”
“Nah, she’s just been really busy lately,” I said.
“Yeah,” Reavo said, “I don’t think she cares if Big Rig hooks up with other girls, considering she’s wishing him good luck at the club and giving him a bunch of wink emojis.”
The boys grunted and gasped, shocked by that revelation:
“No shit?”
“She’s really that cool?”
I laughed. “Dude, she’s the coolest. Why do you think I asked her to come to Dallas with me? We’re best friends for a reason. Besides, you willnotfind a better wingman than Piper.”
Anoooohwent over the room.
“Say she sees some hot guy at the club,” Dane began. “Do you wingman for her?”
“Hell, Iwould,but she says I make a terrible wingman.”
The boys laughed.
“What’s shedo for a living,anyway?” Vaughnsy asked.
All this time, and I guess I never told my teammates Piper’s back story.
“She owned a bakery in New York with her friend. They got big, sold the biz, and made a bunch of money. Now she’s working on her app.”
