Page 1 of Getting the Grinder
Leo
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“All I’m saying is it would’ve been nice to know the only titties I’d see at this bachelor party are Isaac’s,” my teammate Lucien says as he cracks open a can of beer.
Isaac grins at us from the kitchen of the sprawling Breckenridge cabin we rented for Bash’s last hurrah as a single dude. The main level of the cabin is wide open, the mountain view through the wall of windows in the main living area obstructed this afternoon by a blizzard.
“Wanna motorboat ’em?” Isaac, wearing only a pair of shorts, puckers his lips and circles his nipples with the pads of his index fingers.
“Pass,” Lucien mutters.
Some of the guys have been sitting in the hot tub. When Carter walks into the living area, his hair is damp and a cigar is tucked behind one of his ears. “It’s poker time, boys. I’ll accept IOUs.”
He cleaned all of us out last night, wisely drinking water while the rest of us got loaded. I’m nursing a hell of a hangover today and only drinking water. We have a rare eight-day break in December, and we’re spending the first three nights of it on this getaway. After we fly back home the day after tomorrow, I’m pig sitting Carter’s family pet, Darling, while he and his wife, Suki, take their girls to Fiji for the rest of the break.
“Let’s do whatever Bash wants,” Andrei, another of my teammates, says. “It’s his bachelor party.”
“It’s not like there are many options,” Carter says gruffly. “We’re trapped here because of the storm.”
Bash comes into the room, a beer in hand. “The plan was to stay here anyway. I don’t want to go barhopping. I just want time with you guys.”
I still can’t believe Bash is getting married in June. With our schedules, this was the best time for a bachelor party. His fiancée, Lainey, is having a low-key get-together with her friends at their house. They’re probably baking or something. She didn’t want to get shit-faced in Vegas or anything like that.
“Are we gonna get snowed in?” our newest teammate, Anson, asks from the kitchen. “It’s not letting up out there.”
“Our rentals have four-wheel drive,” Bash says. “We’ll be fine.”
“I’m not missing Fiji,” Carter says. “I’ll walk to the airport if I have to.”
Anson comes into the living area and sits down on the big leather sectional, where I’m sitting with Lucien. He looks at me and grins.
“My sister hearted all the pics I sent of you. I’m sure they’re all in her spank bank now.”
I smile weakly because fuck is it awkward when he tells me his twin sister has a thing for me. He took pictures of me in the hot tub last night and said he was going to send them to her. Even though lots of people have seen me shirtless, both in person and online, it felt weird.
“Ugh.” Isaac cringes. “I don’t want to know who does it for my sister.”
“Addison’s been going on about Leo Abbott for years,” Anson says. “She about had a coronary when I told her I was getting traded to Cleveland.”
Carter catches my wide-eyed look of discomfort and tries to pivot the conversation.
“Who’s in for poker?” he asks. “I’ve got more cigars and a bottle of Macallan.”
“I’m fucking hungry,” Andrei says. “Can we make something to eat first?”
“Hey Leo, have I told you what a great cook Addison is?”
Anson’s question makes me tense up. He’s my teammate and I don’t want to offend him, but he’s a hairy motherfucker with massive shoulders and a unibrow, and unfortunately, his sister looks exactly like him.
Not that it even matters. I’d never date a teammate’s sister, because it would create problems.
“I’m not looking for anyone to cook for me,” I say, shrugging. “No offense to anyone who wants to settle down, but I’m not there yet.”
“Wait ’til you try Addison’s meatballs. You’ll break out a ring.”
“I thought she wanted to try his meatballs,” Bash quips.
I flash a murderous glare at him. He and Carter are my closest friends; they know how uncomfortable I am about Anson’s attempts to set me up with his sister.
