Page 51 of Lucky Shot
“Yeah, you too.” D-Low steps closer to the group of guys and stares out the back door with them. “Who’s the redhead?”
“She’s an author,” my dad says, then tips his head toward me. “She’s here interviewing Nicky boy.”
D-Low’s brows lift as he turns his attention briefly back to me. “Are you writing a biography?”
“God no.”
“She’s a romance author,” my dad says with a smile. “She’s writing a book about a hockey player falling in love.”
That’s the tidbit that finally gets all of them to look at me.
“Don’t worry, he didn’t tell me either. I had to find out from her,” Travis says to them.
“Yeah, and now I remember why,” I say under my breath.
“Hold up.” Shep’s brows tug together in the center. “Why would someone interview you for a romance novel?”
Penn chuckles, and immediately Shep’s cheeks take on a ruddy red flush.
“I just mean…” He starts, but I hedge him off by holding up a hand.
“Don’t worry about it. I’m well aware that I’m about the worst possible candidate for the job.” I tip my head toward my dad. “He invited her.”
“Ah. Now that makes more sense,” D-Low says.
“Yeah,” I agree. My body hums with a desire to move the conversation along or maybe look out the window with the rest of them at the woman that’s currently making my life chaos. Instead, I ask, “Are we ready to get started?”
There’s a buzz of agreement, but no one makes a move to the basement.
“Dad, are you playing?”
“One hand,” he says. It’s always what he says, but he usually stays much longer than that.
“Maybe we should move our poker game to the back deck,” Travis says. “Nice night and all.”
I roll my eyes. “Everything is already set up downstairs.”
“Fine. Fine,” he says with a heavy sigh. He’s trying to get under my skin. And it’s working.
Still, no one moves.
“For the love of…” I step in front of them, at least partially blocking their view of Ruby, but not before catching a glimpse of her. Dad was right on several counts. She’s stripped down to her bikini and she is definitely a fucking looker.Damn.
Shep blinks as if he didn’t realize he was staring for so long, then offers me a sheepish smile. D-Low still looks like he’s piecing together the situation. Penn looks bored. Dad tries to look around me. Travis fights back a smile. Fucker.
“Someone’s feeling protective,” my dad notes as they finally shuffle away from the back door.
“What I’m feeling is annoyed,” I say, mostly to myself.
“Don’t worry, Nicky boy. We won’t get in your way,” Travis says.
“I thought she seemed like your type,” my dad says to him.
“I’m on a dating cleanse.”
“That doesn’t sound healthy,” Dad says, which makes Travis laugh.
“Probably not, sir. Probably not.”
