Page 76 of Double Pucked

“I fucking know that,” he grumbles. “That’s not even the issue.”

But before I can ask what the issue is, I read the caption.

Better not be sharing team secrets, Cap! The new GF of the Sea Dogs captain works at An Open Book, where crosstown rival Ryker Samuels shopped yesterday. Serious so quickly that she’s hanging with friends again after meeting them both at the game the other night? Seems so.

I tense. Is Ryker going to feel like he’s not an equal part of thisusagain?

“I don’t like this,” he says.

And I need to reassure him it’ll be fine, so I set a hand on his rock-hard shoulder. “They don’t need to know what it’s really like with the three of us.”

“It’s better this way. Trina said her family would lose their shit if they knew she was with both of us,” Chase says, jumping in too. “But I won’t make a big show of her and me at the wedding, I swear. That’d be fucking rude to all of us.”

A dark cloud drifts over me at the mention of my family. But I don’t want to think of them right now. I want to make sure Ryker’s not feeling like a third wheel, so I turn to him. “You’re not just a friend. Just because I have a fake date with Chase doesn’t make what we do any less real.”

Ryker drags a hand down his beard, shaking his head. “Don’t you two get it?”

I furrow my brow and look to Chase, who appears equally confused. “Um, no,” Chase says.

Ryker gives him a stern stare. “I don’t need you two to make me feel like I’m a part ofthis. We talked it out last night, the three of us. And we’re good. I fucking trust you two. Both of you. But I don’t trustpeople. And I don’t wantpeoplejumping to conclusions. Or figuring out what we do at night or in the morning. They’d have a field day. Two rivals and the girl with the cheating ex,” he says, then turns to me, and cups my cheek tenderly. “And I definitely don’t want anyone talking shit aboutyou.”

And my heart trips over itself again. “They aren’t.”

Chase is quick to reassure him too. “And we won’t let them. We won’t give them anything to talk about. Besides, it’s not like this is Page Six,” he says, naming the gossip outlet. “If the Selena-slash-Abby thing didn’t get out, this won’t either.”

He takes a pause, clearly devising a plan. “And listen, when the three of us are out together, we’ll act like friends.All of us. That feels fair and right. And that’s got to be a new pact, okay?”

“I agree,” I say, then wait for Ryker’s reaction.

But my broody guy is quiet again, unreadable again.

Chase, though, is not. He’s clearly determined to steer this ship out of choppy waters. “Listen, I’m not going to be all touchy-feely with Trina in public in front of you. That’d be disrespectful to you, man,” he says, and great, just great.

Now my insides are doing cartwheels over how much Chase cares about his friend. How he wants to do right by Ryker. My pulse surges.

And I swear, if I’m not careful, my feelings for both of them will snowball from crush to something deeper very, very soon.

“Thanks, man,” Ryker says quietly, appreciatively.

Chase claps Ryker’s shoulder. “While we’re in this,” he says, then draws a circle in the air, indicating the three of us, “we’reallin this. There’s no picking sides or playing favorites. I fucked up by not asking you yesterday, but I am seriously grateful for the save at the wedding. Lisette has been on my case, and I just can’t go there and be introduced to all the women she wants to set me up with. And even if this thing ends the next day, no fucking way do I want to be introduced to someone while I’m with you,” he says to me.

It’s like a seesaw, the emotions inside me. I love that he’s focused on me. But I hate that he’s mentioning the end.

Ryker offers a fist for knocking. “Not your fault, buddy. It’s the world’s. People saw that pic of you and our girl, and they made assumptions. That’s how this thing spiraled. We just need to look out for each other.”

Chase knocks back. “We will.” Then he beckons me with his other hand. “Bring it in, sweetness.”

I set my fist on top of theirs. The three of us.

“This is our new pact,” Chase says, like a declaration, and the serious tone makes the snowball…snowball.

28

FLIP FLOP

Trina

The next day is my favorite kind of day. A day off.

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