Page 25 of Throwing the Curve

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Oh, come on, I’ve been dying for you to meet someone who stirred something up in you. It’s been a long time coming, man.”

“What the fuck are you going on about? She’s hot, I’ll give you that, but she doesn’t stir something up in me. What the hell does that even mean?”

“You’ll see…” Pete waggled his eyebrows like an idiot. His mocking laughter drew the bartender’s attention back to them.

Ryan just rolled his eyes. “Jesus, why is it every time someone gets into a committed relationship, they think everyone else is gleefully running into the same pit as them?”

“First of all, it’s not a pit and second, because it’s fucking awesome.”

“What’s fucking awesome?” Smitty asked as he walked up beside them and rested his hip against the bar.

“Being in love,” Pete replied.

“Ah fuck, please tell me it’s not going to be one of those nights.” He turned to the bartender. “Can I get a rye and seven please?”

The bartender placed two beers and two glasses of white wine on the bar.

“Thanks.” Ryan dropped a bill into the tip jar on the counter. Open bar didn’t mean he had to be cheap.

“So, did you bring your date?” Smitty asked.

“Yeah.” Ryan nodded toward the table when Peyton and Kendall sat.

“She is pretty hot, man. There are worse people you could be forced to hang out with.”

“I think our boy is fighting the forced part,” Pete replied.

Smitty stood up straighter and leaned in. His eyes lit up at the prospect of some fresh gossip. “What do you mean? He likes her?”

“Yep,” Pete agreed. “He pretends he doesn’t, but it’s pretty obvious he does.”

“So youlikeher, like her, not just fake like her.” Smitty made a stupid face, like he was honestly expecting Ryan to say something.

“Holy fuck, what are you two twelve?” Ryan picked up his beer and Peyton’s wine and strode toward the table. Those two were ridiculous.

He set the glass of wine down on the table, a bit rougher than he’d intended, and dropped into the chair beside Peyton.

“What has your panties in a twist?” Kendall asked.

“Your boyfriend is an idiot.”

Kendall laughed. “What else is new? What’d he do this time?”

Pete slid into the seat beside Kendall and Smitty sat beside him. “I didn’t do anything. He’s just being all dramatic.”

Ryan glared at his teammate as Pete batted his eyes, the picture of innocence. “You want to dance,” he said, turning to Peyton.

She eyed the nearly empty dance floor. “Uh sure.” She stood up and ran her palms down the front of her pants.

He placed his hand on the small of her back as he guided her toward the dance floor.

“I hope you aren’t expecting me to be a wonderful dancer because that is not my gift to the world.” Peyton chewed her lip nervously as she looked up at him.

Interesting. He never would have pegged her as someone who wouldn’t like dancing. In the car, she’d been unconsciously bobbing to the music. He’d thought she would enjoy this. “We don’t have to dance if you’re uncomfortable with it.”

“It’s not that I don’t enjoy dancing, I love it. I’m just not very good. And I’m not a huge fan of being stared at and judged.”

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