Page 134 of The Husband Game

“Yeah. I know I was kind of wary at first but I think maybe you could be good for Charlie. And he could be good for you.”

“I’m certainly going to try.”

If he’ll let me, Dustin thought with a weary sigh as he ended the call.

Jamie wasn’t wrong about the beginning of the season being packed.

In addition to the media duties and the various team obligations, Dustin always took the boys out for dinner to celebrate the start of the season.

With the roster more or less settled, it was important they continue to build the bond and it was an annual tradition Dustin always enjoyed.

With a week left until their first regular season game, they spent a fun evening with dinner and drinks at a favorite local steakhouse. Dustin had reserved a private room so they could be as loud and obnoxious as they wanted.

It was easy and relaxing, though Dustin found himself checking his phone a little more often than usual, concerned about Charlie.

The guys chirped Dustin about it of course but he shrugged and lobbed a few comments back about them wishing they had someone amazing to go home to.

As the evening wound down, guys began to peel off in small groups.

Dustin frowned when he saw Jonah helping a clearly intoxicated Felix out of the room.

“Hey. Do you feel like something is going on there?” he asked Nico under his breath, nodding his head in their direction.

“With Jo and Haler? Nah, they’re always like that.”

“No, I didn’t mean their closeness. I meant … it seems like Haler is drinking a lot lately.”

“Hmm. I hadn’t noticed anything that unusual.”

Dustin frowned. They weren’t a wild group by any means but tonight most guys had enjoyed a drink or two with dinner and kept drinking as the evening wore on.

Felix had downed the most out of any of them.

“I don’t know,” Dustin said, unease stirring within him. “It seems like he’s been hitting it harder than usual.”

“He did get dumped recently,” Nico pointed out.

“Right.” Dustin frowned.

He’d been trying to get together one-on-one with Felix ever since he got back from B.C. but he’d been dodging Dustin’s texts and invitations, claiming he had a lot to do with the start of the season coming up.

And maybe he did but something about this still wasn’t sitting right.

“He’s a big boy and he’s got Jonah to look out for him. He’ll be fine. Stop worrying, D.” Nico knocked knees with him and took a sip of his drink.

“Yeah. I’m sure you’re right.” Dustin played with his nearly empty drink, debating if he was going to order another before they left.

He wasn’t drunk, just on the edge of feeling good. That loose, horny buzz that had him wanting to go home to Charlie and show him exactly how much he needed him.

But the party was still going, with a few clusters of guys talking animatedly and laughing, so Dustin would make sure they all left safely before he paid the bill and tipped the servers heavily in thanks for their patience.

“How are you doing?” he asked Nico.

Nico shrugged. “I’m okay.”

“Sorry you didn’t go to Europe over the summer?” He stared at Matty and Dom laughing about something with Colton at the far end of the table, smiling to himself at the sight of his teammates enjoying themselves.

“Nah. I mean, I missed it of course but there was just so much going on and I didn’t really feel up to it. I had this idea I could like, help Skylar with this pregnancy and—”

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