Page 88 of Thoroughly Pucked

“No. It’s short for Jackass because ever since I adopted him from Little Friends Animal Rescue, he’sbeen a jerk,” I say, feeling terrible now I named him that.

Aubrey pats my back. “Maybe you should have named him Calico Jack. Maybe he’d have liked it more to have a badass pirate name.”

I heave a sigh. “You might be right.”

With her other hand, she taps her chin for a few seconds. “When did you get him from Little Friends?”

“Couple years ago. At theHockey Hottiescalendar fundraiser in the park.”

“I remember that! That’s when Trina and the guys announced their relationship,” she recounts.

“And distracted the media with their romance,” Dev adds.

“Now everyone’s used to hockey throuples,” Aubrey says with amusement, then she meets my gaze again. “So you got a cat that day? Was it…sublimation?”

I scrunch my brow. “For…what?”

“Trina said she thought you were checking me out then,” she teases, giving my back a bit of a squeeze now.

I flash back to that day. To noticing Garrett’s little sister in the park. To thinking she was off-limits, but so damn pretty too. “Trina’s right,” I admit. “But then I met Marla shortly after, married her quickly, then lost her just as quickly.”

Timing. It’s really everything, isn’t it? Maybe if I hadn’t been so worried about her being Garrett’s sister, I’d have said something that day. But maybe not. “Guess I should have swooped in before Aiden did.”

There’s regret in my tone.

In Dev’s sigh, too, when he adds, “And I was with Eva.”

Aubrey goes quiet for a few seconds, maybe contemplating her own what-ifs as well. Wondering what it’d have been like if we’d all connected when we were truly free.

“Well, one good thing came out of it. Or two, really. I started volunteering with Little Friends, and you got a cat. Who’s probably getting a new name very soon.” That’s Aubrey. Looking on the bright side.

“Calico Jack,” I say, trying that on for size.

She doesn’t let go of my back for the rest of the block. I want to walk all night. But when we reach the corner, we’re clearly at the place Aubrey picked out. I crack up at the orange name written across the window in a vintage font.Melt Your Heart.“You did it,” I say to her, impressed.

She smiles proudly. We’re standing in front of a grilled cheese restaurant thatshefound for my friend. “Let’s make it National Grilled Cheese Day. It’s your cheat day, Dev,” Aubrey says.

Dev drops his head, shaking it in delight, perhaps trying to hide his smile but utterly failing. “I’m all in,” he says.

I bet there’s a double meaning there.

We go inside, and my pulse kicks up again. I want to kiss her. I wanthimto kiss her. I want to tell her that taking me to that plant shop and taking him to this grilled cheese joint is just doing it for me. Making me feel like I could escape into her. Because of what she does for me, for him, and for us.

Feelings are such dangerous fools though. Best to focus on food instead.

Ignoring the mushy thoughts and the squishy things she’s doing to my heart, I order a gouda on sourdough while Aubrey picks a cheddar and apple, then nudges Dev, who’s perusing the chalkboard menu. “Get the Ultimate. You can do it,” she goads.

He draws a deep, fortifying breath, then nods a few times. “All right. I’m going in.”

After we order, we grab a table in the corner. The place is pretty empty. Aubrey glances around, then something flashes in her eyes. A decision, maybe? Like something’s been on her mind, but she wants it off her heart too?

“The bird on my ankle?”

“Yes?” I ask.

“I said I got it for my dad. And that’s true. I did. Just to remember him by. But also to remember things he said. His words about being happy and doing things you love. So it was for him, but it was also for me to remember those words. To do those things. Except, I think I messed it all up,” she says, her tone stretched thin.

“What do you mean?” I ask, concerned.

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