Page 47 of Huge Games

"Well, it's not like it'll be a shock to her if she does come back. Three on one is her daily life experience."

"Yeah, thinking about my sister getting boned by three guys isn't my favorite way to pass the time." Travis rises to pack away all the food we haven't eaten, and Celine grabs the empty plates, taking them to the sink and rinsing them before placing them into the dishwasher.

The atmosphere is thick with anticipation, but no one seems to want to direct us all upstairs, at least until the kitchen is as spotless as we found it.

"I guess we could head up?" Travis asks.

And like the horny sons-of-bitches we all are, we follow Celine up the stairs to heaven.

16

CELINE

"Everything you need is in this bag." Marie hands over a large cloth tote that's filled to the brim with all the things a toddler might require.

Lonie is in her highchair, using her fork to carefully stab pieces of the omelet my sister made her. After missing three pieces, she drops her fork in frustration and picks up her piece of bread and butter, stuffing it into her mouth. Her eyes widen as she chews, focusing on me.

I grin at my beautiful niece, desperate to wipe her face. Marie is a great mom, don't get me wrong, but she's way more laid back than I would be. Then again, Lonie seems capable of a lot of things other toddlers seem to struggle with. Maybe Marie's relaxed approach has contributed to that.

"I'm aiming to be back at around six."

"Six?"

When I agreed to babysit, it was on the basis that I'd be able to make it to watch Elias and Dornan's game.

"Is that the earliest you can get back?"

"Yeah. Why? Is there a problem?"

"I've got a game to go to. Am I okay to take Lonie?"

"Sure. Make sure she has a good lunchtime nap. I'm sure she'll love all the cheering and excitement and those big men in their tight pants." She winks and grins, then finally bends to wipe the food from Lonie's sticky face.

"Marie!"

"What? She's just like her aunt. A terrible flirt."

"You got me!"

"So, is Eddie playing?"

I grit my teeth at the mention of the scumbag who I'm trying to banish from my memory. "Yes, but I'm not going to watch him. He can fall over and die in a ditch."

"Who are you going to watch?" She lifts Lonie from the chair and sets her on her feet. Lonie toddles off to her play corner and finds a board book to leaf through or destroy, depending on her mood.

"I may or may not be having a fling with a couple of the team."

"A couple?"

"I'm sowing my wild oats."

"Men sow the oats, Celine. Women get plowed."

I grin, shaking my head at all the delicious memories still fresh from an afternoon tied to Travis's bed. They did things to me that I swear are illegal in at least a few states.

"You have no idea."

"Do they know what you're up to, or have you taken a leaf from Eddie's book?"

---