Page 4 of The Keeper

She pulls back and smacks my chest. “Why did you bail earlier? I thought I was getting a whole day with you. I wouldn’t have flown all the way out here just for tonight.”

“Sorry. Meeting with team management.” I don’t bother adding anything about the trade offer. Max Kingston, the GM and part owner of the Philadelphia Revolution, who also happens to be Lindy’s oldest brother, might tell her at some point, but I don’t want to see the disappointment on her face if she hears it from me.

The Kingstons like to take care of their own, and luckily, they claimed Kenzie and me when our mom died more than a decade ago and our cousin, Juliette, took us in as our legal guardian. She married Becket Kingston a month later, and the family has claimed us ever since.

Most of them, at least.

I remind myself, again, that Lindy’s off-limits.

She always has been. She always will be.

I look over again at Lindy and see red.

She’s laughing at something Pace is whispering in her ear.

Fucker.

She might feel like mine, but that girl deserves more than me.

Day drinking and soaking in the sun seemed to keep our girls tame today. But rest assured, this reporter has it on good authority they’re hitting up a club tonight. And we all know how these girls like to party. Stay tuned peeps. #KroydonKronicles

LINDY

“Don’t people usually celebratetwenty-onein Vegas, baby Kingston?” Pace’s hot breath tickles my ear.

“Lay off thebaby Kingstonthing, Pace.” I laugh and push him back.

“You’re two years late, aren’t you?” He spins me around to face him, and I catch Everly’s wink over his shoulder.

“Is that my friend asking or my former agent?” I tease.

“Fuck former,” he argues and grabs my hand. “You’re my favorite gold medalist, Lindy. If you’re really sure you don’t want to compete anymore, there are other options. Did you get the offer I sent you from ESPN? They want you, baby—”

I glare, and he stops before using that stupid nickname.

“I’m retired, Pace. You and Andrew have to accept that at some point.” I lean in and kiss his cheek, then glance at my best friend and whisper, “Now have some fun tonight, but don’t break any hearts, okay?” Giving him a little shove toward Everly, I step back.

“I’m not the heartbreaker here, Kingston.”

Brynlee grabs my hand and tugs me behind her over to the table where Maddox and Callen both sit, legs spread wide, taking up as much room as possible. Two girls sit on either side of Callen, and another sits on Maddox’s lap.

“Seriously...” Brynlee grabs the bottle of champagne chilling in a bucket and takes a big drink before she refills both our glasses. Champagne sloshes over the top as she points at Callen and Maddox. “You two look like you’re one tiger away from a really bad night,” she tells the guys, and I choke on my champagne.

Gracie moves next to Bryn and lifts her glass for a refill, then looks at the guys and scrunches her face. “They both look like they’re one night away from having to get a shot of penicillin.”

I giggle. “I don’t know. Maddox could rock the whole Mike Tyson tattoo thing,” I tease. “But no losing Doug. Got it?”

Bryn snickers and sips more champagne. “Pretty sure you’d be Doug, Lindy.”

I think that makes me the boring one. “I could be worse things.” I shrug, and Charles, who’s standing a few feet behind us, catches my eye. His thick arms are crossed over an even thicker chest. Not exactly blending in here. More like screamingbodyguard.He looks at me with a warning, and I turn away.

Whatever.

Tonight is for the girls, and I’m going to ignore my babysitter and have as much fun as I can squeeze into the remaining hours.

I lift my glass and tap it against Brynlee and Gracie’s. “Cheers, girls.”

“Cheers.” They tap back, and I can’t help the smile spreading across my face when Kenzie moves next to the table with Easton by her side. He looks... better than good. He looks incredible. Easton’s a big guy, at least six foot four with broad shoulders and a thick chest that tapers down to a lean waist. He makes Charles look small.

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