Page 28 of The Fangirl and the Playboy

Fuck, Ireallydon’t want to know, but I think I do, anyway.

“Oh, I know!” she squeals, doubling down. “Let me get one of the two of you. Lucas Lumin and his W––”

“Don’t say it,” Trace growls, but she doesn’t even pause.

“Wolf Daddy!”

“Absolutely not,” Trace growls, and I have to physically force myself not to edge away from the two of them.

“Oh, come on. Please? For me?” she cajoles, and Trace rolls his eyes.

I meet Willow’s gaze, and she’s not even trying to hide her grin. I widen my eyes in a silent cry for help, but she only shakes her head as a husky chuckle slips from between her gorgeous lips.

Trace grumbles something I don’t quite catch, but nevertheless, moves in next to me and faces Keegan with a frown. I don’t know what to do, so I give her a smile I hope doesn’t look terrified while she takes several shots of us together. I’ve never felt so uncomfortable in my life.

“Put your arm around his shoulders, Wolf Daddy,” Keegan directs, then squeals and dances away as Trace lunges for her.

Willow’s laughter rings out loud and true, and I take advantage of Keegan and Trace’s distraction to slide her way and out of the fray. Trace chases Keegan back into the kitchen, and I shoot a glance at Willow.

“What was that all about?” I ask.

She laughs, then shakes her head. “CursedCubs have been coming to town and howling at Trace for years because he looks like your dad in the movies. He fuckinghatesit, and Keegan made the mistake of howling and yelling Wolf Daddy the first time they laid eyes on each other. They eventually got past it, and he’s much more mellow about it all, but he still doesn’tlikeit. And Keegan likes to push his buttons.”

“I’ve heard her call him that a couple of times, and I do see the resemblance to Roger, but I thought it was just a nickname she used. I had no idea about the rest,” I say.

“It’s a whole thing,” she sighs, then moves toward the table.

I lunge forward to hold her chair for her, and she seems startled, freezing for a second. Then she sits as I push the chair in, and I take the seat next to her. She glances over at me, an indecipherable look on her face, and I hold up my palms, motioning toward my position beside her.

“Is this okay?”

“Yeah,” she says, her nod a little erratic. “Sure.”

Keegan and Trace return before I can say anything else. He’s carrying a large platter of barbecued ribs, and she has a bowl in each hand. When she sets them down, I see one is filled with coleslaw and the other, mashed potatoes.

As Keegan takes the seat across from me, Trace catches my eye. “Hey, man, you want a beer?”

I nod. “That would be great. Thanks.”

Trace looks at Keegan, then at Willow in askance, and when they both answer yes, he nods and heads back into the kitchen. He returns shortly with four bottles, setting one in front of each of us before taking his seat. Picking up the platter of ribs, he doles out a couple to each of us while we pass around the sides in silence.

I’m taking my first bite of meat off the slender bone when Trace asks, “So, how did you two meet?”

I gasp before I can stop it, and a sliver of pork lodges itself firmly in my windpipe. Willow reaches over and slaps my back as I attempt to cough it up into my napkin, and when it finally dislodges, I take a long draw from my beer to soothe my aching throat.

There’s an uncomfortable moment of silence before Keegan breaks it, saying, “God, these ribs are delicious. What kind of seasoning did you use, babe?”

Trace narrows his gaze at her, then looks back at me before finally shooting a suspicious glare Willow’s way. I scramble for something to say, but Willow beats me to it, letting out a long, dramatic sigh.

Keegan opens her mouth to intervene again, but Willow holds up a palm. “It’s okay, Keegs. I’ve got this.” Then she looks at her brother and lifts her chin. “We met while Gavin was here filming Curse, and we hung out.”

Trace’s frown deepens. “You never told me that. And when I asked the other day, you said you’d only met briefly.”

“I was a sixteen-year-old girl who didn’t tell her overprotective big brother every detail of her life. Shocker,” Willow snaps, then blows out a breath. “Sorry.”

When Trace just continues to stare, I finally find my voice. “Julia met her first and introduced us. We didn’t know anyone here, and Willow introduced us around. We became really good friends that summer.”

That’s not a lie. Wewereonly friends that summer.

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