Page 222 of Just for the Cameras
“Oh shit,” Hutton says, pulling my attention back to the present.
“What?”
“I know that look.” He shakes his head. “Graydon, you’re into her, really into her.”
I slowly nod, my eyes trailing over my girl. “Yeah, I fucking am.”
“Graydon, it would be great if you could come over to our house sometime and wash our dishes since you’re so good at it,” Scarlett saysas she and Maple walk up to us, each of them holding a plate of food.
Hutton and I found a four-person table, but only with three seats, soI take Maple’s plate, set it down in front of us, then have her take a seat on my lap, where I circle my arm around her waist and hold on to her.
“And deprive you of watching Hutton slip on rubber gloves to clean them himself? I would never.”
“Do you really wear rubber gloves?” Maple asks as she stabs her fork into some of her salad.
“My hands get pruney quick,” Hutton says as he takes a bite of his cheeseburger.
The Foghorns have dinner catered by multiple local restaurants from a variety of cuisines. A dessert bar spans three tables, including a make-your-own sundae bar for the kids. The drinks are all free—the least they can do—and now that I have a date, it’s honestly one of the best kickoff dinners I’ve ever had.
“How did you two become friends?” Maple asks, motioning between Hutton and me. “Because you’re offense and defense and, frankly, don’t seem like a likely pairing.”
“We’re not,” I say as I slip my fingers under the hem of Maple’s dress.
I already ate and am now just picking at my plate.
“It’s really a stupid story,” Scarlett says.
“Oh? I like stupid stories.”
Hutton wipes his mouth and places his napkin on the table. “I was new to the team, was unaware that Graydon was—as we have established—a nasty dick, and started sitting next to him in the cafeteria because no one was sitting near him. Didn’t think much of it and started talking to him.”
“And he talked back?” Maple asks, surprised.
“No. But then I saw it as a challenge, so I kept sitting next to him and talking. Bonded over our favorite flavor of Gatorade. And when I say bonded, I mean I talked about how his choice of lemon-lime was the same choice as mine. He didn’t start budging until one day on the airplane when he forgot his headphones, and I had a spare. I let him borrow them, and from then on, we were besties.”
“Headphones, that’s all it takes?” Maple asks.
“My dad was on the plane, and his voice was grating on my nerves. Hutton saved me.”
“You heard it here first,” Hutton says, sitting taller. “Graydon said I saved him.”
Maple chuckles. “Why do I feel like he’s going to make a T-shirt that says that?”
“And why do I feel like I’m the one who will have to make it?” Scarlett asks.
“Because you’re so good at it,” Hutton says while kissing Scarlett.
I press a kiss to Maple’s shoulder and then lean my chin against it as Maple asks Scarlett and Hutton, “And how did you two meet?”
“College,” Scarlett answers. “We went to Brentwood University in Chicago. He played football there.”
“Yeah, and she played the field.”
Scarlett scoffs, playfully swatting Hutton. “Oh my God, as if you have room to talk.”
“Listen, I was ready to settle down with you. You were a hard one to catch.”
Scarlett rolls her eyes dramatically. “That’s not how it went.”
