Page 152 of The Score

Chapter 49

Bear

We're in the club, the night before Pen flies back home. The knowledge is lodged somewhere between my ribcage and my lungs, hurting every time I breathe. It's why I bring her closer, even though we're already sitting next to each other. With an arm around her shoulders, I pull her until she's leaning against me. She follows my lead with a smile on her face. Her hand lands on my thigh, for once.

We may be cuddling at the club, but her eyes are on Dom. The whole crew is here— except for Rafa as usual— and everyone is paired up except for the tight end with short hair and tattoos to rival mine.

"I met Mariana," Pen tells him. "She's beautiful."

Dom shakes his head like he doesn't have patience for our antics. The whole group surrounds him on a mix of sofa and armchair placements, with Pen and I at the end of the circle near the railings.

"Mariana seems really cool." Evie presses her lips together not to smile. "I only met her in passing, but she said she's moving to Seattle in a couple of weeks."

"You lot can't and should not interfere." Dom casts his eyes at the dark club ceiling. "I'm serious."

"We can," I say.

"As forshould…" Saint starts.

"Beingseriousnever stopped any of you before," I add. "Everyone here but you has gotten an intervention. Saint's was right before the championship. Mine was just a little while ago. You're up next, don't you think? You have a few months."

Pen turns to me, a curious look on her face. "You got an intervention?"

I glance at her. Her eyebrow arches my way. She blinks at me innocently.

I lick my lips, considering my answer, wondering if I can give her a quick kiss in front of our friends. They know a lot, but Pen and I haven't been quite that free around them.

I nod. "I have."

And it's the reason I'm considering the kiss, and not kissing her, at the same time.

"What about?" she asks.

I gaze around my friends. Some of them stare at us with curiosity, and others with a challenge.

I ignore them and smile at her. "I'll tell you next time we have a chance to really talk."

I chew the inside of my cheek. That won't happen for another week, most likely. Too far, too soon.

"How's the bucket list going, by the way?" Ames asks. "For no reason at all."

She's one of those who stared at us with a challenge.

Pen studies everyone with suspicious eyes. "We only have one official item left. I want to be swarmed by puppies."

"Oh, that's so sweet!" Nat exclaims. "Are you going to adopt one?"

I gaze at her like it's totally up to what she wants. It is.

"Go ahead," I say. "I'm taking notes, since I'm planning it."

"Let's postpone the puppy swarm." She bites her bottom lip. "It's definitely not the right time. I'd like to see my dad fully recovered first…"

"He'll be okay." I rub her arm. "There's no rush."

"After twenty years of friendship," Damián says, "I'd say you've waited long enough. No need to postpone things too much."

"Maybe." I give him a hard stare, so he knows I understand his subliminal message. "But in my mind, that means we can wait a little longer. It won't change much in the grand scheme of things."