Page 34 of Over the Line

Coach Dahl looked at us. Then he looked at the other guys in the room for confirmation, earning him some shrugs, nods, and looks of I don’t know, Coach—I would never partake in such tomfoolery. His gaze landed on Garrett, who just chuckled and went for his beer.

Finally, without another word, Coach shook his head and walked right back out.

Craws chuckled, took his baby, and sat back down. I sat too, and we continued shooting the shit.

“So,” Garrett said to Temo, “you never did tell me how you ended up cleaning blood from his man cave.” He gestured at me.

“No, I didn’t.” Temo grinned. “Okay, so we were all playing beer pong…”

CHAPTER 11

GARRETT

“Do you guys need a hand with them?” Liam gestured at Temo’s three kids, who were racked out on the living room couch.

“You don’t mind?” Ximena asked. “They’re getting too big to carry two at a time.”

“No problem.” Liam gently picked up one of the kids and eased her onto his hip. Her head rested on his shoulder, and she didn’t stir even a little bit.

Temo bent and carefully scooped up one of his sleeping sons. “Should’ve taken them home and put them to bed hours ago.”

“That’s what happens when we go to Uncle Saints’ house.” Ximena tsked, but she was smiling as she picked up the last child. “The kids stay up way too late, and so do we.”

“So it’s Saints’ fault.” Temo nodded sharply. “Works for me.”

Liam just rolled his eyes, told me he’d be back in a minute, and stepped out with Temo and Ximena.

While he was gone, I looked around, and I realized several of the other guys and their families had left. In fact… everyone had left. Liam and I had wandered into the kitchen at some point, and we’d been so lost in a conversation about hockey and whatever, I hadn’t even noticed how much time had passed.

Shit, what time was it?

He was just coming back into the house when I checked my phone and did a double take. “Oh. Crap. It’s almost ten?” I looked at Liam. “God, I didn’t mean to overstay my⁠—”

“No, no, you’re fine.” His smile made my pulse jump. “It was, uh… It was nice.”

I studied him uncertainly.

He put his glass aside. “I love hosting holidays, but it’s almost all families and young single guys.” Gesturing at me, he softly added, “It’s a nice switch.”

“Technically, I am one of the single guys. Maybe not one of the young ones, but…”

Something gleamed in his eyes, but I might’ve been imagining it. Manifesting it, really, because oh, hell, I wanted to see that heat. That acknowledgment that, yes, we were both single guys, and we were here alone, and⁠—

I cleared my throat. “Anyway, as long as I’m here, do you need a hand cleaning anything up? I just need to put in a request for a rideshare, and then I’m happy to help with anything you need.”

“Rideshare? Pfft. They’ll rip you off getting from here to Pittsburgh. Especially on a holiday.” He gestured dismissively. “I’ll drive you home.”

I almost stumbled. “You—you will?”

“Sure.” He gestured dismissively at the handful of dishes on his counter and in his sink. “I’ll take care of all this when I get back. Where do you live?”

“Uh. Near downtown. In the South Hills.” I didn’t want to impose, but what could I say? Another half hour in his company was too much to resist.

“Okay, no problem.” He nodded toward a door leading from the kitchen to, I guessed, his garage. “I’m happy to drive.”

“Oh. Uh. Sure. Yeah, that’d be great. Are you sure you don’t need help with⁠—”

“I’ve got it. Don’t worry.” His smile screwed with my balance yet again. “Let me go get my wallet, and we can head out?”