Page 191 of Securing the Pucking Rebound

Linc glares pure hate at his best friend. “I’m not suggesting the concept is absurd, I’m suggesting it’s almost unbelievable for Killer.”

I’m not sure whether I should be offended by that.

“I’ve just never seen him serious about anything before. Lusting after a woman for over fifteen years⁠—”

“It’s romantic and proves that she’s the one,” Monroe pipes up. “And the stargazing date was a⁠—”

“Disaster?” I interrupt, making them all chuckle.

Honestly, I’m not sure why I thought to come here. I’d probably be better off finding one of those girly magazines my sisters used to read with the advice column, which was full of bullshit suggestions about your first crush.

“Okay, yeah, in the context you used it, disaster, but it had the potential to be incredibly romantic.”

“Wait…Is Sienna the reason for your tattoo?” Rett asks. “That’s a constellation, isn’t it?”

I hate the way my face heats, but I don’t have the power to stop it.

“Aw, Calvin Keller is an old romantic, who knew?” Linc mocks.

“Fuck you all,” I grunt, willing my embarrassment to fade. I think I preferred it when they had woman issues, and I was able to stay the fuck out of it.

They all chuckle as Linc steals the second controller from the coffee table, getting ready to play.

“So, where are we with this Sienna thing now, then? She’s still not talking to you?” Monroe asks.

“They’re messaging,” Rett says. Things are clearly getting back to him through Bea.

Does he know more than he’s letting on?

I narrow my eyes at him, and he mouths, ‘What?’

I shake my head—his loyalties lie with Bea, and rightly so. He won’t tell me anything I shouldn’t know.

“That’s a good thing, right?”

“Yeah.” I groan, dragging my hand down my face. “Messaging is a good thing. I just…I want to see her. It’s been like, a year already.”

“Have you suggested a meeting?” Linc asks.

“She keeps saying soon. But when is soon? The holidays are soon; is it gonna be before she leaves for her parents’, or do I have to wait until the new year?”

“If we’re going by what you probably deserve …” Linc's voice trails off as he quickly digs his cell out of his pocket. “Take over,” he states, throwing Rett the controller before answering his call and wandering to the kitchen.

“Hey, man. Is everything—” Something in his tone has me looking over. “We’re at Rett’s. Yeah. Yeah, of course. See you in a few.”

“Who was that?” Rett asks the second Linc hangs up.

“Kodie. He and Handsy are on their way.”

My brows pinch. It’s not unusual for Handsy to hang out with us, although it’s gotten significantly less since he has Freya at home to play with instead of us. But Kodie…Kodie never hangs out. He’s too busy with Casey or Sutton.

“Why?” I blurt.

“He didn’t say.”

We all look at each other suspiciously, and the dread I’ve been living with returns tenfold.

At the same time, we all grab our cells and begin scrolling, but nothing has been announced. It’s just the usual gossip and speculation.