Page 54 of My Brother's Teammates

I nod. “I’m sorry, Harry.” A sniff.

“S’okay.” He reaches his hand to my hair as if he’s going to ruffle it like when we were kids. More often than not, it ended up with a punch in the ribs.

I jump back out of reach. “Don’t touch the curls, asshole. I’m pretty sure this game night required me to be presentable.”

He grins. “Let’s get back out there. Lydia is making guac, and Alec’s super excited to meet you. I think the two of you could hit it off. He also recently came out of a relationship—like you.” He wiggles his brows at me.

It doesn’t escape my notice that he didn’t press me to answer the rest of his questions. Is there anything else I should know?

Yes.

Anything else my friends know that I don’t?

Also yes.

He leads me back to the kitchen, where Lydia greets me with a cautious smile and a wave. “Hey, Charlotte.”

Hey, Charlotte.

Ugh. Even her voice annoys me. It’s going to be a long night, and although I suppose I could just drink through it, that wouldn’t be fair to my date.

I open my mouth to respond, but there’s a knock at the door. At least I think it’s a knock. It’s so soft that until Harrison starts to walk toward the door, I wasn’t sure what I’d heard.

He steps aside to let Alec in, closes the door, then gives his friend a huge hug. “Alec, this is my sister, Charlotte.” He guides Alec in my direction.

“Charlotte, it’s so nice to meet you. Harry has told me so much about you.” He steps toward me, hand outstretched as I arch a brow at my brother.

“Don’t believe everything you hear.” I shake his hand. “Nice to meet you, too, Alec.” I hope Harrison hasn’t built me up too much to this guy, though before the thought has even finished forming in my mind, I know he’s done exactly that. Built me up too much. It’s his MO.

Alec is… nice, friendly, cordial, dressed in khakis and a shirt, he’s punctual… well-presented… but… Nope, no reaction from my girl parts at all.

Is that because I’ve been kissed senseless by two delicious hockey players today, and I’ve lost all ability to be attracted to anyone else? Or is it because he’s just a little bland for my tastes?

My fingers sweep across my lower lip like there might be some remaining trace of the hockey duo still there. Or maybe I just want there to be.

I can’t flee. Harrison would never forgive me, and Mom raised a polite enough daughter to at least suffer through a couple hours of board games before I let Alec kiss me on the cheek and head upstairs.

So I do the right thing. I pick up the Monopoly box and give it a jiggle in Alec’s direction. “I’m the hat.”

He nods. “Dog for me.”

Harrison claps his hands together with smug satisfaction. “Let’s play.”

Alec wins at Monopoly, and two games of dominoes—could be because he’s a superior player, or maybe it’s because the whole evening my mind is in a different apartment in this building.

I can’t sit still, can’t focus, can’t make small talk.

Harrison keeps casting furtive glances at me. “You okay?”

I pinch the bridge of my nose. “Yeah, just have a headache.” I manage a feeble wink at Alec. “We’ll have to have a rematch when I’m feeling better.”

As soon as the words are out of my mouth, I regret them. The sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach gets heavier when Alec lights up. Fuck. The guys are going to really love the fact I suggested a do-over. What the fuck, Charlotte? Has your fake headache stopped your brain from working?

Harrison feels my forehead with the back of his hand. “You’re clammy, Char. You sure you’re not sick?” He scoots his chair back from me like the germs are floating around my head.

“I’m sure. Probably dehydration or something.”

“I could take you home. You could get an early night. Hopefully you’ll feel better in the morning and be okay to go to the game.” The hope in Alec’s voice makes my guilt weightier still. I should say no right now. It’s even on the tip of my tongue. I should be a good person and put Alec’s feelings first.

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