Page 53 of Wicked Love

“It was heaven. Beaches, spectacular sunsets, drinks with tiny umbrellas, all with Sadie. What’s not to love?”

“Tiny umbrellas,” Henley repeats, nodding sagely. “The key to any successful relationship.”

“Isn’t marriage the best?” Rhodes asks.

“You apparently think so,” I say, pointing at his face. “You’re fucking glowing, man.”

Rhodes beams and slaps his cheek a couple times. “Damn right, I am.”

“Speaking of…when are you guys getting married, Henley?” Penn asks.

“I don’t know…you guys have got me thinking,” Henley says, somewhat cryptically. He looks at me. “What about you? When are you gonna ask Poppy out? I heard that I missed some hot tension out on the field at Briar Hill. I’d like to hear in your words how she landed on top of you for ten minutes.”

Everyone laughs but me…I snort.

“It wasn’t ten minutes,” I say, shaking my head.

“But you do admit she was on top of you?” Penn, the shit-stirrer, says.

“Yeah, I broke her fall so she wouldn’t get hurt.”

All four sets of eyes look back at me with derpy grins.

I groan and swipe my hand down my face. “It was nothing.”

“Well, when are you going to make it something?” Rhodes asks. “You’ve gotta see how she lights up every time she’s around you. I thought I was going to have to cover some kids’ eyes out there on the field.”

“Shut up.” I laugh.

My ears feel hot and I’m glad for the hair coverage.

“Time to man up,” Rhodes says, smirking.

“I’d normally be all about keeping you single so I’m not alone,” Penn says, leaning his forearms on the table, “but I’d like to see you get some. We don’t want you having old man problems with the prostate.” He points his thumb toward the door. “You ever need the fear put in you properly…get stuck talking to Marv and Walter about that issue.” He tilts his head down, his wide eyes staying pinned on mine. “You can’t unhear it.”

“My prostate is fine.God. You guys are too much.” I pinch the bridge of my nose and barely hold back the laugh that’s trying to come out. “You think I’ve got time for a date right now?”

Remorse crosses their faces and I’d feel guilty for it if they weren’t such nosy bastards all the fucking time. They’ve actually been saints while my dad’s been in the hospital. Weston’s the only one who hasn’t been to the hospital yet, but he’s called often, even while he was still on his honeymoon.

“How is your dad today?” Weston asks.

“Seems about the same. I’m heading over there after this.”

“I’m so sorry, man,” he says. “Can I bring food over to the hospital later?”

“You don’t have to do that. You’ve barely been home. Catch your breath. We’re good.” I smile when he squeezes my shoulder.

“I want to,” he says. “I’ll text this afternoon and if you’re not still there, I’ll take something for your mom.”

“You guys are too good to me.”

“You’re good to us too,” Henley says. “You know that I have you to thank for pulling me out of my depressed state after the accident.”

My eyes narrow. “Pretty sure that was Tru and your girls who did that...and the rest of these guys.”

“No, you literally pulled me out of bed first…and then it was everyone.” We all laugh with him.

The conversation shifts to Elle’s book release party coming up and then Weston’s honeymoon again, but my mind circles back to Poppy. The way it does way too often these days. She’s invading my thoughts without me even consciously letting her.

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