Page 5 of The Triple Play

“I follow Smokey’s,” he clarified. That made more sense — Dad owned and ran Smokey’s.

“I know who you’re talking about.” Cole’s abrupt words cut through his own silence. “She’s not a flame.”

“Oh, come on, you don’t know that,” Colton shot back. “She seemed to know enough about hockey last time, she’s probably a fan.”

Cole shook his head, huffing out a breath through his nose. “No. She seemed like the type you take home to meet your mom, not the kind you fuck in a dingy bar bathroom. No offense, Xav.”

I shrugged. “None taken, it’s not my bar.”

Colton shook his head, sucking his teeth for good measure as he looked between the two of us. “Whatever. I’ll bet you both twenty bucks I’ll have her all over me by the end of the night.”

“I’ll take that bet,” Cole quipped as he took the turn that would separate us from the route home and the way to Smokey’s. “I’m positive you’ll be all overher,and she’ll be trying to escape.”

“Maybeyoushould talk to her then, old man,” I smirked, throwing my arm over the headrests on either side of me as I met Cole’s gaze in the rearview mirror. “You need to get laid more than either of us.”

“I do not.”

“Nah, you totally do,” Colton laughed.

“See? Even Colton agrees,” I grinned. “You’re the grumpiest ass I’ve ever laid my eyes on. You’re long overdue.”

Cole sighed, staring at the road ahead like he regretted every life decision that had led him here. “You guys are ridiculous. I’m not chasing after anyone.”

Colton grinned and clapped him on the shoulder, nearly making him jump. “I know, grandpa. Don’t worry, we’ll find someone to chaseyou.”

————

I was right, as usual.

Smokey’s was packed — not just with flames and fans who had come to watch the game, but a few of the guys from the rink had clearly had the same idea as us. Even some of the away team. Music poured out the door as Cole pushed it open, ever leading the pack, and I funneled in after him, Colton hot on my tail.

“See? Isn’t this better than sitting at home with protein shakes?” Colton grinned, smacking Cole on the arm as we made our way to the bar. But then his eyes caught on the woman across the room, the one climbing down off the small stage Dad kept around for small-time performances and karaoke, and I followed his stare —shit, I do remember her.“Bingo. Annie-o-clock.”

“Go talk to her, then,” Cole said, his tone flippant as he whipped out his wallet, not even wanting to start a tab.

But the more I looked at her, the more I noticed her, the more I couldn’t help but want her. No wonder I’d gone all googly-eyed last time like Colton said. Those big blue eyes were better than I could have imagined. She was fairly short, her auburn hair falling in waves around her shoulders, her stupidly attractive eyes locked on something across the bar to our right. Her skin was fairly pale, a hint of olive undermining it, but those plump lips and furrowed brows made my fucking jeans feel like a prison.

“Wait, wait,” I snapped, reaching out and grabbing Colton’s shirt before he could wander off to her. “You’re right, she’s hot. Let me talk to her first.”

“Oh my god,” Cole groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Please don’t tell me you two are going to fight over her before you even know if she’s?—”

Colton spun on a dime, his eyes narrowing on me. “Come on, man. I already said I wanted to, like, twenty minutes ago.”

“Yeah, but that was before I saw her.”

“Rock, paper, scissors,” Cole snapped, leaning one elbow on the bar and completely ignoring a woman who was staring at him on his right. “Now, please, before you two drive me up the fucking wall.”

Colton’s jaw twitched as he steeled it. “That’s not fair.”

“Life’s not fair.”

I had half a mind to slip off right there and then, but I knew without a doubt that Colton would rocket up beside me, and then she’d have two men to deal with — one of whom was currently being an annoying prick and not letting me have a chance. “You can’t call dibs on a person, Colton,” I huffed.

“For fucks sake,” Cole grumbled, lifting his palm and placing his fist on it. “Let’s make it fair, then, shall we? Rock, paper, scissors, between the three of us. That way, there’s at least a one-in-three chance that you two aren’t at each others' throats.”

I blink down at Cole, my brows knitting together. “You don’t even want to talk to her.”

“Yeah, that’s not more fair,” Colton added, pulling his hair tie off his wrist and tightening it around the strands at the back of his neck. “That lowers my odds, grandpa.”

---