Page 88 of Always Been Yours

I tilt my head back and laugh. “Your husband had a front-row seat. I’ll let him have the honor of telling you.”

When we get back to the table, I know immediately that something’s up. Vivi and Lexi are leaning toward each other across the table. Vivi is nodding and Lexi looks way too superior.

“What’s up?” I hand Vivi her drink.

Lexi is the one who answers, “I want to play pool. It’s my birthday after all.”

“Okay,” I shrug. “Want to be my partner?” I ask Knox, already knowing that it’s safer for everyone to let the two of them be on the same team. I don’t doubt that their childhood hostility comes out quickly when they’re in competition.

“Sure,” Knox nods.

We look back at them and suddenly I feel like we made a grave mistake by agreeing to play. Vivi looks way too innocent. Lexi is smiling like she knows a secret—which is how she looks most of the time, but this is worse somehow. Calypso gives me a sympathetic smile, shaking her head. Hudson lets out a low whistle, and Asher tips his water glass toward me, in a silentgood luck.

“I’m pretty good,” Knox says. “It’ll be a good game. Chill out.”

Knowing ViviandLexi, I’m not so sure about that.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Grady

It’s a good game but not for Knox and me.

“What the fuck?” he mutters.

Lexi and Vivi are on their second turn and have already sunk half the solid balls.

The little troll is smiling at me from across the pool table, and I can’t help but laugh and shake my head in return.

She’s so beautiful. Especially in these moments of pure giddiness.

“How did you get so good at this?” I ask.

Vivi laughs, letting Lexi answer this one. “We used to hustle boys for drinks. Duh.” She lines up the pool cue and shoots. Another clean shot. “We’re also great at beer pong.”

“We are going on an eight-year streak, and we don’t plan on losing anytime soon. Definitely not tonight.” Vivi’s talking a lot of shit, but she looks so happy doing it, I don’t want her to stop. I don’t know why this is turning me on, but I love when she’s snarky and a little bratty.

It gives me a few good reasons to tease the living hell out of her later.

“We could catch up.” I don’t even try to sound convincing. Lexi is already lining up to sink another ball.

Two games later, and Knox and I are only doing slightly better this round. Half of our striped balls have made it into a pocket, but Vivi is lining up to sink the last solid ball into a corner pocket—

Oh, there it goes. A perfect shot. Again.

She stands up and gives me a saccharine smile I’ve never seen before. It’s probably a mix of the alcohol and winning streak, but she looks so fucking adorable I want to lose ten more games to her.

Knox has other ideas. “Okay, okay. Just make the fucking eight ball and put us out of our misery, thanks.”

Lexi’s laugh can be heard over the music but it’s Vivi I’m staring at. I can’t hear her, but I read her lips, “Left corner pocket.” She points to the pocket directly in front of me before leaning forward. She lines up her last shot and… makes it. Not surprising at all.

Lexi whoops like they just won the gold medal and Vivi bounces on her heels, beaming at me. I simper at her, shaking my head.

“You really think you can beat anyone in this bar?” Knox asks, the exasperation is clear in his voice. He played college baseball too. He hates losing just as much as us.

Vivi’s eyes move toward him, and I can’t help but curse him silently for taking her attention away. She gives him her most cocky grin, but Lexi is the one who responds, “Yes. I’m confident enough to say that we can beat anyone in this bar right now. Pick our opponent.” She sweeps her arm out toward the crowds.

I didn’t have to see either one of their report cards to know that they both aced AP geometryandAP physics, and they’ve always been smart enough to apply that in any situation. I knew we never stood a chance but looking at how much fun Vivi and Lexi are having, was worth every shot to my ego. And the idea of herplaying the shy, clueless girl only to hustle men is sexy as hell.

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