Page 66 of The Boyfriend Gamble

Orlando was…unique. In all the good ways. He had spikey bleach-blond hair, lovely blue eyes, called everyonedarling,and wore bright colors.

I meant bright. Like we had no trouble spotting him in the stands. He resembled a peacock—but in a good way.

FP was a little on the plainer side. Medium-brown short hair. Medium-brown eyes. Freckles across his nose that he hated. He worked in maintenance for the city. He was always super vague about his job.

Then Cameron and me.

Four more disparate-looking men one would be hard-pressed to find.

Well, Knight and I were both different shades of blond. But my spikey hair contrasted with his down-to-his shoulders soft locks.

“We’re all here.” I nudged Cam. “And we all survived the party last night.”

Knight rolled his eyes. “Orlando wanted to go. Unfortunately, we had tickets to the Christmas Festival. So sorry to have missed the bonfire.”

Clearly, he in no way was sorry or at all distressed. I couldn’t have pictured him there anyway. I’d barely fit in, being at the upper age of the partygoers.

Cam had been completely out of place.

“Court’s available.” FP tapped his racket. “Flip a coin?”

“I think Jasper should be on my side.” Cameron eyed me.

FP snickered.

Knight’s brow furrowed. “We usually flip a coin, but I have no objections to playing with FP.”

“Great.” I grinned. I didn’t have a clue why Cameron wanted to play with me, but I’d take it as a potential win.

We never chatted during our games. We had one hour on the court, and we always made the most of it. Last week, we’d split and played with other teams. Mena and Todd made formidable opponents. Former childhood sweethearts who’d recently reconnected. Seven kids between the two of them.

I couldn’t envision seven teenagers in one house. Todd’s eldest was twenty, and at university—the other six still lived at home.

Today, though, I didn’t spot the couple.

The hour went by in a blur. Knight and Cameron were…fiercer…than FP and myself. This was supposed to be fun for us. We weren’t in a competitive league or anything. Just a way to get physical activity that wasn’t dependent on the weather. I was all for hiking in the woods, but not in the pouring rain.

We showered and met in the lobby.

Knight waved Orlando over.

Who strutted close wearing rainbow sneakers, neon-pink pants, a multi-colored shirt, and a purple vest with a pale-yellow pocket square.

Somehow, the look just…worked.

“We’re heading to the Christmas Market. We have to get Johnson’s apple cider, Wyatt’s pumpkin pie, and Clay’s pumpkin spice before they run out.” Knight shrugged. “Apologies.”

“Oh, and we’re buying one of Henry’s fairy figurines for our Christmas tree at work.” Orlando beamed. “LGBTQ fairies. They’re just…stunning.”

“I’ll walk over with you.” FP grinned. “I need to see these fairies. I have a niece who might want one.” He cocked his head at Cameron and me.

“Jasper and I are having coffee.” Cameron met my gaze, as if asking me if that was okay.

Like I’d saynoto anything you suggest? Score! Second date!

“Right. Coffee. Because that’s what we regularly do.” I straightened because his eyes read very serious. Not that they didn’t always—Cameron took badminton seriously. Sometimes, at coffee afterward, we could make him laugh.

FP, Knight, and Orlando departed.

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