Page 108 of Pucking Your Best Friend

“You know!” Dax joined in, looking at Lucy in disbelief. “You tell your sister, but not your boyfriend?”

“She’s not on the team! And she can keep her mouth shut,” she said, hastily defending herself.

Maddie nodded firmly. “Exactly.”

“Oh, boo!” Leon exclaimed while Matt leaned almost imperceptibly toward her.

“You can tell me, can’t you?” he mumbled in her ear.

She looked at him apologetically. “No.”

“But I’m your dream man!” he replied incredulously. “I should have special privileges.”

“Lucy, just tell us.” Leon rigorously ignored him, his voice so loud that everyone flinched.

“Okay, you and I will go to the bar and have a serious talk about the acceptable volume used to talk to a lady,” Fox said with a sigh and rose abruptly.

“You’re not my dad, Fox!” Leon said, rolling his eyes.

“No, but I could call your mother,” he replied tonelessly.

Leon abruptly stood. “A drink at the bar sounds good!”

Laughing, they watched the two of them leave. As soon as they were out of earshot, Dax started, “Okay, now that we’re alone…”

Lucy silenced him with a roll of her eyes.

Hm. Interesting. She wondered if she could do that with Matt, too.

“Fine, fine,” he said, annoyed. “Don’t tell us. Let’s talk about Christmas instead. So, should we all celebrate together?”

Everyone agreed, only Jack remained silent. His gaze focused on his non-alcoholic beer.

“Jack?” Dax asked.

His brother sighed heavily. “I can’t. I’m in New York, unfortunately. When I was sold a few months ago, I forgot some paperwork that needs to be fixed.”

“What?” Dax stared at him, mouth gaping. “This would be our first Christmas together in a damn decade.”

Jack nodded. “I know,” he said, sounding oddly tired. “I’m really sorry. I can’t…put it off.”

Dax sighed and waved him off. “Fine. Whatever,” he said gruffly. “Everyone else coming?”

They nodded and Maddie felt Matt gently kiss her temple.

“I already have a present,” he whispered in her ear.

She glanced up at him, interested. “You do?”

“Yes.”

“Could it beI’m doing the laundrycoupons?"

“Don’t be silly.”

She grinned. “New handcuffs?”

“Do we need more than three pairs?”

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