Page 61 of Hand Picked
Today, I promised myself.You’ll ask him to come over later.
Katey grabbed menus and started chatting to Em about softball tryouts—Katey, apparently, was the best pitcher the Hollow Swingers had ever had, and she wanted Em to join the team also.
But as she led us through the restaurant to a table in the back, with me at the front of the group, Alan Laroche waved me over.
“Luke! D’you see the game last night? Close call, eh?”
“Oh. Yeah. A heartbreaker of a game,” I agreed.
“Refs missed a dozen penalties against Toronto,” he said mournfully.
I sensed Webb behind me without turning around, and he spoke over my shoulder. “Wasn’t the refs’ fault. Neutral zone trap killed you.” He prodded my back and added teasingly, “Wouldn’t you say, Luke?”
I lifted my chin. “Actually, I think we would’ve been fine if we’d had our goalie back, but we just don’t have the depth on defense that we had a couple seasons ago.” I hoped I’d gotten all of that lingo right.
“True,” Alan sighed. “But we can keep hoping.” He offered me a fist, and I bumped it.
“What the hell was that?” Webb’s deep whisper curled around the nape of my neck as we walked on, making me shiver.
“That’s called… I streamed the game last night while I crocheted,” I said a little smugly, glancing over my shoulder. “And I maybe also swan dived down an internet rabbit hole of editorials for an entire afternoon. They’re mydudes, Webb. When I commit, I commit.”
“I thought I was supposed to be teaching you hockey,” he teased, and my breathing hitched.
I tried to focus, but it wasn’t easy with him that close. “I knew you were busy, and once I get obsessed with a new subject, I want to learn everything about it, so…”
“Interesting,” he purred. “I was introduced to a new subject last week, too. And I have an internet connection also.”
Could he be serious? My face heated, and I tried my best not to stammer. I failed. “I… I think we should compare notes.”
He passed in front of me, and as he did, he slid his pinky finger along the edge of my hand, where no one could see it. The sensation traveled directly to my balls. “I agree.”
Holy freaking mackerel.I was going to pop wood in the middle of a family breakfast.
No, really, parents. Despite the child misplacement, the drunken carousing, the massive hangover, the incident with the roof, and my incredibly inappropriate breakfast shenanigans, I’m incredibly trustworthy.
In desperation, I stopped at Maryanne’s table to thank her for the soup she’d sent over the day after my dunking. I should have known I’d get sucked into a brief conversation with her and her friend Penny about the Spring Fling, but it at least helped me gather my wits before I reached the Sundays’ table.
Until I realized the only empty seat at the table was on the end, directly beside Aiden and across from Webb.
Aiden patted the chair excitedly, and I slid into it just as Katey started rattling off the specials.
“We’ve got eggs Florentine, raspberry cheesecake pancakes, and the french toast of the day is banana bread french toast. What’ll it be?”
I’d barely opened my menu when Drew started rattling off his order, quickly followed by everyone else.
I sighed. One of these days, I’d actually get to look at the menu at this place, but apparently not that day. “I-I guess I’ll have the ras—”
“The eggs,” Katey said. “Fine.” She tapped the tip of her pen against her order form and departed.
I closed my eyes briefly and huffed out a breath. Itwasfine. Eggs were better for me anyway.
Webb eyed me across the table. “Ask her to come back. Tell her you changed your mind.”
I shook my head. If Katey being annoyed at me was the price I had to pay for having Webb in my life, I was more than willing to pay it. Besides, I knew she’d come around.
“If you want, you can have a bite of mine,” Aiden offered. He leaned across the space between our chairs and into my side so I had to put my arm over his shoulders. “Chocolate pancakes with chocolate chips and M&Ms and peanut butter sauce.”
“Good gravy. I feel a sugar rush just thinking about it.”
