Page 155 of Rebound
I don’t say anything to that because I’m not interested in anything to do with my father.
“What’s it going to be?” Reese steps up next to me, his phone in his hand.
“Angel,” I say, causing Drew to snort. I can’t tell if he’s amused or disgusted.
He looks over at me, his green eyes only a shade lighter than Lavinia’s. “Does she know you’re this pathetic?”
“I certainly hope so, I’ve never hidden it from her.”
Reese adds my chosen name and my phone number to the group text.
“How will I know who’s who?” I ask Reese.
“I’ll send you a list.” My phone buzzes and I pull it out, seeing a message from HoBros. It’s a photo of everyone’s names next to their chosen stripper name. Drew is Sassy, Kai is Kandi, Reese is Crystal, Holden is Destiny, and Ford is Trixie.
“Let me guess,” I look up, “Drew is the one who didn’t choose his stripper name and it was Reese who picked it, as well as the group name.”
Reese claps a hand on my back, his eyes delighted. “Oh my god, you are one of us!”
“What the hell is HoBros?”
“It’s Hockey Bros.”
I blink at him, at a loss for words. Only Reese can come up with something so ridiculous. “How did Drew become Sassy?”
Reese grins. “Because Grumpy is a dwarf, not a stripper.”
He looks so proud of himself for that, and I have to admit, he has every right to be. Reese gets distracted by Holden setting up the air hockey table and rushes over to him, their conversation devolving into an argument about who won last time.
The door leading to the bar outside opens and a girl enters. She’s in jeans and a Mercer University hockey sweatshirt that’sswallowing her, her brown hair tied in two braids. Her eyes zero in on Holden and she stalks over to him.
“Dad wants to know if your fancy little ritual is over and if he can have his office back.”
Holden rolls his eyes, turning her around and pushing her back towards the door. “Hallie, you know you’re not allowed back here.”
“Please, the last time I came in you guys were literally talking about romance books.” She cranes her neck, looking around, and her eyes land on me, widening slightly. She comes to a halt, twisting her body to escape her brother’s grasp. “Wait!”
But Holden is already opening the door and leading her out to the bar. Noise from outside filters in briefly before the door shuts again.
“Is it me or has Hallie gotten older since the last time we were here?” Reese asks, looking distressed. “Are we getting old?”
Kai throws an arm around Reese’s shoulder and gives him a squeeze. “Growing old is a privilege, Reese.”
Reese exhales, his shoulders dropping. “That’s true. At least Ford will get older long before I do.”
“What have I ever done to you?” Ford demands.
I feel something cold against my arm and turn around to see Drew placing a beer bottle next to where my arm is resting. He gives me a small nod and I return it, picking up the beer bottle and taking a sip. He stands next to me, nursing his own beer. It’s not as awkward as I thought it might be and I’ve always been good with silence, no matter how much I hate it.
Drew clears his throat lightly, still not saying anything. Do I always have to take the first step with these siblings?
“Now is your chance to tell me all the reasons you hate me,” I say.
“I don’t hate you,” Drew replies.
I turn to look at him, not believing him for a second. “You punched me, not too long ago, remember? I know you were upset about me marrying Lavinia, but it couldn’t all have been because of that.”
Drew raises his beer to his mouth. Holden comes back inside, going straight to the air hockey table where Reese claims he’s ready to beat him.
