Page 36 of Wanting the Winger

I shake my head. “I got this one.”

“Hey, guys,” a familiar female voice calls out.

“Hi, Cate,” Ryder is the first to answer the well-known puck bunny.

She bends down to sit on my leg and I put my arm up blocking her. She sends me a questioning look before moving over to Ryder on the other side of the table.

Kaiden turns his head toward me. “What was that about?”

“I didn’t want her to get the wrong impression,” I explain.

He nods slowly. “Some of these fans have a hard time hearing no.”

“Exactly. I don’t need to get caught up in a weird situation and then have it be made a big deal of on social media.”

“Yeah, I’ve been there,” he says.

“What happened?” The question pops out before I think about whether or not I should ask. And since I can’t draw the words back in, I add, “If you don’t mind telling me.”

“No, I don’t. It happened ten years ago and was similar to the situation you described. It was an innocent moment that was photographed and then misconstrued by my then girlfriend.”

“What did she do?”

He laughs. “She broke up with me.”

“Dude, that sucks.”

“Does it really, though? At the time it was horrible, but looking back, I think it was for the best. She didn’t believe me when I repeatedly told her nothing happened. If someone really loves you, they shouldn’t take a stranger’s word over yours.”

I tip my beer back, downing the remainder, and place the empty bottle on the table. “That’s rough. But it sounds like you dodged a bullet.”

“Yeah, no doubt I did.”

“Where’s your ex now?”

“She married a classmate of ours and they have a couple of kids.”

“I’m surprised she’s not divorced,” I say.

“People can change. I like to think I’m a better man than I was back then. If I was in a relationship now, I would do exactly what you did, blocking Cate from sitting on your lap.” He drums his fingers on the table and then he snaps his head toward me once again, like something just occurred to him. “Are you in a relationship?”

Am I? I don’t know what to say.

I glance across the table to see if anyone else is listening, but Murphy is texting on his phone and Ryder’s got his hands full, literally, with Cate.

“I’ve gone on a few dates with someone.”

“And you want more with this person?”

“I do. I like her a lot.”

“Then what’s the problem?”

“She’s a single mom.”

“Why is that a problem?”

“Evie doesn’t have much free time, and I’m not sure how she feels about me.”

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