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CHAPTER SEVEN

THE LAYERS OF HUGS

PENN

I start to relax when we get to the restaurant, excited to see the girls.

I didn’t get enough time with them today at the picnic, since I hightailed it out of there when I saw Adeline Evans.

They’ve become my best friends too and I need a night out with my friends.

I called Sam on the way over here to see if he could come to dinner with us and he had homework to finish, so it looks like I won’t be seeing him this weekend.

He’s been to a lot of the family events with me and I missed having him there today.

The family he’s with doesn’t allow me to see him as much as the last one, and it’s just another reason that I’m anxious for the meeting on Tuesday with the social worker.

When we walk in, the chef and owner of the restaurant, Camden Whitman, walks out to greet us. He’s a class-act dude, and we love everything he makes, so ever since we found out about this place recently, we’ve been looking for excuses to come back.

“It’s great to see you guys again,” he says, standing at the head of the table.

“Great to see you,” Henley says. “Thanks for fitting us in at such short notice.”

“I’ll always try my best,” he says, smiling around the table. “I hope you’re not too cramped here. You’re expecting more, I see. Can I get you started on appetizers?”

“Our wives will be here shortly,” Weston says. “And I’m starving. Should we do one of each of the appetizers?”

“Yes, two of the salmon tartare,” Rhodes says.

“ Yes ,” I jump in. “I don’t know what you put in that thing, but it’s amazing.”

“I appreciate that, man,” Camden says. He looks up when the server walks to the table, poised to take our order. He nods at her and glances at us once more. “I’ll leave Josie to it. She’s the best.”

“That’s what he says about all of us,” Josie teases.

“It’s true, I do,” he says, laughing. “But it’s also true.” He tilts his face and gives her a playful look. “Just let me know if you need anything. I want to make my favorite players happy.”

Such a cool guy. He makes what must be an insanely stressful job look effortless. He taps the back of the chair and walks away, while Josie takes our drink orders.

“Sorry, Josie, we’re boring tonight. Practice starts on Monday, so there will be no alcohol in our future for some time.”

“Not a problem. Pellegrino with lime?” she asks.

“That will be perfect,” Rhodes says, and the rest of us chime in.

And then, freaking Addy walks into the restaurant. My entire body locks up. I don’t know whether to be excited or terrified. Probably both.

Fate is just screwing with me at this point.

I tell myself to stay cool, to just let it be. But then I watch her.

And son of a dickless man, she lights up when she sees Camden Whitman.

And then she hugs him.

Not just a friendly, hey-good-to-see-ya hug. No, this is a lingering, arms-tight-around-his-neck kind of hug. A wide-smile, eyes-sparkling kind of hug. And when they start talking, she’s using that same damn flirty smile she used on me.

Is this just…what she does? Does she make every guy feel like the center of her universe?

My jaw clenches as I watch her laugh, all easy-breezy, while I sit here at the table like an absolute numb nugget.

“What’s with you?” Rhodes asks, giving me a weird look.

“Nothing,” I mutter, reluctantly dragging my gaze away from Addy.

Weston leans in. “That is the most not nothing tone I’ve ever heard in my life.”

I grab my water and take a long, unnecessary sip. “I just didn’t expect to see her here.”

Bowie raises an eyebrow. “Who?” And then he brightens up when he sees Poppy. “Hey!”

There are hugs all around, and the girls start making introductions—until they realize that they’re missing their friend.

“Where did she go?” Elle asks, glancing around.

Tru follows her gaze. “She was right behind us…”

Sadie leans back. “Oh, she’s over there. With Camden Whitman.”

Henley snorts. “She lost interest in us fast.”

“Can’t blame her.” Rhodes laughs. “Camden’s a good-looking dude.”

I whip my head toward him. “He’s not that good-looking.”

Now that I think about it, it’s not like he’s all that nice either.

“Uh, have you looked at him?” Rhodes says. “Dude’s prettier than me.”

“Not possible,” Elle says, kissing his cheek.

“Elle love, you know how to make a man feel good,” he says, catching her lips and kissing her soundly.

I groan.

“Oh, I see the problem now,” Weston says, looking in the direction of Addy and Camden.

“Mm-hmm,” Bowie says.

“Now you have me curious.” Henley cranes his neck to look for Camden and his eyes widen when he sees Addy talking to him. “Well, look at that. It’s Adeline Evans.”

“You okay there, Penn?” Rhodes asks when he finally comes up for air.

“I’m fine,” I grumble.

And as if this day is not bad enough, Addy makes her way over to our table and slides into the empty seat across from me, still smiling like she hasn’t completely ruined my night.

“Sorry,” she says, adjusting her napkin on her lap. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen Camden.”

I let out a low, unimpressed hum. “Clearly.”

The girls turn to me with various levels of frowny faces. I start pulling a roll apart.

Addy glances up, giving me an unsettling smile and then looks around the table. “This is a nice surprise, seeing all of you twice in one day. I hope you don’t mind me intruding on your dinner.”

Henley clears his throat. “We’re so happy you could join us. I hear you go by Addy too? Is that right?”

Weston choke-laughs.

She looks at me and her cheeks bloom into red. “Penn must have told you we met.” She bites the inside of her lip and I wish I could do that.

The girls immediately perk up.

“Wait, you know Penn?” Tru asks.

“How do you two know each other?” Sadie asks.

Addy and I are doing a staredown and I take a small amount of pleasure in the fact that she folds first. She blinks and tilts her head, a small smile playing at her lips, like she’s daring me to answer.

I sigh, scrubbing a hand down my face. “It’s…a long story.”

Elle leans in, practically vibrating with curiosity. “We love long stories.”

Rhodes shakes his head, biting back a laugh. “This is gonna be good.”

I shoot him a glare, but I can already see it happening—the matchmaking, the scheming.

These women love to meddle, and most of the time I love them for it, especially when it’s not my business they’re dipping into.

They already look way too invested in this, and the guys are enjoying my misery too much.

And Addy? She just sits there, looking beautiful and somewhat pleased with herself, while I try to figure out how the hell I’m going to survive this dinner.

And okay, I’ll admit it: I’m still stewing over Camden.

“So, are you dating Camden?” I ask, with an air of complete nonchalance. Because despite my insides doing 360s, I know how to maintain an outward calm.

I can Jason Bourne with the best of them.

Her jaw tightens and her eyes narrow on mine. “No. I’m best friends with his sister, Goldie.”

“Aw! Best friend’s brother! I love that trope!” Elle says happily.

I glare at her. “This is not about Camden,” I snap.

“But you just asked her if she was dating Camden,” Elle says, confused.

“And she said she’s not,” I say, glancing back at Addy.

“You best take that sassy tone elsewhere, pretty boy,” Rhodes murmurs under his breath.

I shoot Elle an apologetic look and she smiles but looks confused. Damn. Maybe I’m not pulling the outward calm vibe off very well.

“Do you wish you were dating him?” Fuck me, that growl in my tone kind of sounds like Bowie on a normal day.

Addy sits up straighter and her cheeks get fiery again. Her eyes narrow again and my dick stands at attention. Yes, ma’am, whatever you say, ma’am. That’s what he says, not me, because I am in control of this situation, not her nor my dick.

And I don’t think I’ve ever thought or said the word nor , in my head or otherwise, but it just feels fitting right now.

“I’ve never really thought about it, Penn .” The way she says Penn sounds like a curse word.

Is she mad at me right now? I don’t think so.

“But maybe I should. Camden is great,” she adds.

I tap the table. “Maybe you should. I just hope he’s okay with you disappearing out of thin air.”

She tosses her napkin on the table and leans in.

“He would be, because he’s an adult who listens and understands when an explanation is given.

” She turns and looks at the rest of the table, and they’re all staring at us in shock.

She stands up. “I’m sorry to cut this evening short.

Thanks so much for the invitation. Maybe we can try again sometime, girls. And I’ll see you guys on Monday.”

“But,” Sadie stands up, “you rode with us. Come on, stay.” She glares over at me. “We’ll behave, I promise.”

“I’m exhausted from the move. We’ll do it again. I’ll get an Uber back, don’t worry.” She hugs Sadie and the rest of the girls and walks away.

Every eye zeroes in on me.

“What the hell was that?” Elle says between her teeth.

“ Penn Hudson! ” Tru says and I flinch.

I’ve never been on the wrong side of Tru. Never been on the wrong side of any of them really, but now they’re looking at me like I ran over a kitten.

“You go and make that right immediately,” Sadie says. “She is lovely and she is Coach Evans’ daughter. You were such a jerk to her.”

“She’s the girl I met in the Bahamas,” I say.

Rhodes nods as the girls freak out over that little tidbit. “I hadn’t had a chance to tell you,” he says to Elle. “We just found out before this and didn’t know you were bringing her to dinner.”

“Ooo,” Elle winces. “Sorry, friend.” She shoots me an apologetic look. “But…I still think you should go apologize.”

“What even was that?” I ask, yanking on my hair. “I don’t know what came over me. I couldn’t stop.”

“ That , my friend, was jealousy ,” Henley says, and then they all freaking laugh.

Well, fuck.

I’ve never been a jealous person in my life and I fucking hate it.