Page 8 of I Could Be Yours (The Toronto Terror #6)

ESSIE

H alf an hour later, the food is set out and Rix and Tristan’s friends and family start to arrive.

My younger sister, Cammie, rolls in with Tally, Fee, and her boyfriend, Chase.

He plays hockey for their university team, the Tilton Blaze.

It’s hilariously ironic, because until they started dating, Cammie had never even watched a game.

“Oh my gosh! This is so cool!” Cammie hugs me. “Well done, sis. When I get married, you’re planning all the things.”

“You mean when we get married,” Chase says.

“Yes, that’s exactly what I meant.” Cammie pushes up on her toes and kisses him.

“We’re going to have the best time tonight!” Tally steps in to hug me, too.

“I wish I was nineteen,” Fee mutters.

“I promise it’ll still be fun,” I assure her. “Your group are in yurts eighteen and nineteen, and I swear that was just a coincidence.”

“Sure it was.” Tally bumps my shoulder.

“Thank god our parents are staying at the lodge and not here,” Cammie says.

“How far behind you are they?” I ask .

“They left about an hour after us, but we had to stop at Weber’s for burgers, so they should be here soon.”

Flip appears out of nowhere. “Talls, Fee, when did you get here?”

“We just arrived.”

He gives Chase an appraising once-over and extends his hand. “Flip Madden, brother of the bride.”

“I know who you are.” His eyes are wide with awe. “I’m Chase, boyfriend of Cammie, the maid of honor’s sister. This is like—wow. Mind blown. It’s so cool to meet you.”

“Ah, Cammie’s boyfriend.” Flip nods slowly. “You play hockey?”

“I do, yeah.”

“Cool. It’s good to have you here.”

“It’s great to be here.” Chase looks like he might pass out.

Flip turns to Tally. “Where’s your boyfriend?”

“Home in Winnipeg for the summer.” Tally rolls her eyes. “Besides, there’s no way my dad would let me stay in the yurts if he’d come, so it’s better he didn’t.”

“Right, good thinking, yeah.” Flip nods on repeat.

“We’ll just drop our stuff off and come help, if you need it.” Cammie leads Chase toward the yurts.

“I think Chase is a little starstruck.” Tally pats Flip’s arm, then withdraws like his skin is on fire. “I’m going to settle in.”

“Me too!” Fee waves as she joins Tally and heads across the yard.

Flip runs a rough hand through his hair. “I can’t believe they’re old enough to party with us.”

“Tally’s parents are coming, and so are Fee’s sister and Roman, so lots of eyes watching out for them.”

“Right. Cool.” He rubs his bottom lip and watches them disappear into one of the yurts. “I’m going to see what else needs doing.”

“Sounds good. I’ll check on the bride-to-be. ”

“If you get tired of sleeping alone tonight, you know which yurt to find me in.”

I wiggle my fingers. “My girls are good company.”

He wiggles his back and winks. “My boys are better.”

I bite my tongue and avoid saying something that might hurt his feelings, like how I’m sure many women can confirm that is true.

Flip has made some big changes in the past couple of years.

He used to be an over-the-top playboy, but he’s settled down.

I have a feeling his prolific love life had less to do with wanting to fuck his way through half the population of Toronto and more to do with personal issues.

I get it. Despite growing up with incredible parents whose relationship is a fairy tale come true, I keep falling for the wrong guys.

But not anymore. I won’t give my heart to another man who doesn’t deserve it.

“What’s going on? Do you need something?” Nate comes busting between us.

I frown at his furrowed brow and slightly manic expression. “Yeah, for you and your black cloud of doom to go rain on someone else’s parade. I need to find Rix.”

I have a stag and doe to run, and my games must outshine his.

It’s not long before more guests roll in, including my parents. They look adorable in their coordinated outfits.

“Honey, this is incredible!” Mom hugs me.

“I had a lot of help, I promise.”

“Always so modest.” Dad gives me a squeeze.

“Why don’t you bring our stuff to the lodge, and I’ll see if Muffy needs any help setting up?” Mom says to Dad.

“Dallas’s mom is probably in the main house. I can take you over and introduce you,” I offer.

Mom waves me off. “I met most of these people at the shower, and you have lots to do, I’ll check in with you later.” She kisses me on the cheek. “You’re a wonderful best friend.”

“Thanks, Mom. ”

My dad winks and settles a hand on her lower back, guiding her toward the house. I love their love.

The team arrives in waves, interspersed with family and other friends, and things get underway.

As far as stag and does go, this one is taking the cake.

I’d like to say it’s all my doing, but the freaking Plinko board has a never-ending line, and so does the stupid paddleboard jousting, which I refrain from experiencing because I didn’t spend all this time on my hair and makeup to have it ruined.

Also, Nate is hella competitive. He’s beaten almost everyone at the paddleboard jousting.

And he looks stupidly delicious in nothing but a pair of board shorts.

Although, so does every other one of these hockey boys.

I manage to avoid being tossed in the water by commandeering the megaphone.

Every time someone tries to get me close to the lake, I call for Flip, which seems to irritate Nate.

I don’t get it. I’m forever nagging him with messages, which are met with his constant disdain.

He’s made it clear that he can’t stand me or my zeal for everything romance.

So why does he feel compelled to intervene every time Flip gets within five feet of me?

Despite my confusion, it is fun to annoy him, and he’s hot when he gets all growly.

When Flip makes a move to be my partner in the mini-cucumber-pass game, Nate steps in and makes Tally do it with me. Which I guess is better than Tally passing a cucumber with Nate or Flip.

“Why the hell are we using mini cucumbers? Don’t they usually do this with a balloon or a potato or something?” The furrow is back in Nate’s brow.

“You seriously don’t know?” Pretty much our entire girlfriend group has the inside scoop on this.

“Obviously you do.” His gaze shifts from me to Tally, whose face is now beet red. “And you.” He looks at Flip, who seems less confused and more disturbed.

“I would like to remain in the dark about this.” Flip’s eyes are anywhere but at me or Tally.

“Ask your brother,” I tell Nate with a wink, then turn to Tally. “Ready to pass the cucumber?”

“So ready. Let’s hand them their asses.”

“Oh, it’s on.” Nate tries to clamp the cucumber between his knees, but this is the one instance where height and breadth are a disadvantage.

We kick their butts. It’s the stupidest, most hilarious game.

When we move on to pin the veil on the bride, Nate pushes his way in, so we’re once again competing. I’m pretty sure he cheats, which is the only reason he freaking wins. We vie for the top spot in the toonie toss, which I win, but then Nate beats me in the beanbag toss.

And then it’s time for the limbo stick. By now I’m several glasses of prosecco into this night.

I’m feeling no pain, and I’m also pretty limber, thanks to years of cheerleading.

If ever there was a time to limbo, it’s now.

Of course, because Nate is in full-on competition mode with me, he also lines up in the queue.

He and Chase are the only guys. The height differential isn’t quite fair.

All the girls are under five eight, and they’re well over six feet.

It doesn’t take long to whittle it down to just me and Nate. I’m surprised he’s so bendy.

He strips off his shirt and tosses it aside, then rolls his head on his shoulders and does a couple of arm pinwheels, followed by deep knee bends. For a guy who works in an office, he’s fit as fuck.

“Watch how it’s done, sweetheart.” He struts to the limbo stick, all seven hundred abs rippling as he leans back and expertly passes underneath. The crowd cheers and whistles. He chest-bumps Flip.

It’s freaking ridiculous. Why is he good at something so random?

But I have more than twenty years of gymnastics on my side. And two can play at the no-shirt game. As he approaches, probably to gloat, I pull my shirt over my head. I’m wearing a bikini top, but it isn’t padded.

His eyes immediately drop to my chest and spring back to my face.

“Hold this for me please, Nathan.” I purposely brush against him while also skimming his nipple as I hand him my shirt. “Two can play this game, pretty boy.”

I take my place in front of the limbo stick, winking at him as I bend backwards, fingers dragging up my calves as I pass under the bar.

Nate’s eyes are on fire and his breath is a little ragged as he thrusts my shirt at me.

“Thanks and good luck.” I glance down. “Looks like you’re a little…overstimulated.”

Flip, who is quickly becoming my new favorite person, calls out, “Come on, honey bear, you’re up!”

“I could use a minute,” Nate grumbles, eyeing me with a familiar discontent.

“We’ve got a line of people waiting for their chance to play round two. Bring it, honey bear.” Flip is all feigned oblivious smiles as he motions him forward.

Nate exhales harshly through his nose. “I’ll get you back for this.”

“I look forward to the challenge.” I smile serenely.

Nate gives me a dark look that makes my entire body break out in goose bumps.

He’s always so…in control. But right now, he looks like he wants to shred my swimsuit and toss me in the lake.

He attempts a surreptitious adjustment in his swim trunks, but the material is unforgiving.

The sun has mostly set, and the tiki torches light the area, creating wonderful, telling shadows all over his body.