Page 133 of If You Claim Me

“Connor has really stepped it up this season.” Shilpa cradles her little nugget in her arms. He’s wearing an adorable pair of earmuffs, and he’s totally zonked after two periods of being snuggled and passed.

“It’s been a good season for him,” I agree.

“Seems like maybe you’re responsible for that shift.” Essie nudges me.

“I don’t know that it’s a me thing…”

“Seems like a you thing.” Hemi arches a brow.

“He’s getting along with everyone on the team, even Flip,” Hammer notes.

Tally looks up from her phone with a disgusted expression.

“Everything okay?” I ask.

“Yeah, sorry. Cammie’s at Chase’s game tonight, and my ex is hitting on one of our other friends. She didn’t want to tell me, but she felt like it would be better coming from her instead of someone else.” She tucks her phone in her pocket. “I don’t care who he dates, but he’s kind of flying his douchebag flag by flirting in front of one of my closest friends, you know?”

“I’m sorry, Talls.” Fee hugs her arm.

“It’s fine. He’s a dick. He just needs to stop being so creepy and find new people to hang out with.”

“Maybeweneed to attend one of Chase’s games,” Rix suggests.

“And bring our boys,” Hemi adds.

Tally’s eyes light up with glee, and a side of vindication. “It would be such a shitshow,” she breathes. “But also probably worth it.”

Tally’s boyfriend from last year wasn’t a fan favorite. They broke up at the end of summer, when pictures surfaced of him making out with a girl from his hometown. Apparently, he’d been dating herandTally the whole time. Mostly Tally was annoyed by all the online chatter and irritated with herself for not seeing him for what he was sooner, but she bounced back quickly.

“Oh! You know what we need to do?” Hemi taps her lip.

“Go over things for the library fundraising gala?” I ask hopefully. It’s taken a back seat with the wedding and writing all the proposals.

Hemi nods. “We have loads of time, but I’d love to get most of it ironed out in the next few weeks.”

“Agreed.” I try not to sound overly eager, but I would love for this gala to give the library a soft cushion after what happened with Connor’s dad and pulling the funding. It’s been reinstated, and I’m sure it has everything to do with myhusband, although he hasn’t mentioned it. “Now that I’m settled, I’ll be able to give it more of my attention.”

The girls jump in, throwing out ideas, and Hammer pulls out her phone to take notes.

The Terror win the game. It’s a Friday night, and they have a three-day break, so we decide to go out and celebrate. Under normal circumstances, I would bail early because the club scene is not my jam, but not this time. I’ve been living in a mansion on the edge of the city, missing the easy access I used to have to all my friends. Before I could walk across the hall or down the street; now it’s a drive with some planning.

And if I’m stepping out of my comfort zone to spend time with them, so can my husband.

The rest of them all live within a few blocks of each other, so Connor and I join the crew and stop at Rix and Tristan’s for a quick wardrobe change.

“You can borrow something from my closet,” Rix tells me. “And we wear the same size shoe.”

“That won’t be necessary,” Connor assures us. “Cedrick will be here in a minute with options.” He holds up his phone to show me the car moving on the map. “He’s bringing several dresses and shoes, so you can pick whatever you’d like.”

“It’s after ten! Cedrick probably wants to go to bed.”

“And he will, after he drops off dresses and shoes, darling. Don’t worry, he has tomorrow off.”

“You’re unbelievable.”

“The most heinous, obviously. How dare I want you to be comfortable in your own clothes when we make spontaneous plans to go out with friends?”

“You two are so cute.” Rix hugs Tristan’s arm. “Aren’t they?”