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Palms clammy, I suddenly wish I’d sucked it up and asked Alex to come with me.

*

I’ve never been good at schmoozing, but I’ve always mastered pretending like I am. So I consider Bodhi’s offer after spending two and a half hours talking to people I couldn’t care less about. Sebastian must sense something, though, because he’s kept me close to his side since I walked over to him.

He gave me a hug, asked how the train ride down was, and then passed me a drink. Coca-Cola. Not wine. Unfortunately.

Once in a while, I see Bodhi’s eyes wander in our direction while he talks to people. The very attractive redhead who was trying to get his attention didn’t seem to like that very much, which made me laugh to myself.

“No Tori tonight?” I ask my brother as we walk over to the table full of finger food.

There are sandwiches with the crust cut off, crackers with some sort of mush that resembles what Bentley spits up on his parents, and a tossed salad among the other picked-through snacks to tide people over before the entrees arrive at the tables.

Sebastian takes one of the mushy crackers and pops the whole thing into his mouth. “She wasn’t feeling well and thought some one-on-one time would be good for us.”

That’s…nice of her. “How did you two meet anyway? I still can’t believe you’re married.”

A small smile tilts his lips. “She was covering a game for an article she was assigned to. I believe the words she used to describe me were ‘too big for his britches.’”

My eyebrows arch. “Really? Didn’t Grandma used to say that about Dad?”

He doesn’t seem offended by that. “She did, yeah. And, normally, I don’t like anything that reminds me of the blood we share with him.

But Tori is one of the first people I met who didn’t try to kiss any of our asses.

She wasn’t sure she believed the hype surrounding me. It was…refreshing to be doubted.”

I never would have thought he’d take something like that lightly. “You used to get offended when I’d tell you that you were too slow on your laps or not quick enough in your passes.”

“It pushed me to do better,” he replies. “She made me want to do better. If people are going to call me the best defenseman, then that’s what I’m going to work to be. That’s because of her.”

“Now you’re married with a kid. You clearly knocked the socks, and pants, right off her.”

Sebastian’s deadpan expression makes me crack a grin.

“Anyway, what’s with all the fancy food? Half of this doesn’t look edible.”

He picks up another cracker and holds it out to me. “This is a brie and jam cracker. The other ones are cucumber and ricotta. Try one. You’ll like it.”

I’m not as sure, but I try it anyway. Mostly because I was too nervous to eat earlier, so I’m hungry.

And if I don’t put something in my stomach then very loud, embarrassing noises are going to start happening.

“It’s not horrible,” I relent, wiping my hands off.

“But they should put some pizza out or something because it doesn’t look like anyone else is interested in it. ”

He chuckles. “Wait until they’re hungry enough and this whole table will be wiped out by the time they bring out the actual dinner.”

I look around the room, accidentally meeting Bodhi’s eyes again. This time, there’s an older couple talking to him. He looks bored. “When is dinner, exactly?” I ask my brother, who’s watching a few of his teammates roughhouse off to the side.

“Not until seven.”

I frown. That’s still an hour from now.

When one of the boys almost knocks into a waitress holding a tray of drinks, Sebastian groans. “I need to go take care of that before they cause a scene. Coach told us if we weren’t on our best behavior we’d pay through conditioning.”

As someone who loathes exercising, that doesn’t sound fun. “You go. I’ll be fine. In fact, I may go get some fresh air. It’s stuffy in here.”

He’s already walking toward his friends, calling out, “Keep your phone on you and don’t go too far alone. This is New York City, not Lindon.”

I wave him off before pulling my phone out and sending off a text to the right wing across the room.

When Bodhi subtly checks his phone, he shoots me a grin. His hand reaches out and shakes the man’s, then the woman’s, before he dips his head and starts walking toward the exit.

I follow suit, trailing behind him and waving at a few people along the way.

When I see him standing by the front door, his grin is ten times bigger. “I’m fucking starving. Did you see the shit they wanted us to eat? I had two plates of salad. Two , little Henderson.”

“The travesty,” I sympathize sarcastically, laughing when he tugs me into his front and squeezes me against the hard planes of his chest.

“Come on. I looked up the menu at that restaurant and they have edible food,” he tells me, looping our arms back together. “They even have chicken tenders.”

I look at him. “Now you’re speaking my language.” I think about it. “How do you even know I love them so much?”

He taps my nose affectionately before unlooping our arms and draping his massive one across my shoulders. “Your brother said you’d order chicken tenders everywhere you go, no matter if they were on the kid’s menu or the main one. And between you and me, I do the same thing.”

I snort. “You?”

“The real question is,” he poses, stopping at the crosswalk flashing red. “Are you a honey mustard or a ranch girl?”

My eyes light up. “Depends on the mood. Tonight…” I play out my contemplation, tapping my chin. “Tonight, I’m a honey mustard girly. But if you order ranch, don’t be shocked if I dip some of my chicken into it.”

He winks at me, and that wink…it has the power to do some pretty powerful stuff to my lady bits. Except, it doesn’t. Not that I’m going to tell him that. Because there’s only one person who really has an effect on me, and it’s not the DILF I’m walking beside.

Because me and kids…well, I don’t know how I feel about them.

So, I tell my lady bits to calm down and focus on the chicken tenders we both order from the kid’s menu despite the look we get from the waiter.

The conversation flows effortlessly like it always does when I’m around Bodhi, and I let myself forget about his other life.

The one where he’s got an adorable little girl named Gemma in it.

And when my brother calls me, I tell him I’m with a friend across the street and that I’ll let him know when I’m back. It takes less than ten seconds when we hang up before Bodhi’s phone starts buzzing with Sebastian’s name on it.

He doesn’t pick up, letting us stay in our little bubble for a little while longer.

“So…” Bodhi dips his chicken tender in my honey mustard. “Want to tell me about Alex?”

I stop chewing my fry for a second. “No. I don’t want to do that.”

He watches me before nodding once. “Maybe one day you will.”

I steal his ranch. “I wouldn’t hold your breath, Hoffman.”

All he does is chuckle, but the sound is off.