Page 30 of Offside Play (Love The Game #1)

Jude

M y phone buzzed on the coffee table. Cody glanced down at it and back up at me. “You gonna get that?”

I groaned, uncurling my body from his. “I guess so. It might be Rory. He said he was gonna send through some more houses for me to look at. Pause the movie, will you?”

He obediently paused Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings —so underrated, in my professional opinion—while I grabbed my phone.

Reuben:

Unanimous team decision. We’re adding Cody to our chat. He’s an honorary member at this point

Before I had time to process his first message, another notification came through.

Cody has been added to the chat.

I swallowed around the sudden lump in my throat.

Me:

FYI I hate group chats

Grant:

We all do

Ainsley:

This is an acception

Reuben:

Exception bro

Ainsley:

You couldn’t spell joined last week. It doesn’t have a Y

Reuben:

*middle finger emoji*

Jordan:

Cody!!!

Theo:

Hi, good to have you here

Lars:

Why is my spelling better than yours, Ainsley?

Cody looked at me helplessly, and I shrugged. “They like you, so they wanted to add you to their chat?”

He stared down at his screen for a while, his throat working, before tapping out a short reply.

Cody:

Thanks for adding me

This man.

Me:

Did I mention I hate group chats? I guess this one’s ok

Jordan:

Wow such a compliment

Reuben:

Yeah don’t give us a big head bro

Is my bestie staying for the rest of the summer?

Ainsley:

WTAF bro I thought I was your best mate?

Reuben:

Supply me with maple syrup and maybe we can talk

Lars:

You two are weird

Theo:

This isn’t a surprise

Jordan:

Which two? Could be any of us

The tiny, pleased smile tugging at Cody’s lips warmed me all over, and I let my phone drop to the floor, sliding my mouth against his. I already knew my friends accepted him, but now, he knew, too.