Page 37 of Play the Last Track

“Whatever you want, baby.” He kisses her and walks toward the lounge, taking a seat on the couch with Flynn. For a moment, I catch Flynn’s gaze and my cheeks heat again.

It’s so easy being here with him. Our friends. His and mine. That right there is another reason he and I would be a bad idea. If we blew up again, if it didn’t work out, we would forever be tied together by the friends we share.

He winks at me, throwing me a cheeky smile before turning to the television that now plays the pre-game interviews. The boys are on a bye week, so it’s a rare weekend off. A lot of the team went to Mexico for the week to blow off some steam. I expected Flynn to join them, but when I asked, he merely shrugged and told me, “There’s nothing in Mexico for me.”

“Maybe a February date? Do you think it will be too cold?” Ivy draws my attention back to her.

“Do you plan on getting married in the snow?”

“No?”

“Then you’ll be fine if you want to do it in February.”

“I just … to be honest, I wish we had just eloped in Italy when Scott asked me to.”

“He what?” I look up at her with shock.

“Yeah. On the second last night there, he said, ‘We should just get married here.’ I freaked out.”

“Of course you did.” I laugh. “Ives, why didn’t you just elope?”

“I don’t know.” She shakes her head a little. “I had it in my head that I wanted to get married here. Where my family is. Even if they can’t be at the wedding.”

My heart clenches, and I nod. “I get that. So why do you wish you had now? Is it the stress of planning?”

“No.” She glances over her shoulder at Scott. “I just want to be his wife. Like, right now. Waiting for the season to be over feels like torture.”

“You two are disgusting, you know that?”

“Disgustingly in love.” Ivy nods solemnly, agreeing with me.

I laugh, getting up from the table. “Do you have wine?” I ask her.

She follows me into the kitchen and pulls an unopened bottle of rosé from the fridge. I grab two glasses from the cupboard and place them in front of her.

“So, February then? After the season is over?” I ask as she pours out two glasses.

“Yep. February.”

“So … when can we do the bachelorette party? I’m thinking New York?” I take a sip of my wine as Ivy laughs and shakes her head.

“Absolutely not. No New York. I already know what you’re thinking, and you’re not allowed to get me strippers.”

I pout. “Why?! What is the point of my best friend getting married if I can’t enjoy getting her strippers for her bachelorette?”

“No strippers.” My voice must have traveled because when I look up, Scott is glaring at me from across the room.

“You’re a buzzkill, Harvey.” I hide my smirk behind my glass of wine.

“Wait,” Flynn pipes up from beside Scott. “I can still getyoua stripper for your bachelor party, right?” We all laugh because Flynn looks so stressed, faced with the idea that he might also miss out on getting strippers if Scott vetoes them. I ignore the same pang of jealousy that flourishes in my stomach, and we join the boys on the couch to watch football.

***

“Why did you convince me that walking home was a good idea?”

“Because we’ve both had too much to drink to drive my truck home.”

“You ever heard of Uber?” I grumble, shivering against the chilly evening air.