Page 61 of Playing for Keeps

“Your mama’s so ugly, she threw a boomerang and it refused to come back.

“Your mama’s so poor, Nigerian princes wire her money.”

Luke’s shoulders started shaking, and then he gave his deep laugh and I joined in.

I’d almost forgotten how Luke could get breathless with laughter. The clenched part inside me that had been winding tighter and tighter all day relaxed at the sound.

Jonathan shot him a startled look, as if he’d never heard Luke laugh like that before.

But my relief was short-lived. Because after dinner, some tables were cleared away and the music started up. And it appeared Jonathan and Luke were a couple who liked to dance together, because they were among the first on the dance floor.

My response was to do what people had been doing since time began. Try to find solace at the bottom of a whisky bottle.

I drained my first drink quickly and headed straight back to the bar, sliding in next to Jacob.

Jacob took one look at me and raised his eyebrows. “You okay?”

I managed to summon a smile. “Free beer on tap, what’s not to be okay about?”

Jacob gave me a look that said he didn’t believe me. “Right.”

Then Austin was there, dragging him off to the dance floor.

Shit, the guys in the team had given me grief in the past about my dancing, but it turned out I had nothing on Austin, whose dance moves could honestly have been harnessed as a weapon. But not even watching his crazy style cheered me up. Because seeing the happiness on Jacob’s face as he laughed at Austin made me realize exactly what I was missing.

I looked past Austin and Jacob to Luke and Jonathan, who were tucked away at the far side of the dance floor. Not surprisingly given his extreme co-ordination, Luke was a great dancer, moving fluidly to the music.

A slow song came on and Luke pulled Jonathan to him. My breath hitched.

I tore my gaze away and took a deep breath.

But it was as if I was a masochist. I couldn’t help my eyes drifting back to them rotating slowly together on the dance floor, their bodies pressed close.

Jonathan said something and Luke smiled down at him.

My gut clenched.

I couldn’t stand this. I couldn’t stand to see Luke looking at someone like that. I staggered to the door of the marquee and stood there, gulping down cold air. Why did watching my best friend dance with his boyfriend trigger the ultimate self-pity party? What did that say about me?

The problem was, I was fairly sure I knew exactly what it said about me and my feelings for Luke.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

Chapter16

Luke

The morning after Aiden Jones and Tyler Bannings’ wedding, I was in the kitchen with Jonathan making breakfast when I got a message from Ethan.

You guys still keen for the zoo?

I gripped my phone tightly as I stared at the words. Why did the idea of spending time with Ethan set off simultaneous feelings of excitement and dread?

“Who is it?” Jonathan asked.

“Ethan.” I put down my phone to concentrate on flipping the omelet.

“What does he want?”