Page 21 of Wilder Puck

I nod. “Yeah. Should I answer it?”

The phone is almost done ringing, so I drop it on the counter. That’s when I notice two Baddie Addie coffee cups on the counter, so I point at them and give Addie a questionable look.

“Oh, that’s for us. It’s not coffee. I made us turmeric lattes to relax after the game,” she says, making her way over. I take a sip and love the creamy richness of milk and the gentle note of turmeric.

“Thank you,” I say as my phone starts blowing up with texts from the boys.

Chase: We're gonna go to Colton's

Colton: Yeah so get your ass over here

Andrew: Couch is empty without the fourth amigo bro

Chase: Why aren't you answering?

Colton: I thought you were showering and then coming over

Colton: Unless...

Colton: Is she there?

Chase: Bring her over here

Chase: We'll help you out

: We will

Colton: Yeah

Colton: Besties Forever

I shake my head, chuckling under my breath. These idiots have no idea what they're in for. Addie's eyebrows raise questioningly as she sips her drink.

“What are they saying?” she asks curiously.

“Uh,” I stall, scratching my jaw and praying she doesn't ask to read the increasingly embarrassing texts. “I told them I was going to shower and head out, but–”

“You can go,” Addie says with a shrug, taking another swig.

I mirror her, sipping my own drink as my phone continues to erupt with incoming messages. The constant pinging is getting annoying, so I silence it. “Let's both go.”

She shrugs. “Okay, yeah.”

I’m nervous to find out exactly how the guys are going to ‘help’ me with Addison, but here we go.

We stroll into Colton's place a little later to find the boys at the dining room table, playing a random card game. As soon as they spot us, the hooting and hollering begins. My first mistake is not realizing that they’re already buzzed.

“Hey!” Colton shouts, excited. “Look who finally made it! My man, the China Wall, and oh, who's this?”

Addie smirks at his joke and says, “Humpty Dumpty.”

Colton barks out a laugh and brings her into a bear hug, lifting her clean off the ground. I watch closely, ready to step in if his drunken enthusiasm makes her uncomfortable, but she seems totally at ease, even hugging him back.

“That's the worst joke I've ever heard,” Colton informs her as he sets her back on her feet. “You’re not going to fall off the wall.”

I glance at her, not realizing that’s what she meant.

“Unless…oh,” Colton says, nodding his head like he understands some secret code language that my mind is racing to uncover.