Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 98324 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 492(@200wpm)___ 393(@250wpm)___ 328(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98324 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 492(@200wpm)___ 393(@250wpm)___ 328(@300wpm)
I straighten up, stunned. Somehow, it’s hard to align the Darcy I saw fifteen minutes ago with this message. She wants to peel me out of my tux? What?
Unbidden, my body flares with heat.
“Except…” DeLuca takes the phone and reads it again. “Here’s the thing—this message wasn’t meant for you, dude.”
“What?” That makes no sense. And why am I suddenly offended?
“No, buddy. It’s about you. But it’s not meant for you to read.”
“Oh shit.” I lean in and read it again. “I see what you mean. My future ex-husband…”
DeLuca chuckles. “I like her style.”
But now I can see that he’s right—this message was probably meant for different eyes. It’s too familiar.
Besides, the time stamp is only a few minutes ago. And Darcy was practically asleep on her feet when we got off the bus. She must have made a mistake, hitting the reply button instead of forwarding it to… “Zoe,” I say suddenly. “She must have been talking to Zoe.”
DeLuca snaps his fingers. “Oh yeah! Totally. And you can tell it’s not the first time you’ve come up, amirite?”
Another little bomb goes off in my brain. “Darcy is attracted to me?”
DeLuca laughs. “Bro, isn’t it obvious?”
“But… she doesn’t even like me.”
He laughs harder. “Um, I think she does.”
“She’s snippy with me, though.”
My buddy puts his hand on my shoulder. “Sometimes, when a kid on the playground is a little mean to you, it’s because she likes you. My mama taught me this in first grade. Got your key? It’s time for chow.”
Numbly, I check my pocket to make sure my card is still there, then shove my feet into my shoes. But my mind is still blown. “How am I supposed to play this?” I ask on the way to the elevator. “Pretend I never saw it, right?”
“Where’s the fun in that?” DeLuca demands, slapping the button to summon the car. “Invite her for a private viewing of your new tux.”
“I’m not going to embarrass her. Jesus.”
“Nah. She wants your attention,” he points out. “So give it to her. You’re in the market for a new fuck buddy. Or at least you should be. Everyone thinks so.”
I frown. And when the elevator arrives, our ride downstairs is silent. Lick him everywhere is playing on repeat in my brain. How am I supposed to forget that I saw that?
“Kinda blows your mind, doesn’t it?” DeLuca says. “So unexpected. Don’t get me wrong—she’s got that hot secretary vibe with those heels she wears. And legs for days.”
My poor tired brain lights up with the image of Darcy’s long legs. We’re in Florida, so she was wearing a short skirt today…
Stop it, brain. “It’s a real mindfuck,” I admit. “And now I have to look her in the eye and pretend she didn’t say she wants to…”
“Lick you,” DeLuca says with a smirk.
I feel another flash of heat. Christ. “Not sure my poker face is up for this challenge.”
“Oh, it isn’t.” He chuckles.
“You know what’s funny?”
“All of this? Best gossip nugget I’ve heard in a long time.”
“Hey.” I give him a sober glare. “You can’t spread this around. She does not deserve that.”
“Yeah, okay. I wouldn’t want to embarrass Darcy, she’s great. And if we piss her off, we’ll probably get the worst hotel rooms next season.”
“Right. Focus on that.” I rub my temples.
“But what’s the funny part, then?”
“I do have to go to that wedding.”
DeLuca only looks confused.
“The one she wrote about in the message. Darcy and I grew up a few towns apart in Massachusetts, so it’s not that weird, I guess.”
DeLuca’s dark eyebrows rise. “No shit? Who’s getting married?”
“Um…” The thought of this wedding makes my stomach hurt, which is why I vowed not to think about it at all until after the playoffs. “So, before my brother died…”
DeLuca’s expression drops immediately. Everyone I’m close to has already heard the sad story of how my brother died in an accident when I was in high school.
“He had a girlfriend, Maribel. They were real high school sweethearts. We were all close, she even lived with my family for a while. It’s her wedding. This July.”
“Oh shit.” He flinches.
“No, it’s great,” I say firmly. “She moved on with her life. She’s found a path forward.”
“Yeah, but you have to watch her say I do to someone else?” The elevator doors part. “That’s rough, man.”
It is rough, but mostly because my parents are taking it so hard. Unlike Maribel, they’re stuck in the past, so this wedding is going to be a family ordeal. It doesn’t help that it’s a huge wedding, too, the kind that lasts several days. “I’m kinda dreading it,” I admit.
“At least you have a new tux. And a date, if you want one.”
“A date,” I repeat slowly, and I try to picture sitting with Darcy at the reception while my parents weep into their champagne glasses. Ugh.