Page 84 of Hockey Boy
“What’s in this room?” Aiden asks, pointing to the shut door.
War shrugs, though his eyes dart from side to side. “Nothing. The previous owners left a bunch of furniture.”
With a curious hum, Aiden pushes open the door. When the beautiful pink room covered in music lyrics and little purple birds comes into full view, we suck in matching sharp breaths.
“Holy crap, it’s like my dream,” I whisper.
Aiden nudges War. “You got a secret family you aren’t telling us about?”
With a roll of his eyes, he shoves his hands into his pockets. “I told you, it came this way. But, uh—” He squeezes the back of his neck and eyes me, wearing a look of concern. “It’s nice, right? Like if you were a little girl, you’d like it?”
I cough out a laugh. “As an almost thirty-year-old, I like it. As a child, this would have been my dream.”
War’s cheeks have gone a shade of red that can’t be blamed on the sun today. Something is going on, and if I didn’t have a million other things to worry about, I’d be dying to find out.
Aiden is like a dog with a bone, though. He steps inside, hands on his hips, and spins slowly. “You sure?—”
“Lennox!” Sara shouts from downstairs.
War heads straight for the bedroom door. “Coming,” he hollers. Without turning around, he books it down the steps.
“That was weird, right?” Aiden says to me.
I nod, surveying the room again. “Yeah. So weird.”
He slips his hand into mine and tugs me out into the hall, closing the door behind us. “Let’s see what your crazy friend wants.”
Downstairs, Sara is standing in front of War, arms crossed over her chest, interrogating him about our whereabouts.
“They’re right behind me,” he says, thumbing over his shoulder.
“Guilty,” I mutter as we step into the kitchen.
Ava, Xander, War, Daniel, Fitz, Brooks, and Sara are all standing around the oversized island. It’s butcher block and covered in an array of cheeses and crackers, fruits and salads. The ceiling is vaulted, with a huge wooden beam down the center of it that’s stained to match the chocolate brown cabinets.
Beyond the kitchen is a view of the lake. In the yard, Millie and Gavin are chasing Winnie, Finn, and Addie in what looks like a game of tag.
“Where’s Vivi?” I ask, scanning the yard for our littlest bestie.
Sara points to the stroller in the living room. “Napping, but the better question is where were you?”
I squirm under her scrutiny, my thoughts instantly turning to our activities. Dammit. I will my mind to focus on something, anything, but where we were. On the Jet Ski. Practically naked. Writhing beneath his touch.
In my periphery, Aiden smirks. Fuck.
Sara points at me, her mouth popping open. “On the Jet Ski. Bedazzled penis. In the mouth.”
War, who has just shoved a cracker into his mouth, sputters and coughs. With his fist over his mouth, he asks, “Is this a sick version of Clue?”
I glare at my best friend. “Do not use my superpower against me.”
Head dropped forward, Brooks groans. “Crazy girl, how many times do we have to go over this? No talking about my brothers’ schlongs.”
Our friends all watch our interaction with amused smirks, clearly used to Sara’s ridiculousness. Xander, on the other hand, is wearing a concerned grimace. Beside him, Ava is pressing her lips together to keep from laughing. Clearly, he still believes she’s a demure thing. I mean, she is, but we’re working on corrupting her.
“It’s not my fault your brother is dating my best friend,” Sara throws back. “Pretty sure I get to talk about Aiden’s dick as long as I’m talking about it in the context that he is Lennox’s boyfriend.”
Brows lowered, Brooks shakes his head. “No.”