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“Hey Aiden,” Poppy said. “Mind passing the drink menu? I want to know what’s in the fruity shit Lauren brings me.”
“Sure thing,” he said, grabbing the menu and shoving it down the table.
“How’s Chris’s training going?” Theo asked me and glanced at Aiden, who’d started shredding a napkin, something he used to do in high school whenever he was nervous about a game or asking out a girl. I hadn’t seen him do it in years.
“Great. We’re going to the park tomorrow at ten if you want to join us.”
Theo nodded at Aiden, and I finally picked up the hint he was throwing down. “You should come, Aiden. Rowan and Poppy’s little brother is trying out for wide receiver next month. I’m throwing him passes as best I can, but I was never a quarterback. He could learn a lot from you. He’s really agile, and if he keeps improving his routes, I think he’ll be a varsity starter.”
“Really?” Rowan asked. “I mean, I think Chris is wonderful at whatever he does, but I’m biased.”
“No, he’s great,” Theo said. “Special even. I’m surprised he didn’t make varsity earlier.”
Aiden narrowed his eyes. “How would you know?”
Theo chuckled and Poppy snuck a glance at him while pretending to read the drink menu. It was clear she liked him. Too bad Theo had left so much room between them he might as well be snuggling with Aiden.
“I watched y’all play for years,” Theo said. “I know talent when I see it.”
Aiden nodded. “Not sure what I could do for the kid. I can’t throw for shit anymore.”
“Have you tried?” Theo asked.
“I don’t need to,” Aiden snapped. “My shoulder still hurts like a bitch if I use it too much.”
Theo nodded and shoved his back against the booth, shifting like he was trying to scratch an itch. To anyone else, it’d look innocent enough, but I knew better. I wanted to reach across the table and smack Aiden, and judging by the look on his face, he wished I would. Theo was hurting himself, right in front of us, rubbing his damaged skin to intensify the pain. I wasn’t surprised he’d gotten another tattoo. He always marked his body in some way or another near the anniversary of the accident. Sometimes more than once. He claimed it was to honor Logan, and maybe that was part of it. But more than anything, he used the physical pain to ease his guilt.
“Stop,” Aiden said, through gritted teeth.
Poppy and Rowan both stared at him, and then at Theo.
“What’d I miss?” Lauren asked, joining us with three tall pink drinks pressed together. She set them on the table and slid the first to Rowan. “Hey, Aiden,” she said.
He gave her a brief nod and grabbed another napkin.
Rowan glanced between Lauren and Aiden and raised her eyebrows at her best friend. Lauren ignored her and slid into the booth beside me, passing Poppy a drink. I moved closer to Rowan to give Lauren space, and my thigh touched her leg. A bolt of lust shot through my body. Fuck, this was ridiculous. I hadn’t felt so out of control since puberty.
“What is this?” Poppy said giving the glass a sniff. “I swear if it’s some Carrie Bradshaw Cosmo shit, I’m throwing it at you.”
“I’d never,” Lauren said. “Besides, those come in a martini glass. Just try it.”
Poppy brought the glass to her lips like it contained poison and sipped. “Mm,” she said, and then slurped a hefty gulp. “Not bad.”
“Don’t tell her what it is,” Rowan said, after taking a sip from her own glass. “Or she won’t drink it.”
“Do you know what it is?” Poppy asked, glaring at Rowan.
“Of course,” Rowan said, taking another sip. “So would you if you didn’t pretend to only like whiskey.”
“May I?” I asked Rowan, and she slid the drink to me. It was crisp and fruity, and I couldn’t taste the alcohol at all. These things could be lethal.
“Delicious,” I said, handing the drink back to her. “Almost the best thing I’ve ever tasted.”
Rowan blushed, and Theo smirked at me. Usually, Aiden would have as well but he was focused on destroying another napkin.
“Well, Cal, what the fuck is it?” Poppy snapped.
I shrugged. “I pretend to only like beer. Clearly, I’ve been missing out.”
