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When Foster glanced back at me, I only shrugged and blew him a kiss in farewell, so he finally turned away and started toward Keene who was shooting his arms into the air and shouting his triumph.
Next to me, Hudson threw an arm over my shoulders and shook his head with a satisfied hiss. “Wow, does he have it bad for you, Red. Didn’t I say you were just what he needed? I clearly recall saying that very thing once upon a time.”
“You might’ve mentioned something to that effect,” I allowed with a slow nod, only to glance up at him and challenge. “But you never told me he’d be just whatIneeded right back.”
With a chuckle, he leaned in and kissed my cheek. “Then cheers all around.” Sticking close after the kiss, he murmured into my ear, “I just wanted a moment to thank you.”
I pulled back to squint at him in confusion, and he shrugged. “You made him smile again. He looked all wrong without that goofyUniongrin plastered across his face. But you came back and made it reappear. He missed you something fierce, darlin’.”
Glancing over as Foster and Keene faced off across the foosball table, I smiled softly. “Yeah, I’m glad I came back too.”
“Amen,” Hudson said, only to nudge me away from him. “Now, if you’re game for a little girl gossip and really want to make the most of that break I got for you, I believe Faith and Oaklynn are in the kitchen, sharing all kinds of secrets.”
Brightening at the idea of seeing my girls, I said, “Definitely! Thanks, Hudson.”
“Anytime, sweetheart.”
But as I hurried toward the kitchen, I bumped into Alec who was exiting it, carrying two drinks with him.
“Oh, hey!” I said, grabbing his arm in greeting. “I loved that last reel you shared with me. I think it was my favorite yet.”
He looked momentarily stumped before his face brightened. “You mean, thesister helping her brother take medicinevideo? Yes! I had a feeling you’d like it. Still doesn’t beat the one you sent with the kid on the swing that flips off the seat when the cat falls on it. Holy shit, I laughed for, like?—”
“Yo, Younger,” Keene called from across the room, looking suddenly irritable at the foosball table. “Where’s that drink you were getting me?”
He must’ve been losing because when Foster glanced over and made eye contact, he jerked up his eyebrows in amusement and sent me a triumphant grin.
“Hold your damn horses,” Alec yelled back, only to glance at me and smile, saying, “I better go. See ya.” And he started toward the foosball game.
I grinned and shook my head, only to enter the kitchen and find it occupied by a dozen more people. When I spotted Faith and Oaklynn toward the back, gossiping together, I started that way, only to run into Damien and Thane first.
“Hey, fellows,” I said with a big grin. “Looks like you guys have quite the party going.”
“And it just got good now that you’re here,” Thane told me, leaning over to give me a one-armed hug. “Foster in the front room?”
“Yep. Hudson forced him to play foosball with Keene.”
“Ah. Poor Keene.”
I laughed. “That seemed to be the case, yeah. So did you bring your girlfriend tonight? I can’t wait to finally meet her.”
With a quick grimace, Thane answered, “No, she couldn’t make it; I’m sorry, darlin’. We’ll have to catch her at the next event.”
“Sure,” I told him gracefully, even though I thought it kind of odd that she hadn’t come to his best friend’s celebration party. She hadn’t been able to make it to Parker’s actual graduation either. I was beginning to wonder if this mystery woman wanted to meet us at all.
When Faith and Oaklynn started to laugh together, my gaze zipped that way. “Ooh, they’re gossiping without me!” Returning my attention to Thane and Damien, I said, “Catch you guys later.”
“Enjoy,” Thane told me, patting my arm as I passed by, and Damien bobbed his head in farewell.
“What’d I miss?” I demanded as soon as I reached the girls. “Start over from the beginning.”
“Hey, there you are!” Oaklynn said, opening her arms to pull me to her side as Faith handed me a drink. “We were just wondering if Foster was going to release you from bed to come here tonight or not.”
“He doesn’t have actual ropes or chains, does he?” Faith teased with a quick lift of her eyebrows.
“Oh, come on now,” I argued, taking a sip to realize—yes—we had Hudson’s special brew of heaven again. “We’re notthatadventurous.”
Faith and Oaklynn looked at me as if I were in denial.
