Page 137 of Cheap Shot

They looked pretty serious and Luke leaned against the wall, trying to stay out of the way until they were done talking about whatever that had them speaking in low, urgent tones.

“Wait, you don’t want to date Viv, do you?” Connor asked.

Jesse’s eyes bugged out. “What?”

“I mean, you two have been getting along well lately and the stuff with Tom and Kady made me wonder …” Connor shuffled awkwardly.

“No.Dude. Connor. I love you. Viv is great. Glad we’re pony shopping together for Maura and shit’s going well with kid stuff in general between us, but I don’t want to date your ex-wife.”

“Well, you don’t have to say it likethat.” Connor looked almost offended now.

“Like what?” Jesse’s expression turned confused.

“Like she wouldn’t be someone worth dating.”

“Oh my God, Connor. Do you want me to tell you that you have good taste in women? Yes, Viv’s hot, she’s smart, and she’s really stepped up for Nolan in the past year. In the past, I’d totally have been into an older woman like her. But I don’t want to date her! Doyouwant me to date her?”

“Fuck no!” Connor huffed. “I don’t want to share you with anyone. But, like, I thought I shouldcheck.”

Jesse sighed and leaned his forehead against Connor’s. “Very thoughtful of you, Captain Growly, but I’m happy just the way we are, okay? I like the life we have together. I don’t need to change it.”

Connor said something quietly and then they were kissing, and Luke looked away.

Jesus, this was altogether too much personal shit. Why the fuck was this teamlikethis?

After they finally let him through with apologies—and a red face from Connor—the guys who’d eaten lunch together split up to shop, find dessert, or leave the Grand Central Market entirely.

Luke had been planning to go to the hotel, but he noticed Tom hesitating, glancing around warily.

“You need something?” Luke asked.

Tom shrugged. “I’d planned to go to a candy shop in here before I headed back to the hotel. My girls loved it when we lived in L.A. and I was planning to bring home some stuff for them but maybe I should skip it just to be safe.”

“I’ll go with you, if you want,” Luke offered.

“You sure? You don’t have anywhere you need to be?”

“Nah,” Luke said. “I was just gonna go back to the hotel and chill, but I don’t mind a detour.”

“Okay. Yeah, let’s do it. We can just share a ride back to the hotel after, if that’s cool with you.”

Luke nodded. “Lead the way.”

As they passed Connor, who was talking to a couple of the rookies, his gaze met Luke’s as if to say, ‘keep an eye on things.’

Which was exactly what Luke intended to do.

“Honestly, I probably am making a big deal out of nothing,” Tom said as they headed upstairs to the candy shop.

“Maybe. But why risk it?”

“I have been in a fight or two myself over the years.” Tom pointed to a nose that was definitely going to need surgery after his career was over. “I can handle myself. Though I can’t really imagine punching Darla anyway …”

“Your crooked-ass nose just tells me you can’t block for shit, dude. Besides, how many fuckin’ times do I have to tell you guys, I don’t want our goal scorers throwing punches at anyone?”

“Yeah, yeah,” Tom said but he bumped Luke’s shoulder as if to say thanks.

“Besides, I’m not gonna fucking punch a woman unless she’s coming at me with a weapon. And even then …” Luke grimaced.