Page 122 of While You Were Trending

“Alex always said the best teams were half chemistry.”

“Chemistry only gets you so far.”

My vagina would like to argue with that. “Two years—you retired two years ago?”

“One. Got traded two years ago. Option came up at the end of the season while I was down with a broken wrist, no one wanted me, so here I am.”

Flow’s flopped onto her back and is panting happily, tongue lolling out, as I rub her belly.

Declan opens the bag, then pulls out a smaller white bag from inside, opens it, and holds it out to me. “You wanna steal one and pretend it wasn’t you?”

“Excuse you, Ialwaysowned it when I stole your food.”

He smiles.

He doesn’t look at me, but he smiles as he rattles the bag, inviting me to steal a bite. “And sometimes when it wasn’t you.”

“I still do that,” I murmur.

His smile softens. “This is my shocked face.”

I take one of the dumplings, feeling like it’s something much bigger than a fried wonton wrapper around cream cheese and crabmeat.

Like it’s a peace offering.

Like he’s giving us another chance to start over.

Be friends.

Or something.

I start to tell him these are better with sweet and sour sauce, but he’s already handing me a packet.

“Zander has a show in San Francisco next weekend,” he says. “If you wanted to go, take your friends or something, he’d love to see you. Get you backstage and all that.”

I blink at him. “Are you going?”

“Maybe. Depends on filming here and a few other things I have feelers out for.”

“You’d risk your brother’s wrath if you don’t show up?”

He smiles again. “You ever seen him riled?”

“No.” I only met Zander a few times, but I doubt his wrath is scary.

Funny, yes.

Scary, no.

“If you go, tell him you found a dealer for a knockoff Birkin bag and ask if he wants you to get him one.”

I choke on a laugh. “I thought you were leaving me alone, not wishing for my death.”

“He wouldn’t kill you over that. He’d probably kiss you once he got done ranting. He gets inspiration for new material once he starts ranting.”

“Have you said that to him before?”

“No, but he’ll probably suspect me.” Declan cocks his hip, plants a fist on it, and adopts a drag queen voice. “Did my brother tell you to say that? He’s dead to me.Deadto me. Huff. Snort. Huff huff snort. My god, you people are going to give me cholesterol. Where’s my lipstick? It’s so horrified, it just fled my lips.”