Page 3 of Blue Line

“Hush,” I snap. “It just came out. I wasn’t thinking.” I grab the meat from him and put it in the cart.

He snorts. “So, what’s your plan?” He puts his hands on his hips, surveying me, and I roll my eyes.

“There you guys are,” Weston says, rounding the corner and heading toward us, his arms laden with a package of chocolate chip cookies, a pie, and two tubs of ice cream. “Picked us up a good dessert spread.”

I rub my hands together as a plan falls into place.

“Don’t, Hadley,” Holt warns as if he can read my mind, but I ignore him.

“Hey, Weston,” I sing-song when he sets his cache of desserts into the cart.

“Hey, Hadley Jane.” He frowns. “I don’t like that look on your face.” He trades glances with Holt before turning his attention back to me.

“Hadley,” Holt warns again.

“Weston, I need a favor.” I bat my lashes.

Holt groans. “Can we not discuss this here, please?”

“Fine. Fine,” I tell my brother, reaching over and grabbing the jarred pasta sauce.

“What about the mushroom one?” Holt protests.

“No. Mushrooms are gross.”

He sticks out his lower lip, pretending to pout. I can’t help the grin that breaks out on my face. It’s nice to see my brother so relaxed and happy. Being in love and being a dad agree with him.

“I agree with Hadley Jane,” Weston pipes up.

Shocker. Hell must have frozen over. Are pigs flying?

I bite back my retort because I need Weston’s help. The last thing I want to do right now is rile him up. Although it’s so fun to do it.

“Fine,” Holt concedes. “What else do we need?”

I consult the list on my phone, comparing it to the items in the shopping cart. “That’s all.”

“Let’s go.” Holt starts making his way down the aisle toward the front of the store.

“Wanna tell me what I missed earlier?” Weston whispers as we walk side by side.

“I’ll tell you when we get back to the house,” I whisper back.

I say a silent prayer that my big mouth doesn’t get me into trouble and that he’ll agree to my proposal, and also that I never run into my ex again after this party.

Chapter two

Wes

The entire time we stand in line and then while we check out, I wonder what Hadley’s going to ask me—what I missed while I was picking out desserts. Whatever it is, Holt doesn’t like it. Knowing him, it could be something as simple as her wanting to change the laundry detergent their parents buy. He may be my best friend, but goalies are fucking weird, and he’s no exception. Although I highly doubt it’s that simple—if it were, she wouldn’t need a favor from me. No, this is something else entirely.

Hadley is an enigma I can’t figure out. She’s my best friend’s little sister. She was his rock when he first found out he had a daughter, coming to stay with him in Florida to be his nanny for the remainder of the season. Taking care of Hazel, his daughter, and him, no questions asked.

But there’s something else hidden beneath the surface that I don’t think anyone else sees. Hell, I don’t even know if she realizes it. But I see it because I feel it too. Like I’m gradually becoming an outsider with the people closest to me. Like I don’t really fit in anymore.

I don’t blame my friends—they’re all getting married or at least partnered off. After this summer, three of my closest friends will be fathers. They’ll all have their own families to go home to at the end of a long road trip or a grueling day of practice.

And I’ll have no one.