Page 44 of Scoring Eden

I nod, though I have no idea whether or not that’s true. Alex and I haven’t discussed what will be expected of us after tonight. And maybe I should have put more thought into it than I have, but I wanted to get the party out of the way first. One day at a time has been my motto. But if I’m expected to attend his games and other events, then I need to make accommodations for Macon.

The weekends when he’s with his dad are fine, but other than that, I can’t be away from him too much. It wouldn’t be fair to him. And it’s not what I’d want either.

Ugh. This is already getting so complicated.

“I think that went well.” Alex plucks two glasses of champagne off a tray and hands one to me. “He certainly seems to like you.”

“Do you blame him? I’m delightful.”

“He doesn’t know you well enough yet.” He winks. “He’ll change his mind soon enough.”

“Asshole,” I mutter with a laugh and take a sip of champagne. “So, who’s next?”

I narrow my eyes as I survey the room. Coach Carter down. Only the rest of the team and the investor to go.

“My teammates are over there. Let’s kill a few birds with one stone.” Alex leads me over to a group of five men and a woman, who, even from the back, looks ethereal in her beauty. She wears a red backless dress that skims the floor, and when she moves, I catch the slightest glimpse of sneakers underneath it.

Girl after my own heart. I should have done the same. My feet are fucking killing me.

“Do they know about us?” I whisper into Alex’s arm.

He takes my hand and folds it into the crook of his elbow. “Not all of them.”

At the sound of our approaching footsteps, the woman turns toward us and beams. “Holy shit, you must be Eden.”

I’m in her arms in an instant, where she holds me for ten seconds longer than what’s comfortable. When she finally breaks away, she peels me away from Alex and stares at me, unblinking. “Wow, I think you’re the prettiest woman I’ve ever seen in my whole entire life. Leo,” she calls over her shoulder to a towering man with dark hair and stubble. “Leo, come look at her. Isn’t she the most beautiful woman ever in existence?”

Ah, this must be Alex’s sister.

Leo, I assume, gently peels her away from me with an amused crease of his eyes. “Let the poor woman breathe, baby. And for the record, you’re the most beautiful woman ever in existence.” He has a distinct British accent. London, if I had to guess.

Alex jabs a finger in his mouth with a grimace. “Barf.”

Brynn ignores him and gazes up at her husband with misty, love-glassed eyes. “You love me,” she slurs.

Leo flattens his lips to hide a smile. “I do.”

She hums, leaning her head against his arm, and closes her eyes.

“Well”—Alex slaps his hands together—“Eden, I guess you’ve met my sister, who apparently has already had several glasses too many.” He narrows his eyes at Leo in accusation, who shrugs back. “That’s Leo. Then Roman, Theo, Harley, and Arun.”

Each man raises his hand in greeting at their name, and Theo, a guy in his mid-twenties with floppy hair, even performs a little bow. I curtsy back, for no other reason than because I don’t know how else to respond.

God, it’s gonna be hard to remember so many names. And it’s not as if my brain is working at full capacity. I’m two glasses away from being where Brynn is right now.

“It’s nice to meet you all.”

Brynn’s eyes snap open. She staggers out of Leo’s hold to take both my hands in hers. “Oh, it’s super nice to meet you.”

“I wish I’d had the same idea as you to wear sneakers instead of heels.” I cock one of my gold strappy shoes toward her. “These are torture.”

“Oh, these?” She knocks her feet together. “No one gives a shit when your dress is long enough to hide them.” She sways toward my ear, clutching my arm to steady herself. “Oh, and don’t worry about your little secret. It’s safe with me.”

I would laugh at how indiscreet she’s being if it didn’t make my stomach somersault with panic. For starters, I have no idea which secret she’s referring to: Macon’s existence—which Alex and I have agreed not to mention today, in case it’s leaked to the media—or the fabrication of her brother’s and my relationship.

“Wait, what secret?” one of the guys asks. Harley, I think.

I’m trying to think of a lie when Alex blurts out, “Eden’s going commando.”