Page 19 of Risky Play

She tipped her head down in agreement.

“Maddie, can we…” I trailed off.

I couldn’t blame her for hating me. I had zero regrets about hooking up with her, but there was no way in hell I was going behind Noah’s back. I had an excuse at the wedding since I didn’t know she was his sister, but not now. That would be a betrayal.

“What, Matt?” she barked out, anger laced in her tone.

“Can you two grab a drink and resolve whatever this is?” Ty asked.

Ari’s mouth dropped open. “Oh! You’re him.”

I felt my brow crease, and I looked between the two women.

Maddie shrugged. “Yeah, the douche who ran away. Literally.”

I turned to her. “Can we start over?”

She ground her teeth together. “Fine.”

I held out my hand. “Hi. I’m Matt Callahan.”

She stared down at my hand, and her friend nudged her. She rolled her eyes but gripped my hand in hers. “Madison Kennedy. Call me Maddie.”

“Buy you a drink?” I asked, giving her my winning smile.

“Fine.”

I eyed Ty and Ari, and he was already putting on the charm, twirling a strand of Ari’s colorful hair while she laughed at a joke that probably wasn’t funny.

I sighed.

“Problem?” Maddie asked.

I gestured to Ty. “He’s laying it on thick already.”

Maddie peered at her friend and shrugged. “Maybe she needs a good rebound to get over her ex. I didn’t like him. At least someone’s getting laid.” She mumbled that last part under her breath, hoping I wouldn’t hear it.

“D said you transferred to Franklin,” I said, trying to change the subject.

“Yup. I needed to get out of Winnipeg. This is a good school.”

She was right about that. It impressed me she got in because Franklin was an Ivy League school. That must have meant her grades were killer. That was the only reason Ty went here. He was pre-med, and Franklin had an amazing medical program. He wouldn’t be playing club hockey if the school wasn’t so good.

“Don’t sell yourself short. This is an awesome school.”

She beamed at that, and maybe I softened her a little with the compliment. “I didn’t know you lived with my brother. I get that it’s complicated.”

“Your brother’s a good friend. I…”

“I know. I get it,” she finished for me.

If I didn’t live with her brother, maybe I’d be more inclined to break the code. Hell, Benny did it with Rox. Although Rox was scary, and I don’t think there was anything her twin brother could have said to her to make her back down.

Maddie finished her beer, and I flagged the bartender down to grab her another one. She gave me a small smile in thanks, and we looked amused as Ty pointed to a curvy blonde. “What about that one?” he asked Ari.

“What are you doing, asshole?” I asked.

Ari laughed. “He’s trying to guess which women are my type.”