Chapter 15
Chapter Fifteen
MARCUS
“ G reat practice, boys,” I tell the guys as I grab my T-shirt and pull it over my head. “Detroit won’t know what hits them tomorrow.”
“I’d like to get a few hits in on them,” Noah says. After the hit that took him out for the rest of last season, I know Noah would like to get some payback against Detroit.
“Keep it clean,” Graham says. “I don’t need them coming after you again.”
“It’s not like it was a targeted hit,” Dax points out.
“You’re too nice.” Bode ruffles his hair as he passes by. Grabbing his leather jacket, he shrugs into it and turns to face all of us. “Alright, we’re going out.”
“Says who?” I ask, putting on my shoes and socks. “It’s a school night.”
Bode waves me off like this is a minor inconvenience. Easy for him to say. All he has to worry about is himself.
Well, and maybe not knocking up any of the women he’s with.
“Easy. You have a nanny. ”
“And she’s also in school. I can’t ask her to stay late all the time.”
Bode shrugs. “Your mom?”
I shake my head. “She’s not in town. Sorry.”
“What about Harper?” Noah asks.
The way Bode’s eyes light up, it’s like he got an early Christmas gift. “Yes. Get your wife to babysit for you.”
“You know she’s technically not my wife,” I point out.
“According to the state of Nevada, I’m pretty sure she is,” Noah says.
“Perfect. Bachelor party.”
“You can’t have a bachelor party if someone is already married. It would just be a party,” Dax points out.
“What, that’s it?” Jasper interjects. “You have no other questions for Marcus on why he’s still married? Because I have some.”
Bode shakes his head. “Nope. He’s married. Party.”
“We are not having Bode plan anything if we get married,” Graham tells Noah. “No way.”
“If? Now it’s if?” Noah cocks an eyebrow at him.
“Oh shit,” I hear Bode whisper.
There’s a panicked look on Graham’s face. “I…I…”
“Would you put him out of his misery?” Jasper interjects, much to Noah’s dismay. “We both know you two are going to get married.”
“You couldn’t have let him stew a bit longer?” Noah laughs.
“See if I marry you now.” Graham flips him the middle finger.
“You love me and you know it.” Noah blows him a kiss.
With all of them distracted, I grab my jacket and try to make a break for it but don’t make it more than five feet.
“Not so fast, Cap,” Bode calls after me. “You’re not getting away that easy. ”
I groan, scrubbing a hand down my face. “Can’t you go out without me?”
“Nah. We have to celebrate the fact that you’re married.”
“I—”
“No exceptions,” Bode cuts me off. “You need to live a little. And since you don’t have a ‘real’ wife, you can find someone to go home with.”
Every one of the guys groans as we all leave and head out into the parking lot.
“Don’t listen to Bode,” Jasper tells me. “But he’s right that you should probably come out. I think we’ve seen you once since the season started.”
“And that’s because you made us volunteer.”
I hate that the guys have a point. With the girls having more and more activities after school and on the weekends, every spare minute of time is devoted to them. If I’m not at practice or a game, I’m with them.
Or trying to figure out more ways to see Harper. But I don’t tell them that. Even though they already seem to know that I have no life.
“Okay. Let me see if I can get the nanny to stay longer with the girls.”
Marcus
Can you stay later tonight with the girls?
Emma
Sorry, I can’t. I have to study for my midterm tomorro w
Well, there goes one person. With my mom in Florida for a few weeks, I really don’t have anyone else I can ask. I could call the babysitting service, but the last time they sent someone, the sitter was on their phone the whole time and the girls hated it.
I hate to even ask, but it’s worth a shot. Things were good between the two of us at the carnival. Is it too much to hope that she’ll say yes?
I have a massive favor to ask of you
Harper
What kind of favor?
A favor to help my girls
Oh yeah?
The guys?—
“Dude. Tell her it’s team bonding,” Bode tells me.
“Why are you so close to me?” It’s only then that I realize that Bode is reading over my shoulder.
“Because you’re going to fuck this up if you tell her we’re taking you out. Team bonding will make her want to help you.”
I roll my eyes and go back to the partially typed out text.
The guys need a team bonding night. As their captain, I have to be there
Team bonding, huh?
I wish I didn’t have to go, but I need to
“Ouch, man.”
“Bode, seriously.” I shove the man away from me and put some distance between the two of us. “I can handle this.”
“Just trying to make sure you don’t bail on us. We need to celebrate our groom.”
I shake my head, trying not to laugh at how ridiculous he is. The man has never met a night he doesn’t want to spend partying.
You’re really selling this sob story of not wanting to go
I can think of better things to do than going out with the guys
Maybe this is why they are dragging you out for some team bonding
Probably
What do you say?
What’s in it for me?
My unending gratitude?
Nah. I want something else
Like?
I’m not sure…
If it means you’ll watch the girls, I’ll give you anything you want
Rain check
Really?
Yes. I’ll figure out what you can do for me
You’re a godsend. The babysitter already picked up the girls
Text me your address. I’ll make sure they do their homework and eat a good dinner
Two rain checks
Hmm. I wonder what I can get from you
Anything you want
“Are you in?” Dax calls out, backing out of the locker room.
“Yeah, I’m in.”
I pull up Emma’s number and call her to give her an update on the evening. Assuring her she’ll get home in time for studying, I end the call and shove my phone in my pocket.
“Fuck yeah. I thought the world would be ending before we could get this guy out.” Bode wraps an arm around my shoulders. “Can’t party without the Cap.”
“Okay. I have one rule.”
I stop short, staring at all the guys in front of me. Bode is shaking his head like he expected this, Noah and Graham are whispering to each other, and Jasper and Dax are leaning against the door to the locker room.
“Of course you do. Let’s hear it.” Bode braces himself, waggling his fingers for me to continue.
“No one gets arrested.”
“Easy.” Noah claps his hands together. “Well, maybe not for Bode.”
“No one.” I look at each man standing in front of me and point a finger at them. “We’re not going on a losing streak because one of you decides to do something stupid.”
At that, all eyes snap to Bode.
“Hey! I’m offended. I don’t do stupid shit,” Bode tells us.
“Says who?” Graham fires back.
“Me. I’m careful about who I go home with.”
Jasper rolls his eyes. “Does that mean you’re not going to pick someone up tonight? Since it’s team bonding, as you called it.”
“I guess,” Bode moans, then laughs, leading us out of the locker room. “Team bonding—maybe next time I’ll start with that.”
“To the man of the hour!” Bode shouts, all of us toasting with shots of tequila.
“Fuck, that burns.” I suck on the lime to soothe the sting. “This is why I never go out with you guys.”
“If it makes you feel better, we never do shots,” Dax tells me.
“That’s because you never come out.” Bode flags down Chad to order another round.
I don’t know how Bode managed, but he got a large table for all of us in the back of The Sin Bin. I know it’s for privacy, but it makes for a nice night not having to worry about anyone else butting in.
“Do I need to have Dax supervise when you guys go out?” I laugh. I sip on the beer I ordered.
With a game tomorrow, I don’t want to overdo it. My tolerance is low, always preferring sparkling water over alcohol.
I am making a one-time exception tonight.
“How did I get charged with supervising Bode?” Dax whines.
“Better yet, why am I the only one that has to be supervised?” Bode drinks from his own beer.
“Do you really need us to answer that?” Noah asks. “Really?”
“You’re like an eighteen-year-old with a fake ID for the first time,” Jasper tells him.
“Seriously, you guys suck.” Bode pouts.
“You love us,” Jasper says.
“I don’t know why.”
This is why I love these guys. They’re ridiculous most days, but some of the best guys I know. They’re good guys, even Bode. Well, maybe deep down for Bode, but I’d do anything for any of them.
Even skipping a night in to hang out with them.
God, I really am old.
“Does anyone want to do?—”
“No.” Everyone answers Bode without even hearing what he says.
“You don’t even know what I was going to suggest.”
“Because no one wants to do karaoke with you, Bode,” Noah says. “You’re a mic hog.”
“That’s because none of you want to sing.”
“Because we don’t like karaoke,” Jasper says.
“I just need to get you guys out of your bubbles.” Bode grins, looking across the table at me. “One time, Cap. I want to hear you sing one time.”
I shake my head. “Never gonna happen.”
“Fine. Then you have to come to another bar.”
“That’s the trade-off?” I ask, finishing off my beer. A warm buzz floats through my veins. “I guess I can go to another bar.”
“Fuck yeah!” This coming from Dax, as he slaps his hand down on the table. “We never get to hang out like this. I love it.”
“Alright, alright. Let’s close out and get going.”
Because if there is one person that is going to keep these guys in line tonight, it’s me. If that means we hit another bar sooner rather than later?
I might be able to head home sooner rather than keep barhopping and get to hang out with Harper for just a few minutes.
I’ll take anything I can get with her.