Chapter 12
HAWK
"Hawkie!" I heard the voice right before someone all but jumped on my back.
I twisted just enough to avoid Nick's sloppy kiss on my cheek. As far as I knew, Nick was as straight as I was, but he got affectionate after a few beers. By the look of his wide grin, he had more than a few.
"Nickie-boy!" I stepped away a little and patted him hard on the back. "How's it hanging?"
"A little to the left," he said, as he always did. He saw Becca and his eyes lit up. "Hey, nice to meet you. I'm Nick. Nicholas William Jung, the third, to be precise." He stuck out his hand.
"Becca," she replied. "Rebecca Anderson, the first."
He burst out laughing. He turned to me and whispered loudly. "I like her."
I smiled, unable to help it. "Me too."
Nick looked back to Becca. "Hawkie here and I have known each other since the dawn of the dinosaurs."
She regarded him for a moment. "I feel like I should remember you if we went to school together."
"Becca and I went to the same high school," I said. No need for more details yet.
"So you two go back to the formation of the planet." Nick nodded. "And you're still talking to him? Naw, just kidding. Hawkie is one of the nicest guys I know. Helped me out of a tight spot more than once."
"He still gets into those tight spots, though," I said. "Someday, he might learn."
"I really do, and I probably won't," Nick said. "Word of advice. Never marry a woman who calls you Nicholas."
Becca looked as though she was struggling to hold back a laugh. "Thank you. I'll remember that. Especially since my name is Becca and I’m not into women like that."
"For real." Nick leaned on the bar beside me. "Hey, can I get a coffee, please? I need to sober up a bit."
The bar attendant nodded and turned on the coffee machine at the end of the bar. I remember Vera questioning the need for it, but Brody insisted.
"It will be popular at the end of the night, or for those who don't drink," he'd said.
Vera looked at me for backup, but all I could do was shrug.
I was the silent partner in Waves, the one who put up the money.
I left running it up to them. The place was doing so well, they'd pay me back in a couple of years.
I didn't care if they never did, but both were proud people. Getting them to take a cent was hard enough, but for the good of their kids’ futures, they had.
"I'd love a coffee too, please," Becca said.
"Me three." I peered out the back to see if Brody was almost finished for the night. In spite of having mercilessly suggested embarrassing story after embarrassing story, he was good company, and he and Becca got along. That should earn me a few points toward our bet. Right?
Nick might help there too. Or ruin it. I wasn’t sure.
"Hey, let's get a table." The place was only a quarter full this late, but wouldn't close for at least another hour.
"Sure," Nick said. "The others should be along shortly." He offered Becca his arm. To my surprise, and his, she accepted it.
"Others?" she asked. "More of Hawkie's friends?" She shot me a teasing smile over her shoulder.
"Yeah. His and mine. Well, his anyway." Nick chuckled. "I'm just along for the ride most of the time."
"He's usually the one driving," I said dryly. "That's why you all get into so much trouble. They follow you right in."
"Yeah, yeah." Nick waved a hand. "You're usually there right along with us."
"Trying to be the voice of reason," I said.
"Do you believe him?" Nick asked Becca.
"Not for a moment," she replied. She gave me a smile and an eyebrow wiggle.
Maybe Nick wasn't so good for helping me score points after all.
"So, tell me about these exploits," Becca said slowly. "Off the record, of course."
"It better be," I growled. I tried to stay out of trouble, but it sometimes found me. Once in a while things happened which would absolutely not do wonders for my reputation.
"There was that time we woke up next to three naked models," Nick said.
A flash of something crossed Becca's face. Not quite annoyance. Disappointment, perhaps?
"That was a dream of yours," I said firmly. "Or someone else." Okay, I'm only human. I've thought about being in bed with three women before. Or four. Or two; there's no need to be greedy.
Living the life I did, I could have made it happen, but I hadn't. If that kind of thing leaked to the press, they'd milk it for longer than three hot models taking turns with my dick. So to speak.
But right then, I just wanted one. And this conversation wasn’t going to help me get her.
Nick snapped his fingers. Or tried to. With all the alcohol in his system, he only rubbed them on each other. He tried again a few times before he gave up.
"Anyway, yeah, that was Jace." Nick rubbed the side of his head with his fingertips. "I still don't remember how we got there. The ladies didn't seem to mind too much." He smiled broadly at the memory.
Once in a while, I envied guys who had regular nine to five jobs, and could get up to whatever they liked. I know, I'm a brat. I have everything I've ever wanted, and I still envy someone else. Only once in a while though.
"As long as everyone was consenting, then it sounds like you had an…
interesting time," Becca said. Did she seem relieved?
I probably imagined it, but part of me hoped I didn't. Only for the bet, of course.
The fact she made my heart race had nothing to do with it at all.
Nope. Neither did the fact I couldn't get her out of my head when we weren't together.
I sighed softly out my nose. She and Nick chatted about—I don't know what, I only half-listened.
While they talked, I watched her face. Her blue eyes were so full of warmth, empathy, and humour.
She laughed at Nick's jokes, a flash of white teeth and a dimple in her cheek.
Her freckles made her look young and naive, but I wanted to run the tip of my tongue over them.
She had a few on her chest too. How far down did they go?
What happened when she blushed? Did they darken, or did the pink take over and…
"Ain't that right, Hawkie?"
"Huh?" I looked up. "Sorry, what?"
Nick gave me a knowing look. "I said the Humpbacks are on track to cream the competition this year. Right?"
Considering the direction my thoughts had been going, it took a moment to get my brain to register what he meant by cream.
Eventually, I managed to grin. "Absolutely. We'll wipe the floor with them and send them all home to cry to their mommies."
"Not that you'll be bad winners," Becca said. She looked at me sidelong, but I thought she was teasing.
"Not where anyone can hear," I said with a smirk. I held that expression for a moment, before I relaxed and smiled. "We'll be the most gracious winners football has ever seen. In public and in private."
"I look forward to hearing your thoughts after every game," she said.
For a moment I thought she might tell Nick about the bet.
Thankfully she didn't. Telling Bam was one thing.
Nick would give me hell for the rest of our days if he knew.
Worse, he'd probably want to join in on the wager.
I'd bet a year's salary he'd bet against me.
Hell, he'd probably conspire with Becca to make sure they both won.
He was a great friend, but he loved a challenge, especially one he knew he'd win.
"So, this is just a business night out?" Nick asked. He looked from one of us to the other, confusion on his face.
"Oh no, we're on a date," I said before Becca could respond.
Nick's mouth formed an O.
"Shit, am I intruding?" He made to stand.
Becca put a hand on his arm.
"Please stay. It's perfectly all right, honest. It's nice to meet people who know the real Hawk."
Nick raised his eyebrows and smiled lopsidedly. "I dunno about the real Hawkie. He's too pretty to be real. I think he might be inflatable." He poked me on the shoulder.
I lurched to the side as though I was an actual blow up doll and bit back a grin.
"See, I thought so." Nick laughed. "Should we pop him?"
Becca giggled. She didn't seem to mind our silly, childish antics too much. Some women would have thought we were too dumb to live, or at least talk to.
"Better not," I said, "I might make a mess on the floor."
"At least he didn't say you were inflatable too," Nick said to Becca. "I wouldn't have believed him anyway, you're too pretty." He glanced over at me. "Although, that might be the only way a woman would talk to him."
"Jealousy is a curse," I told him.
He rubbed his chin, then exhaled loudly. "You're right, you know. It is. Maybe you should stop being so jealous of my charm, wit and good looks."
I barked a laugh. "You forgot genius-level intelligence."
"I did, didn't I?"
Becca looked about ready to double over laughing. "Are you guys always like this?"
Nick and I both jerked a thumb toward each other and said, "He is," at the same time.
We all lost it then and started laughing so loud we got stared at from everyone in the rest of the bar. Becca had such a sweet laugh; I wanted to hear it all the time.
"Hey," Nick said suddenly. "Here's the rest of them."
A handful of men and women stepped in through the door and made a beeline for the table.
"Heeeeey," Jace greeted. When I stood, he went in for a bro hug, barely touching and all. "This where ya been hiding?" His American accent was strong when he'd been drinking, even after five years in Australia.
"You found me," I replied. I nodded to the redhead who held his hand.
"This is, um…" Jace frowned.
"Keelie," she said, looking unimpressed.
"Are you sure?" Jace frowned at her.
"I think I would know my own name," she told him.
"Huh, well I guess that's true," Jace said.
"Don't worry, Jace can't remember his own name sometimes," Nick said.
"Shut up," Jace said with a smile. "I can too. It's…" He rubbed his head. "Fuck."
"That's right," Nick said. "Suits you too."
"My name is not Fuck," Jace protested.
"It is now," I said. "That's how nicknames get born."
Jace scowled, but his expression soon changed to a smile. "It could be worse, I guess."
"How?" Becca asked.
"It could be Tinydick," Jace said.
"Ahhh. Good point." She nodded. "Or Floppyballs."
The whole group laughed and she beamed like she wasn't used to being a part of a group that found her funny.
She looked even more beautiful like that.
Tiny football players kicked a ball and ran around inside my belly, doing a line dance.
A full-blown Super Bowl Shuffle, unless I missed my guess.
I wanted to both win and lose our bet, all at the same time.
Mostly I wanted to win it, but now it had less to do with winning, and everything about her.
I wanted Becca, any way I could get her.
Nick had to hijack the moment by saying, "Isn't that Hawk's other nickname?"
I laughed along with everyone else, but my eyes were only on her. Her eyes, her mouth, the way her body shook when she giggled, the soft curves of her face and body.
She was one hell of a player. She'd come up behind me and tackled me, pinning me to the ground before I even saw her coming.
If only she didn't just see our bet as a work thing. I needed to make her see it as more, whatever it took.