Chapter 24
FLIP
It’s fajita night at Rix and Tristan’s. We get together once a month for food and drinks. Tally often joins us, but this is the first with her as my date.
“Can you mash these, please?” Rix passes me the flat-bottomed container of avocado halves and the potato masher.
“Chunky though, right? Not holiday-dinner-mashed-potato smooth,” I confirm.
“You got it.”
Tally is dutifully chopping tomatoes with Hemi next to her, murdering onions while glaring at me.
I haven’t done anything wrong. At least I don’t think I have, but I can picture my balls in place of the onions.
Tally has been the little sister of the group for years, and we’ve all had our skepticism over some of her past boyfriends.
Now that I’m dating her, I feel like I’m in the hot seat.
And like everyone is waiting for me to fuck it up.
Or maybe that’s just me.
I deal with the avocados and move to the sink to rinse the masher.
Tristan gives me a look.
“What?”
“Dude.”
“You’re going to need to elaborate past a single word.”
“Bro.” The word drips disappointment. “Is Tally suddenly made of glass?”
“What?”
“You’re dating her, be affectionate, man.”
“I’m not going to hump all over her.” Although the dreams in which I do have been pretty fucking relentless lately.
“That’s not—” Tristan shakes his head and looks at the ceiling. “That I’m the one giving advice makes it feel like I’m in a parallel universe.” He sighs. “You’re making it weird, man.”
I rub the back of my neck. “Tally is like everyone’s sister. I’m trying to be respectful.”
Tristan pokes at his cheek with his tongue. “Or you’re being a chickenshit.”
Is that what it is? Am I being too cautious? “I don’t know how to walk the line.”
“Explain.”
This is Tristan. We’ve been friends since we were in diapers.
He’s seen the worst of me and we’re still tight.
“Beyond hugs from friends and family, I’m used to affection being a precursor to sex.
It’s always been all or nothing. I’m struggling with the middle ground.
I don’t want to fuck it up and default back to old Flip. ”
“That won’t happen. Old Flip doesn’t have the power he used to.” He squeezes my shoulder. “Before you started dating, you hugged Tally all the time, right?”
“Yeah.” But she was in the friend box and now she’s in a new one.
“So keep doing that, but add a kiss on the cheek. Just something to show her and everyone else that you’re hers.”
“Everything okay here?” Rix asks.
“We’re good,” Tristan and I say at the same time.
“Uh-huh.” She gives us a skeptical look. “Flip, can you stir this and a handful of Tally’s tomatoes into the avocado mash?” Rix passes me a small bowl with minced garlic, lime juice, and some spices, her expression expectant.
“For sure.”
Hemi has put down the knife and is now busy bathing the red onions in ice water. It’s a hack to take out the sharpness.
I slip an arm around Tally’s waist from behind as she drains the juice from the tomatoes, brushing my lips over her cheek. “Hi.”
She relaxes into me. “Hi.” Her voice is soft and breathy, exactly like it was when I had to end the kiss the other night before it escalated to criminal proportions. I shut those thoughts down. I’ll let them out later, when I’m alone in the shower.
“Can you drop a handful of tomatoes in here for me?” I murmur against her ear.
“Put that tone away.” Hemi points a spatula at me. At least it’s not a knife.
“What tone?” I glance around. “I asked for tomatoes.”
“Yeah, but it sounds like you’re offering to service her in front of all your friends,” Essie pipes up, unhelpfully.
“You could narrate some spicy audiobooks with that voice,” Dred adds with a smile.
I glance at Tristan, who just shrugs. This is harder than I thought it would be.
“Oooh! You should get Flip to read you Cammie’s fics!” Hammer’s eyes light up.
“I read Dred Cammie’s fics.” Connor smirks.
“You’re so good at it.” Dred pats his cheek.
“I’m good at a lot of things.” Connor’s normally slanted brows tip up.
“Don’t be braggy,” Dred chastises.
“Pretty sure this is their foreplay,” I whisper.
“Oh, it is.” Tally’s sigh seems a little envious as she drops a handful of tomatoes into the avocado mash.
“Thanks.” I kiss her cheek again. I can’t learn if I don’t try.
“Want help stirring them in, too?” she offers.
“Please.” I pass her a spoon, happy to cocoon her against the counter so I can keep huffing her cherry blossom shampoo. “What’s the deal with Cammie’s fics?”
“I’ll tell you more about that when you’re ready.”
“You don’t think I can handle it?”
“Uh no, I don’t think I can.” The flush in her cheeks is revealing.
“Now I’m even more intrigued.”
“Excellent. My nefarious plan is working.”
“I like it when you’re sassy.” I wrap an arm around her waist, hugging her from behind.
Tristan gives me a subtle chin dip in approval.
Once the avocado mash is mixed, I add it to the growing spread at the dining room table.
Quinn and Kellan arrive with beer and street corn, completing the meal. Only Ash and Shilpa couldn’t make it tonight since Pavin is running a fever.
Gathering around the table, we pass bowls as we doctor up our fajitas. There’s a whole carousel of sauces and dips.
“Maybe we need to rotate fajita night locations so you’re not always hosting,” Hemi says to Rix.
“Oh, this is my happy place. I’m totally living my dream, and getting all our friends together for dinner is the icing on the cake.” Rix hugs Tristan’s arm.
Tristan beams as he gazes down at my sister. “You’re made of magic.”
She smiles. “I wouldn’t have this without you.”
Rix went back to school for nutrition and finished her degree last summer.
She finally resigned from her accounting firm and now she handles my, Tristan’s, and Dallas’s financial portfolios, and spends the rest of her time creating meal plans for many of the guys on the team. She’s amazing at it, and she loves it.
Tristan rubs his nose against hers.
“Save it for when everyone leaves, you two,” Nate grumbles.
Rix laughs and puts her hand over Tristan’s mouth when he tries to come in for another kiss.
I stretch my arm across the back of Tally’s chair.
“We’re looking at renting Bea a professional kitchen too, and possibly hiring an assistant,” Tristan says.
“If you have access to a professional kitchen, will you have room for another client?” Quinn asks hopefully.
“Or two,” Kellan adds.
“Once I have an assistant I can,” Rix says.
“Awesome,” Quinn says.
“I’d even be happy with a meal or two a week,” Kellan adds.
Tally rolls her bottom lip between her teeth as she covertly checks a message on her phone.
“Everything okay?” I ask.
“Arya from my dance troupe had to pick up another shift at work, but it conflicts with our scheduled practice, and everything is booked out for weeks,” she explains.
“Did you have this problem last semester?” Hammer asks.
“No, but one of the main studios is under construction, and we all need more practice time leading up to the final showcase of the year.”
“That’s not ideal,” Essie says.
Tally smiles, but it’s strained. “I honestly thought the floors would be done by now. Hopefully soon, though. In the meantime, we’re trying to be creative.
I’ve booked the yoga studio in my building, but other people jumped on that recently, so there’s less availability, especially on short notice. ”
Hemi frowns and turns to me. “What about the one in your building, Flip?”
I nod. “It’s an option, but it’s a half-hour commute even on off-hours.” I’ve looked into spaces for Tally, but I’m keeping it to myself until I have it locked down.
“The commute eats into study hours,” Tally explains.
“I’d offer the Hockey Academy yoga studio, but you’d run into the same commute issue,” Roman says.
“I really appreciate it, though. I’m trying to be mindful of Charles and Arya’s financial constraints since they’re both on scholarship.” Tally’s phone buzzes again. “It’s my sister. I’ll be right back.”
“The spare bedroom is down the hall on your left, if you need privacy,” Rix calls.
“Thanks. I shouldn’t be long.” Tally disappears down the hall.
“She seems stressed,” Hemi says once we hear the door close.
“Her plate is pretty full these days, but I’m working on a solution for the studio.” I drop my voice. “I’ve narrowed it down to two places. One is substantially closer to her apartment.”
“You’re blocking time for her at a studio?” Dred asks.
“Short-term rental, actually, then her troupe doesn’t have to worry about planning around open slots,” I explain.
Hemi quiet claps.
Dallas holds out his fist. “That’s a top-tier boyfriend move.”
Connor starts to open his mouth, and Dred covers it with her palm. “Dallas is right.”
“We all know you’d buy Dred the whole strip mall,” Roman ribs him good-naturedly.
“It’s true.” Connor kisses Dred’s palm. “I was going to say you’ve come a long way from fucking a T-shirt.”
That gets a few snort-laughs and an eye roll from me.
“Are things okay with Tally’s brother and sister?” Rix tugs on the end of her ponytail. “It can’t be easy with Vander Zee having moved out.”
“Tally was like a second parent before she went to university,” Hammer says. “When Tally and I were interning and we’d go away with the team, she fielded lots of video calls from them.”
“Yeah, I remember that,” Hemi confirms.
“I think it’s a little like your situation, Tris,” I explain. “Vander Zee is a workaholic, so he’s not around much, and there are gaps between all three of them like there are between you and Brodes and Nate.”
“I know this relationship comes with risks, but you’re really showing up for her in ways that count,” Rix says.
“Super swoony boyfriend vibes,” Dred adds.
“She’s right. I’m super proud of you,” Hemi chimes in.
“Same,” Tristan says.
“Thanks. I appreciate your votes of confidence.” And until this moment, I didn’t realize how much I needed them.
Tally returns, and I push back my chair and stand, meeting her halfway across the room. She slips her hand into mine. “Fenna okay?”
“She’s stressing about her upcoming cello performance. She’ll be okay, though, she just needed to talk it through.” I guide her back to the table and tuck her into her seat.
She picks up her margarita and frowns when she realizes it’s empty.
“I have a pitcher in the fridge!” Rix starts to stand.
“I got it.” I motion for her to stay where she is and grab the fresh pitcher of margaritas, topping up anyone whose glass is low.
“We should play a game!” Hammer declares.
“A drinking game!” Rix adds.
“How about never have I ever, the tequila version!” Essie suggests.
“I thought we agreed that shots were a bad idea,” I interject.
“We’ll do full margaritas, and it’s a sip instead of a shot so we don’t end up hating our choices tomorrow,” Dred suggests. “And please make mine a zero-proof one.”
The women seem to think this is a great plan.
Tristan and I exchange a look.
Connor arches a brow, staring down at his wife. “I’ll go first.”
“Villain,” Dred warns.
“Dredful Menace.” He winks and kisses her cheek. “Never have I ever—” He pauses for dramatic effect. “Gone skinny-dipping.”
“That is not what I thought you were going to lead with.” Everyone takes a sip of their drink, including Tally.
“When?” I ask.
She widens her eyes. “Dance camp.”
“You know, it might be time for me and Lexi to go.” Roman pushes back his chair and extends a hand to his wife.
“Seriously, Dad?” Hammer rolls her eyes.
“Callie is babysitting Ariel, and we said we’d only be gone a couple of hours. Plus, there are things I just don’t want to know,” he says.
“Let’s be real, Roman. There are also things you don’t want your daughter to know.” Lexi winks at the table.
That gets a chorus of laughter.
Roman gives Lexi a look, but his ears turn red as he guides her to the door, bending to whisper something to her on the way.
“I bet they’re freaky in the bedroom,” Dred muses.
“Probably,” Hollis says.
Hammer slaps his chest.
“What? There’s a good chance. Roman can’t be super dad all the time.”
“Never have I ever fallen asleep while making out,” Dred tosses out, then sips her drink.
“Not with me, you haven’t!” Connor says defensively. Then frowns. “Who was this idiot?”
“Dallas actually fell asleep with his face between my thighs,” Hemi says gleefully.
“Honey, why you outing me like this?” He holds up a hand. “In all fairness, it was after her brothers came to visit.”
“You mean the time they took you on a twenty-kilometer hike?”
“It was a different time, and it was just as fucking awful. I felt like I deserved a real reward for not dying, and I maybe was more exhausted than I realized.”
“Half an hour, just sawing logs on top of my pussy.”
“You could have moved me at any time.”
“You were so peaceful, though.”
Kellan almost falls out of his chair he’s laughing so hard.
Tally smiles, but she’s wringing her hands in her lap.
I try to put myself in her shoes and see it through her eyes. And I get it. Finally. Of course she propositioned me. We have horny friends and we’re all open about sex. She’s been hanging around with these women for years, and we’re a bunch of professional athletes. We do everything at full tilt.
She might not have all of these experiences yet, but I’ll be the one to fill every need and fantasy.
“Never have I ever made out with my significant other in an inappropriately public place.” I wrap my arm around her shoulder.
“You two need to down the rest of your drinks.” Dallas points at Rix and Tristan.
Everyone laughs.
I touch my finger to Tally’s chin.
She looks up at me, questions in her pretty, sea-blue eyes. “You don’t think my car counts?” I brush my lips over hers. When she doesn’t pull away, I suck her bottom lip. Then I move my hand to conceal our faces and stroke inside her mouth.
Someone whistles. Connor starts clapping. Someone throws a balled-up napkin at us, but I don’t take my eyes off Tally as I pull back. Her cheeks are red, but she’s smiling.
I clink my glass against hers. “Drink up, kitten.”