Chapter 4
Stepping out of the bathroom, I adjust my bow tie in a vain attempt to hide my smirk.
It's impossible when Honeycomb's taste is still on my lips. I can still smell her; still feel the way her body shook underneath me as she gave me everything I needed to prove we're still worth fighting for.
As I head back to the table, I catch Mike's eye. Even though he's on the dance floor, he has enough coordination to throw me a shady brow.
He knows what just went down in that bathroom. He knows because the poor idiot has had to hear me talk about how in love with Honey I have been since senior year.
I give him a wink before stuffing my hands in my pockets, feeling for the lacy fabric.
Yup, still there.
The fabric is soft, delicate, and still warm. I close my fist around it, feeling the evidence of what we just did, what she let me do to her despite all her protests about being over me.
Fuck.
My dick twitches, already getting hard again just from the memory. She hasn’t come out of the bathroom yet—maybe I could go back for another round.
No. Get it together, Evans.
I crack my neck and subtly adjust my pants before taking my seat. Madison, Dash, Cade, and Savannah are all still sitting in their spots.
Madison turns to me instantly. Her eyes are wide, and she’s grinning.
I don't say anything or acknowledge her on purpose. Instead, I clear my throat, adjust my bow tie again, and glance at the bathroom door.
She’s still not out. So she’s either really committing to the bit that we’re not together, or she is trying to figure out how to wear that dress while I’m still dripping out of her.
Yeah, I didn’t use a condom. Honey’s been on the shot for as long as I can remember, and as per usual, she didn’t stop me.
Either way, her not being here has given me time to find the perfect viewing spot.
“Are you seriously going to ignore me?” Madison asks indignantly. “What happened?” she squeals, her voice cutting through the music.
“Nothing.” I grab my drink, taking a long swallow, focusing fully on that bathroom door.
“Pfft. You think I believe that?”
“Madison, don’t push,” Dash warns, leaning back and brushing his hand across her back.
She turns to her fiancé. “Oh, please. He literally dragged her off the dance floor and out of the room. Don’t you remember how that ended for us?”
Dash’s head jerks toward her. “Madison.”
“And how exactly did that end for you, Dash?” Cade asks flatly. He looks between his best friend and sister, his brow furrowed. Okay, I thought I had it bad with the whole Tiff’s baby daddy situation, but maybe this dude has it worse.
“Nothing,” Dash says.
Madison lifts her chin in mock defiance. “If nothing means he kissed me, then sure. Nothing happened between us.”
Dash makes a noise that’s somewhere between a groan and a growl, but Madison just shrugs, smug. “Come on, we’re engaged now.” She flashes her giant ring like it’s Exhibit A. “You can’t be mad about it anymore.”
“I’m not mad about it,” Cade says, leaning toward his wife, Savannah. “I’m just trying to stop you from over sharing.”
“Too late for that,” I mutter.
When I see the hint of her dress, all my attention is on her. The music drowns out; the voices aren't there. It's just Honey walking out of the bathroom, clutching the skirt of her dress, flustered and embarrassed.
I track her every step, watching the way she walks. She keeps her chin up, trying to look composed even though I know she's anything but.
She doesn't look my way, but she knows I'm watching.
She always knows.
When she slides back into her chair next to Chris, I see her shifting her weight, then crossing her legs. A tiny wince flashes across her face—so quickly that most people would miss it, but I don't miss anything when it comes to her.
She's sore. Good. Let her be reminded of me every time her tight little pussy clenches.
Chris leans in to say something to her, and she forces a smile, nodding at whatever the hell he’s talking about.
Her eyes flick toward me for just a second, and when our eyes meet, her cheeks go pink. She looks away quickly, smiling at Chris as though nothing happened between us in that bathroom.
Yeah, Honeycomb. Try pretending you're not thinking about me now.
Try pretending you don't still want me.
“Look, we can talk about how Dash and I snuck around all we want, but after seeing that, there's something that I think you should know.”
Okay, now she has my interest.
Madison leans in. She’s about to say something, but then she takes a sharp breath and backs away. “Oh, I don’t know if I should tell you.”
She takes me in, and the rest of our side of the table waits.
“If you’re questioning it, Madison, then you most certainly shouldn’t tell him,” Cade says immediately.
Madison ignores him, practically vibrating with excitement. “I can’t hold it in. I just can’t. Not when I see his little puppy-dog eyes, begging for Honey to open her eyes.”
I stay seated and just watch her build herself up into a panic.
She jumps in her seat and turns back to me. “She’s going on a cruise tomorrow.” After she blurts it out, she sits back in her seat, tight-lipped, but watches for a reaction.
The only thing I give her is a lift of my brow.
“A cruise? Wow... I didn't even have to interrogate you. You just came out with it.”
She nods vigorously; her curled blonde hair bouncing along with it.
“It’s not my fault. This is the first time I've seen a smile on your face since we got here.”
“Okay.”
“She's spent the last month with that girl, Olivia.” She points over to my best friend and his very pregnant wife.
Traitor.
So I guess Honey staying at their place isn’t the only secret Mike and Olivia have been keeping from me.
“They decided to go on a girls’ vacation before the baby is born.”
“Interesting.” I lean back, playing with the rim of my beer as my gaze flits between my best friend and my Honeycomb.
“It's two weeks. She was telling Tiff all about it when we were getting ready this morning. Didn’t even try to hide it.”
I lean forward, resting my elbows on the table. “Where's she going on this cruise?”
“They’re flying to Florida and cruising the Bahamas.”
“Why?” It’s the first question that comes to mind.
Savannah, Cade’s wife, cuts in. “Do you need a reason to go to the Bahamas?”
“No. It’s not that. I just can’t believe they’d all keep this from me. There’s not even been a mention of it.”
“Doesn’t that tell you everything you need to know?” Dash asks. You know, I thought I liked the guy. He seemed quiet and just a little broody, but now, I’m not so sure.
“Apparently, she’s still trying to figure things out. She said she wants to find herself before school starts again—if she goes back to school at all,” Madison continues to ramble.
“What?” My chest tightens. Honey might not go back to college at all? That’s not something she’s ever mentioned to me before. Leaving St. Michael’s and taking a break, yes, but quitting college after all the work and years she put into it? That’s a huge deal.
“I told you it was juicy!” Madison bounces a little in her seat.
“And why are you telling me this?” I ask slowly. “So I can sit here tormented, picturing her surrounded by drunk guys at a bachelor party?”
“No.” She pushes me lightly on the shoulder, leaning into Dash with a smile. “I’m telling you so you can do something about it.”
“What do you think I’m going to do?”
She rolls her eyes and lets out an exasperated sigh. “Do I really need to plan everything here? Come on, Zach. You’re a football player; you run plays in your head for a living. You should be able to figure out the most important play of your life.”
She's right.
If I don't do something about Honey now, I have no idea when I'm going to see her next. I can't deny there's a tiny part of me worried she'll forget about me. That she'll somehow end up marrying the hockey player just because he's there and available.
I glance across the room at Honey. She's on the dance floor now with Tiff and Ella. Funnily enough, after getting two orgasms in the bathroom, she seems way more relaxed than earlier.
“Two weeks?” I say, still watching Honey.
“Yes. Starting tomorrow.”
She wants to find herself, but when is she going to realize she's not going to be whole without me?
Madison takes a sharp breath to stop herself from squealing. “You’re going to do it, aren’t you?”
I take a long swig of my beer before answering. When I do, I keep my gaze locked on Honey. “I’ve got to be at camp in three weeks.”
Madison flails her hands, grabbing me in the process so she can shake me. “Oh, my goodness, so it's perfect timing.” Her hands are on my arm now, tugging my suit as she looks between her brother, fiancé, and sister-in-law. “This is fate.”
Is it?
I might have to be at camp in three weeks, but I'm a rookie. Camp isn't my only commitment. I have meetings and sponsorship things to deal with. I’ve got to find myself a new apartment—but would I miss them and suffer the consequences for Honey?
Yes, I fucking would.
“I see it in your face.” Madison’s hands fly to her mouth. “You’re actually going to do it, aren’t you?”
I push back from the table, already making my way to Mike. “I need to talk to someone.”
“Oh my God, this is happening!” Madison claps her hands together.
“You tell no one,” I say sternly to Madison.
“Your secret’s safe with me.” She zips her lips shut, locks them, and then tosses the invisible key in Speedy’s—I mean Dash’s—direction.
That makes Dash and Cade laugh out loud. Whatever. I don't care.
I weave through the reception, spotting Mike and Olivia swaying together on the dance floor. He's got both arms wrapped around her, hands resting on her lower back, her belly pressed between them.
“Mike.” I tap him on the shoulder. “Can I talk to you for a second?”
He turns, eyebrows raised. “Now?”
“Now.”
He glances at Olivia, who's already stepping back from their embrace, but she doesn't leave. She starts to follow us. When we both look at her expectantly, she shrugs.
“Whatever you can say to my husband, you can say in front of me.” She crosses her arms over her belly. “Especially since I'm pretty sure I already know what this is about.”
“Okay, she can come.” I'll need her for this plan to work anyway.
We move off the dance floor, finding a quiet spot near the bar. Before I can even open my mouth, Mike launches in.
“Look, I'm sorry I didn't tell you Honey's been staying with us, but Olivia threatened to cut me off from sex, and with her pregnancy hormones making her horny, it wouldn't end—”
Olivia whacks him in the chest. “Hey. Don't blame my hormones when you can't go a day without getting your dick wet.”
“Baby—”
I cringe, holding up both hands. “Guys. This is way too much information. Please.” I take a breath. “I didn't bring you over here to ask you about that. I already knew she was with you.”
“What?” Mike asks.
“How?!” Olivia asks louder.
“If you must know, Honey forgot to turn off her location share. I’ve known exactly where she is since she left.”
“Oh my God. You really are a stalker.” Olivia shakes her head. “And all this time, I’ve been defending you.”
“I didn’t stalk. I just checked her location every now and again.” I glance over at Mike. “Even though you not telling me broke every bro code in the book, I’m happy she was with you and not her parents. That’s not why I dragged you both over here, though.”
I turn my attention to Olivia. “Are you going on a cruise with my future wife tomorrow?”
“Ah, fuck,” Mike says.
“Yeah. Ah, fuck is right.”
Mike sighs. “First of all, she's not your future wife. You guys broke up over a year ago.”
“Details.” I wave my hand in his face dismissively.
“Second of all,” Olivia adds, “she wanted to go on this cruise to get away from everything. That's why we didn't tell anyone.”
“By everything, do you mean me?”
With her arms crossed, she shrugs unapologetically. “If the shoe fits.”
“You know it doesn't, Olivia.” I hold her gaze. “Honey's been miserable since we broke up. As have I.”
Olivia straightens her back and glances at Mike. I know her well enough to know when she's squirming.
“I don't want to upset Honey. I never have, but after tonight, I have no guarantee of when I'm seeing her again.
I'm moving to Georgia. She's... I don't know where she's going to go.
All I know is this might be my only shot at getting through to her before it's too late and she does something stupid like date a hockey player.”
“Chris is a great guy,” Olivia says.
“I'm better.”
She purses her lips, not wanting to answer me. That's fine. It only means she knows I'm right.
“I'm also definitely better for Honey. Help me prove it to her.”
I step closer. “I need your help.”
She doesn't look convinced, but after a long pause, she sighs. “You have two minutes to convince me, Evans.”
I grin. “Sweetheart, you have no idea what I can do in two minutes.”