Chapter 23
Scotty
“Thanks for the quick thinking in there," I said to Ella as we stepped out of the restaurant and into the cool evening air.
The door swung closed behind us, muting the clatter of dishes and conversations inside, and I let out a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding since Dad offered to drive me home.
Luckily, Ella had jumped in immediately and announced that the three of us were having a girls' night and Dad shouldn't wait up. Then we'd made our escape as quickly as humanly possible before anyone could ask about our plans.
"I couldn't handle being with Dad and Morgan right now," I admitted, rubbing a hand over the back of my neck. "Hell, I couldn't handle being with Dad right now."
Millie gave me a sympathetic look as we headed across the parking lot toward her car.
"Your dad was being a complete dick," she said bluntly.
"I should've called him out on his shit when he asked why you didn't stick around to hear Ken out.
" She made a dramatic gagging sound that would've impressed a dying cat.
"I appreciate you, girl," I told her, pulling her into a sideways squeeze.
"Do you think Morgan has anything to do with his new attitude?" Millie asked.
"No," I said, shaking my head. "Honestly, I don't know what his problem is."
Ella's eyes found mine, her lips pursed slightly as she tilted her head in that familiar way she always did before delivering something she knew I might not want to hear.
"I hope you won't mind me saying this," she began just as my phone vibrated in my pocket.
"But Morgan actually seems really nice. I know she brought up some uncomfortable stuff, but I think she was just trying to get to know you. "
"Yeah, I know," I sighed dramatically, fishing my phone from my pocket as it vibrated. My heart skipped a beat when I saw Ryder's nickname, his message waiting in our group chat. "But let me be petty and pretend to dislike her for a little longer."
Both of them rolled their eyes, but I ignored them because I had more pressing matters to deal with.
Millie leaned over my shoulder like personal space was merely a suggestion. "Let me guess," she said. "You just got a better invitation for the rest of the night."
I stared down at the message.
Grumpy Wolf: Please tell me you're coming over tonight, Sweetheart.
"What makes you say that?" I angled my phone away from her prying eyes. The messages between us three weren't exactly secrets, but they felt like treasures I wasn't ready to share. Little moments that belonged just to us, preserved in their own private universe.
Millie snorted. "Oh, please. I saw the way those two were looking at you. They didn't want Italian food. They wanted to eat you."
"Millie!"
"It's true, and you know it. And you're just as hungry for them."
Millie and Ella both burst into laughter so suddenly that it was like someone had hit a chaos switch.
Ella had to brace herself against the side of the car while Millie wiped tears from the corners of her eyes.
I tried very hard to look offended, but the absurdity of it all caught up with me, and before I knew it, I was laughing too.
By the time we managed to compose ourselves enough to breathe normally again, Millie had climbed into the driver's seat, and Ella had claimed the front passenger seat, which left me sliding into the back.
"So," Millie said, buckling her seatbelt and starting the engine. "Where am I taking you?"
"I don't know if I should go," I admitted. "I don't want to ditch you two."
Millie dismissed my concern with a flick of her wrist. "Scotty, cut the crap. All three of us know you're going, so stop pretending to be polite and tell me where to drop you off."
Ella nodded. "We've seen you for two days straight. We're sick of you."
"Wow," I snarked. "Toxic much?"
That triggered another round of laughter that left all three of us slightly breathless, and by the time we recovered, Millie was already pulling out of the parking lot.
"If you're sure you don't mind…"
"What kind of friend would I be if I kept you from receiving multiple orgasms from those two hockey gods?" Millie teased. "Now, where am I taking you?"
I leaned forward and shoved her shoulder lightly before giving her directions. Then I texted Ryder back.
Scotty: I'll be there in ten.
The drive across town should have been relaxing.
Evercrescent looked beautiful at night, the streets glowing under soft amber lights while the crisp autumn air drifted through the slightly cracked window.
Normally, I loved this time of year. Hockey season, cool weather, the kind of evenings that made you want to curl up under a blanket with hot cocoa and a romance novel.
Instead, my brain kept replaying the last time I'd been at Hunter and Ryder's place.
More specifically, the part where I started crying because of Ken, and they ended up taking me home.
About halfway through the drive, I almost told Millie to turn the car around. The words hovered right on the edge of my tongue before I swallowed them down again.
Because I wanted to go. And I was so tired of making excuses for why I shouldn't.
I felt like I had unfinished business with them, and not just the kind that made my Omega perk up happily every time I thought about them.
I didn't like how things ended the last time I'd been there.
I'd left feeling excited and nervous and curious all at once, and that restless little buzz hadn't gone away since.
And if I was being completely honest with myself, the thought of spending an entire evening alone with them—without sneaking around or rushing home before Dad noticed I was missing—had my panties getting embarrassingly damp.
Hell, I've been horny since the puck dropped earlier today, watching them play.
Actually, scratch that.
Since the moment Hunter pulled me out of my wrecked car, my body's ached for them.
How could it not when they looked at me like I was some rare, undiscovered constellation they'd been searching for their whole lives?
What we'd shared so far barely scratched the surface of whatever this thing between us was.
And I wanted more.
I had no reason not to go.
My dad wouldn't find out, and part of me was starting to realize I didn't care nearly as much as I used to about whether he approved of my life choices.
Still, when Millie pulled up in front of their building, my stomach fluttered in that annoying way that could either mean excitement or impending bad decisions.
Probably both.
My thumbs flew across the screen, sending the message before doubt could creep in and change my mind.
Scotty: I'm outside.
A response came almost immediately.
Grumpy Wolf: Be right there.
Ella twisted around in her seat to look at me. "Call us if you need a ride home. I don't care how late it is."
"Thanks," I said, reaching for the door handle while my stomach did another nervous little flip.
"And be sure to do everything I wish I was doing," Millie added with a wink, puckering her lips and making an exaggerated smooching sound as I climbed out of the car.
I rolled my eyes at her but waved as they drove off. Then I turned toward the building just as Ryder stepped out through the glass doors, walking toward me in those long, confident strides that made my heart race.
I rushed into his arms before I could talk myself out of it.