“Hello, Brayden.” Her eyes slide to Deanna and then to me. “Would it be bad form to ask if this is karaoke girl?”
Ah, fuck! I totally forgot about that.
“Karaoke girl?” Deanna asks, confused.
“Can’t I tell you congrats and walk inside?”
She smiles. “Thank you.” She steps aside so we can come in.
Just when we’re a good distance away, I call over my shoulder and say, “Yeah, it’s her.”
“What is she talking about?” Deanna asks.
“Don’t you remember there was video of me singing karaoke? They knew a girl was involved, so they started calling you karaoke girl.”
“So, all these people know about me?” She stops walking.
“No, they just know I did karaoke for a girl. They don’t know more than that.”
“Oh.”
“Come on. Let’s find EJ and Bree.” I pull her through the house, ignoring the surprised glances from my teammates at the fact that I’m here with a woman. I find EJ easily, leave Deanna with him long enough for me to find Scott, so I can go ahead and give my congrats, even though it seems he’ll do a formal announcement once everyone is here.
“Scotty.”
He’s grinning already. “Did I see you with a woman, Captain Hook?”
It’s weird; I grin, too. “Yeah. Sylvia is pregnant?” I ask even though she all but confirmed it for me by accepting my congratulations. He nods. “Congrats. I wanted to tell you before things got crazy.”
“Thanks, man. You really don’t know how excited we are. Looks like you’re in trouble.”
At that, I follow his gaze to see Deanna hurrying through the crowd toward me. “We need to go,” she says. “Or at least I do.”
“What are you talking about?”
She grabs my arm and pulls me back toward EJ. “You play for the Carolina Rebels? You’re a hockey player?” Okay, why does she not sound angry, but instead, worried?
“Yes.”
“And your entire team is coming here?”
“Yes.”
“I need to leave, Brayden.”
“I’m sorry, man. She overheard Stella and Stephanie and asked,” EJ says as we reach him.
“I’ll explain later, okay?” Deanna says. “But I really can’t be here.”
I grab her wrist as she starts to walk away and pull her against me. “Tell me what’s happening.”
“It’s not the place.”
“Deanna?”
She winces at the sound of Zane’s voice. Her eyes open and she whispers, “That’s why.”
Between that and the look on Zane’s face, it hits me. He’s the other fuck buddy. Fuck! Zane advances with Ian and Sydney, who is carrying their newborn, close behind him.