The room we wait for Pike in is stocked with snacks and drinks, and Rue and I have both finished a glass of wine and shared an order of cheese fries by the time Pike walks in. He’s wearing a dark suit, his hair damp from the shower.
“Hey,” he says, smiling as his gaze locks onto me.
I don’t care who’s watching or how starry eyed I look, I walk straight into his arms, where he kisses me and holds me tight. The smell of his soap and the solid feel of his chest make me wish we were going out alone tonight, so we could flirt like crazy and maybe even make out a little in his car.
My fantasy comes to a crashing halt as he says, “So this is Rue.”
I pull away from his embrace and turn to my sister. “Yes, this is Rue, and Rue, this is Pike.”
He smiles and offers his hand for a handshake. I worry for a split second she’ll refuse, but she takes ahold of his hand and they shake.
“Nice to meet you,” she says.
“You too. You guys look so much alike.”
Rue gave me some shit when I told her I forgave Pike, but she hasn’t complained about him for a couple of weeks. I hope in time, she’ll get to know him and trust him. Rue is someone who only sees things in black and white; there is no gray area. She does so well in the legal field because it’s governed by contracts and certainties. If only love came with impenetrable guarantees.
“My sister thinks your teammate Dane is hot,” I tell Pike. “Is he coming out with us tonight?”
“Indie!” Rue’s eyes widen and she glares at me in aggravation for tattling on her.
“Uh, I don’t think so,” Pike says. “Dane never really goes out with us after games. I think he’s an early to bed, early to rise kind of guy.”
“So is Rue. Is he single?”
Rue gives me a murderous look and says, “I will stab you in your sleep, I swear.
“Honestly, I don’t know,” Pike says.
“Let’s just go out,” Rue says.
“I think we’re going to head to the new steak house just off the Strip,” Pike says. “Sound good to you guys?”
“Sounds great,” I say.
Rue and I took an Uber to the game so Pike could drive us to and from the restaurant after the game. When we get there, several of his teammates are sitting at a large rectangular table in the back.
“This is Maverick and his girlfriend Gia.” Pike immediately starts introducing us when we reach the table. “Guys, this is my girlfriend Indie and her sister Rue.” He moves around the table, pointing out each of his teammates. “That douchey-looking guy is Pax, then there’s Grady, and you already know Kingston, Indie, but Rue doesn’t.”
I asked Rue not to make any comments about Kingston or Pike regarding the bet, but with the amount of wine she’s had, who knows? Her seat at the table is between mine and Kingston’s, and I have a feeling things will get spirited before the night is over.
“Appetizers,” Grady says as soon as the server reaches our table. “Can you bring us a couple orders of each of your three most popular ones?”
“Hungry?” Gia asks him, amused.
“On the verge of eating my shoe,” he says.
The server jots down our orders, and as soon as she’s gone, Maverick looks at me.
“So Indie, Pike says you have a son. How old is he?”
“He’s three. Four next month.”
Maverick smiles. “That’s great.”
“So he and Pike are about on the same intellectual level,” Pax says. “They can play Legos together and stuff.”
Pike scoffs. “This from the guy who got stuck in an elevator in Nashville recently because he couldn’t find the right button?”
“Hey, it was confusing, asshole,” Pax says, trying to defend himself. “The lady at the front desk said I’m not the only one who’s ever gotten stuck.”
“Yeah, you and some toddlers,” Grady says, grinning.
The teammates seem to enjoy teasing each other, but it’s all in good fun. Pike tells me if they had lost, there would be less laughter and more drinking.
“How’s it going with decorating your house?” Maverick asks Pike.
Pike looks over at me and smiles. “It’s good. I’m leaving it all to Indie and she’s killing it. She’s got clients lining up for her services.”
I laugh at that. “I don’t know about lining up, babe. I have four.”
“It’s a line, and it’s only going to get longer, because you’re great at what you do.”
He squeezes my hand beneath the table, his praise making me glow. No one has ever bragged about me or about my career before. I could definitely get used to it.
When the appetizers arrive, Gia and Rue are having a conversation, so Maverick makes Gia a plate, leaving off the onion rings, which I assume is because he knows she won’t like them. He even puts a little scoop of sour cream next to the potato skin he put on her plate.