Clipped by Love (Bellevue Bullies 2)

Mom smiles as she nods. “You two are, but who cares? You’re in love!”

I hear Lucy let out a breath of annoyance, and I lean into her to show her I love her. She was young when she married Rick, only twenty-three, but I truly believe the douche wasn’t made for her. She needs someone who’s gonna be there for her and be appreciative of her. Not someone who’s going to knock her up and smack her around when she doesn’t have dinner on the table.

That’s why Rick doesn’t come around here. We all want to kill him.

“Saw that fight, bro. I don’t think it’s good to fight the future in-laws,” I tease, and he laughs as Claire rolls her eyes. The fat lip from the fight between him and Claire’s uncle, forward Phillip Anderson of the Nashville Assassins, is coming in real nice. He looks like he has a growth on his mouth, but I don’t think Claire cares.

“He had it coming.”

“Weren’t you singing to him? That’s what the announcers said,” Jace says, leaning against the table, trying to fit in the screen.

Jude laughs, and Claire can’t even hide her smile as he says, “Yeah, I was.”

“What?” Lucy asks. “What were you singing?”

“‘Rude’ by Magic! ” he says between his laughter. “Pissed him the hell off. It was great.”

“You’re such an ass,” Claire says with a shake of her head.

“You are! Don’t do that anymore!” Mom scolds, but even she is having a hard time hiding her grin. It’s funny and a really fitting song since Phillip was not about to give permission for Jude to marry Claire. Not that he needed it, but still, we are about honor and respect around here. It’s surprising that Phillip finally agreed, honestly.

“I won’t. We came to an understanding. I think he likes me now,” Jude says, but I scoff.

“Whoa, don’t get ahead of yourself there, guy,” I say, and everyone laughs as Claire nods.

“I think tolerate is a better word for his feelings toward you,” she says, and Jude shrugs.

“At least my family loves you,” he says, and we all are smiling. We really do love Claire. She’s good for Jude.

“Yes, we do! So, a date?” Mom asks, but they both shake their heads before explaining that with the season and Claire’s burlesque club, everything is up in the air. We all talk a bit more about the engagement and the wedding. I’m ready to let them go, but we only talk twice a week and I like to listen to everything going on with them. So I suffer through the wedding talk just to watch my brother be happy.

Remember, I’m the sensitive one, but Jace and Lucy already said bye, leaving only Mom and me.

“Camp starts next week, right?” Jude asks and I nod.

“Yup.”

“I’ll be back, I’m gonna start dinner. Call me when you’re done talking hockey,” Mom says as she gets up.

Jude then asks, “Going for captain?”

“You know it,” I say with a grin. “I should get it. I think Jace and Frayer are wanting alternate. No one wants captain, so I should be good.”

“Good, you deserve it. I heard Moss got picked up by the Wild though.”

My face scrunches up. “What?”

“Yeah, it’s superquiet right now, but the coach was messing up and they fired him. They want Moss.”

“No way!” I say since I haven’t heard anything about this. “How did I not hear about this?”

“Crazy quiet, dude, no one knows. The only reason I do is because I still talk to Moss.”

“Oh, yeah,” I say since I’d forgotten that. “So who is the new coach gonna be? Raymond?” I ask, speaking of our assistant.

“No, they brought someone new in.”

“Who? Do I know them?”