I scroll, seeing Tweetie tagged last week at a club with that damn kid they call Alvin, two girls flanked at his sides.

  Fuck it.

  Here I come, Decker Davis, my new boyfriend, even if I have to blackmail you into it.

  Fourteen

  Tedi

  Thankfully, Decker agreed to meet me for dinner. I’m his best friends’ older sister, and I think he was always a little scared of me when he was younger.

  He suggested the restaurant, and I thought for sure I would end up at a wing place or a sports bar, but it’s a cozy Mexican restaurant nestled in a quieter part of the city.

  The hostess seated me by the window after I gave her Decker’s name. As I wait for him, I admire the string lights and decorative paper banners hanging from the ceiling. The walls are painted in hues of orange, turquoise, and yellow, and there are rustic wooden shelves filled with clay pottery and small succulents. The smell of warm tortillas fills the quaint space.

  I order a pitcher of sangria because I’m going to need a little alcoholic encouragement to ask my little brothers’ best friend to do this favor for me and to keep it a secret. I do not need my brothers involved in my business. It’s bad enough that every time I go home, my brothers go on and on about Tweetie, asking how he’s doing in the league. Like, read the room.

  Decker walks in at exactly the time he told me to meet him here. He says something to the hostess, and she laughs, pointing him in my direction. He rocks his head back in greeting, thanks the hostess, and breaks the small distance to me.

  “Tedi,” he says, stopping at the end of the table and opening his arms.

  Okay, we’re gonna hug? I stand and hug him, my head buried in his chest. His cologne is a nice, crisp scent. Much better than when he was in middle school and I’d choke every time he walked by.

  “Hey, Decker.” We break apart, each taking our seats. “This is a great place.”

  He looks around as if he hasn’t ever been here, but smiles and waves to the older woman making the tortillas in the corner. “I love it. Found it right after I got picked up by the Colts. Not a lot of fans, and it gives me a little bit of privacy. Plus, the food is delicious.” He picks up the pitcher and pours some sangria into his glass. “Gotta love the offseason.”

  After his glass is filled, he lifts it in the air, and I do the same, clinking our glasses and both of us saying, “Cheers.”

  He sips, and I sip, and it’s a tad uncomfortable if I’m honest. We both begin to talk at the same time and laugh, and Decker signals with his hand for me to go first.

  “I thought maybe you’d go home during the offseason.” I pick up a chip and dip it in the salsa.

  “I did for about a month, but I got bored. Your brothers are busy with work and Mason, and I figured I should get used to this city, so it feels more like home.”

  “It’s hard being an adult in a new city. Making new friends and stuff.” I don’t anticipate making a lot of friends while I’m here. There are practically no women in the office, and it’s not as if I’ll become new BFFs with the girlfriends and wives of the players. I represent their biggest fear—I couldn’t lock down the hockey player in my grasp.

  He shrugs, leaning forward and picking up a chip. “It’s not terrible. The single guys on the team kind of all stick together. Easton Bailey is a good friend, but he’s back in his hometown in Alaska right now.”

  “It’s weird to hear you talk about all these huge athletes. Well, I guess you’re one.” I lean back and laugh, remembering when he tried to play hockey with my brothers but couldn’t stand on the skates. I guess cleats were more his thing.

  “It’s still a little surreal. I mean, I’ve been in the league for a while, but it’s still weird when someone stops and says my name, wanting a picture or an autograph.” He picks up another chip, scooping the salsa. “Enough about me. So, why are you in Chicago?” He places the chip in his mouth, and I debate if I should get on with it or bide my time some more.

  “I’m working for the national league, down here doing a social media campaign on the Falcons. Trying to recruit all those baseball and football fans into being hockey fans.”

  He laughs. “Hey, with the way our season went, I’d say you shouldn’t have a hard time. Especially since the Falcons are killing it right now. Their entire first line is insane.” He immediately realizes what he’s said, and his shoulders fall. “Sorry, I mean everyone but the left wing. He’s a complete disaster out there. Like a baby fawn on ice.”

  I laugh at his attempt to make me feel better. Maybe this will be easier, since he knows at least a little of my history with Tweetie. “It’s okay. He’s still a great player, just not meant to be someone’s forever.”

  His lips thin, and I hate that pitying look. Fuck it, I’m not going to ease him into this. I’ve got bribery in my back pocket. He did a lot of shit as a kid that I’m sure he doesn’t want made public.

  “Speaking of… are you in a relationship?”

  Decker’s eyebrows scrunch, and he picks up his glass of sangria. “No.”

  “Good.”

  “Good?”

  I wave him off, grabbing a chip and breaking it apart in pieces, distracting myself for a second. “I need a favor.”

  “So this wasn’t just a friendly catch-up while we’re in the same city?” He sits back, waiting for me to continue.

  “It is. It’s really good to see you, Decker, but um… I need you to be my fake boyfriend tomorrow night.”

  Silence.

  Dead air.

  Zero expression on his face.

  “You what?” he asks after I gobble up three more chips.

  “Well, like you mentioned, Tweetie is a problem. So, I need someone to pretend to be my boyfriend so he keeps his distance from me.”

  His eyebrows raise, and I think maybe he’s been doing some tweezing to get that shape. “You can’t just tell him to leave you alone?”

  I tilt my head, and he nods.

  “God, you two and your games.”

  “Excuse me. There are no games. We’re just like magnets and can’t get unstuck. You’re going to be the paper between us.”

  “Me?” He points at himself.

  It’s time to lay it on thick.

  “Please, Decker. I have no one else, and what would my brothers think if I had to resort to sorting through a bunch of creeps on the dating apps?”

  “You’re playing the best friends’ sister card?”

  I smile at him over my glass of sangria. “Do you want to see my boobs?”

  “Fuck, Tedi.” He looks around to make sure my question didn’t draw any glances.

  “Well, you wanted to see them when you were in the seventh grade. Remember when I caught you spying on me?” I laugh.

  He leans over the table, lowering his voice. “Because I got a hard-on and didn’t understand what was happening to my body. And I’ve apologized for that, like, ten thousand times. You can stop bringing it up.”

  “It would be a shame for that to end up on SportsVerse.”

  His expression blanks, and he drills his gaze into mine. “Now you’re resorting to blackmail?”

  “I’m a desperate woman.” I finish my sangria and reach for the pitcher. “I’ll get you tickets to the games. First row, best in the house.”

  He seems to think about it. Maybe I should’ve started with the hockey tickets. I just assumed with his income and connections, he could get a ticket to any game he wanted.

  “What do I have to do?” he asks, watching me pour another glass. “And just so we’re clear, it doesn’t entail me carrying you back to your place tonight.” He eyes my full glass.

  “Okay, Decker, let’s remember who’s older here. I can handle my alcohol. Do I need to bring up the time you threw up in the middle of the family room during my party?”

  His cheeks flush. “Jesus, your memory is like a catalog of misdeeds. You can just dive in and pluck out every embarrassing thing I ever did.”

  “It’s a gift. Maybe if you do this favor for me, the Decker Davis catalog magically gets erased?”

  He groans, and I smile at him. The waitress comes over and takes our order. After she walks away, he’s staring at me again.

  He crosses his arms. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but you seem pretty desperate, and Toby and Theo would probably kick my ass, so… what do you need me to do?”

  I almost drop my glass when I yelp. Decker looks at all the other tables staring at us.

  I get up and hug him, kissing his face. “Thank you! Thank you!”

  He stiffens but doesn’t fight me. “You’re making a scene. People are going to think you’re actually my girlfriend.”

  “Should I sit in your lap? If someone snapped a picture, it’d be all that more real.”

  “Tedi…” His voice sounds drained, so I go back to my seat, not wanting him to change his mind.

  “So tomorrow night⁠—”

  “Tomorrow?” He leans in. “Thanks for the notice.”

  Our dinner arrives as I explain to him that it’s only one dinner, then he’ll be free and clear.

  Fifteen

  Tweetie

  I show up at the steakhouse Bud picked for this dinner. Not surprising. He’s an old-school guy. Not that I go to dinner with him often, but when he came to Nashville to talk about me moving to Chicago, he picked a steakhouse there too.

  I head over to the hostess, unsure if anyone has arrived before me.

  Laughter coming in through the circular doors tells me some of the other guests are arriving. I turn to see Conor and Eloise. She’s laughing at something he’s saying, and he’s staring at her as if all his happiness is wrapped up in her. Pathetic.

  “What a surprise. A steakhouse.” Conor lifts his eyebrows. I’m sure it was the same with him when Bud visited him before his trade.

  “Hey, Tweetie, can’t wait to meet your girl tonight.” Eloise rises on her toes and hugs me.

  “She’s not my girl.”

  “And she’s bringing her boyfriend, right?” Conor’s smirk is so wide I want to punch it off his face.

  “Oh yeah, I forgot. I’m sorry. I heard about that.” Eloise gives me her sad eyes and sad mouth. Whatever.

  I really need to shake off this shitty mood I’m in tonight.

  I circle around, ignoring the topic of Tedi. “Caldron. Private room?” I tell the hostess, and she smiles at me. Actually, she gives me that smile that says she’d meet me in the coat room or the bathroom later if I wanted.

  “You’re the first to arrive. Do you want to be seated or wait here?”

  She’s cute but too young for me. I should give her one of the Chipmunks’ numbers.

  “Hey,” I hear Eloise say after another cold gust of wind seeps into the warm restaurant.

  “I think we have more who just arrived, give us a second.” I hold my finger and turn around to see Jade and Henry being hugged by Eloise. Couple number two has arrived.

  Couple number three, Rowan and Kyleigh, come in soon after, but there’s still no sign of the only person I want to see tonight. And I’m not even sure why. Is it because if I see Tedi with another guy, it will somehow solidify that there’s no future for us?

  I turn back to the hostess after we all say hello to one another. It used to be handshakes, maybe a pat on the back, but ever since the girls have infiltrated our group, it’s all hugs and kisses on cheeks. They’ve taken what should be a one-minute process and made it into a fifteen-minute ordeal. “We’re ready.”

  “Great.” The hostess looks over my shoulder, pulls the menus, and whispers something to a coworker who’s come up to the hostess stand. She tries to be sly about it but fails as she checks us all out. But neither of them says anything directly to us about being Falcons players.

  “Decker?” I hear Rowan say as we’re stepping away to head to the private room.

  We all stop, and I place my hand on the hostess’s arm to tell her, “Sorry, we just have to say hello to a friend.” She smiles wide and looks at the other girl. Definitely way too young for me.

  Henry’s shaking the hand of the third baseman for the Colts as I head that way.

  “Decker Davis, shouldn’t you be on a beach or some shit?” I put out my hand, and we do the whole man-hug thing.

  Decker is one of my agent’s clients, and we see him at our shared gym courtesy of Jagger.

  “Yeah, it’s your offseason.” Conor shakes his hand. “Let me introduce you to my wife.”

  The guys all do the introductions to the loves of their lives since we don’t see Decker often. Our seasons are during opposite times of the year for the most part, and he doesn’t seem to be a club guy. At least not the ones I’m hanging out at.

  I actually don’t know much about Decker, but there is one thing I know about him—he’s Tedi’s twin brothers’ best friend. I met him at her brother Toby’s wedding years ago when he was just a rookie. Now, Decker’s one of the best players in the baseball league.

  “So tell us again why you’re not on some beach right now,” I say.

  He huffs a small chuckle as if it’s an inside joke. “Eh, I decided not to this year.”

  I snap my fingers and point at him. Maybe he knows something about Tedi’s boyfriend. He can give me a little intel, so I’m prepared for who’s going to walk through the door. “Did you hear that Tedi’s in Chicago?”

  My friends grow quiet, and I can just imagine them leaning in closer as soon as they heard me say Tedi’s name.

  He nods. “I did.”

  “She’s supposed to join us tonight. She’s working here for a few months.”

  “I heard about that.”

  Did Theo and Toby tell him he can’t talk about Tedi in front of me? Why is he being so vague? She’s clearly reached out to him since she got here if he knows everything I do.

  “She’s bringing her boyfriend. Do you know him?”

  He looks uncomfortable and opens his mouth to respond.

  “Shit, never mind. I’m not going to put you in the middle. I mean…” I shake my head. “What do I care? But can I ask you one thing?” I lean in closer and block off my friends, giving them my back.

  Decker’s back straightens. I hate putting him in this position, but if he gives me the answer I want, then it’ll be much easier to take a step back, hands up, and leave her behind.

  “What?” he asks, voice breaking.

  “Is she happy?”

  His shoulders fall, and a small breath falls from his lips.

  Another blast of cold air hits us all from the circular door, and we turn as if it’s the person’s fault, but my gaze locks with Tedi’s. She stops cold, the door hitting her in the back, and she stumbles forward. I step over, catching her elbows, and our eyes meet.

  “Thanks.” She’s quick to stand up straight.

  When she looks over, I expect her to be surprised to see Decker. I expect her to squeal and run over, wrap her arms around his neck, and probably pick on him about something from when they were younger.

  But Tedi doesn’t do any of that. She slides her arm through his, rises to her tiptoes, and kisses his cheek. “Hey, babe.”

  Decker stiffens, his eyes on me the entire time.

  “Fuck,” Conor whispers behind me.

  A hand lands on my back and rubs up and down. I don’t know which one of their girls felt compelled to try to soothe my pain away with the comforting touch.

  “Your boyfriend is Decker Davis?” My eyes narrow, and my stomach clenches.

  Tedi smiles bright and wide, almost too wide, as if she’s lying. Then again, there’s a smugness to it too. As if she’s saying, “I didn’t need you, Tweetie, I’ve got myself another pro athlete.”

  “Was that the next item on your fuck-it bucket list? A baseball player?” I regret the angry words the minute they’re out. I want to drag Tedi into a corner and apologize profusely, but I don’t.

  Her smile falls, and her jaw hardens.

  “Tweetie!” Kyleigh hits me in the back.

  “We apologize on his behalf.” Jade peeks around my shoulder and extends her hand. “I’m Jade, Henry’s fiancée.”

  Tedi steps away from Decker and shakes her hand. “You don’t have to apologize for him. Jealousy looks kind of good on him, don’t you think?”

  She walks over to the hostess stand, dragging Decker with her. He’s now giving me an expression like, “Sorry, man.” He shouldn’t be stealing my girl. Okay, he didn’t steal her, but I didn’t see this coming.

  I’m so stunned and pissed off at myself for saying what I did to her that I don’t register that they’ve all started following the hostess until Henry slaps me on the back. “Come on, man.”

  I inhale deeply and follow the group, counting the minutes until this dinner is over so I can go wallow in pain.

  Sixteen

  Tedi

  I’m so pissed at Tweetie, but I won’t give him the pleasure of seeing me react to him throwing in my face how we met. He used to brag about how he was supposed to be a one-night stand, then made me fall in love with him.

  Decker looks like a scared cat in a tree waiting for the firefighters to show up. He needs to loosen up and show me some affection if we’re going to pull this off.

  The hostess, who has thoroughly enjoyed gawking at all of the guys, shows us to a room down a hallway from the main dining room. The table is a large round one, snuggled in between draped walls and a fireplace.

  “Man, hockey players are some high rollers, huh?” Decker says next to me.

  “Whatever, you guys have the highest salaries.” I let go of his arm and sit at the farthest side of the table with the hopes everyone else will fill in and Tweetie won’t be anywhere near me.