Ready or Not (The Love Game Book 4) by Elizabeth Hayley (pdf ebook reader .txt) 📕

want.” She was already motioning to Sophia, Carter, and Toby, who were congregating at the bar while Xander and Brody tried to keep up with the drink orders. “Hey, Soph!”

“They’re gonna take my side on this. Just want to warn you before you embarrass yourself.”

“Ha! Since when have you known me to be scared of embarrassing myself?”

She had a point. “By all means then,” I said, gesturing toward the bar. “Should we make another wager?”

“Why? So you can lose again?” Guess the drinks hadn’t affected her wit yet.

I leaned back against the wrought-iron chair and raised my eyebrows at her. “I’ll take my chances. Sophia! Carter!”

They turned around that time, and I motioned for them to come over to the table. They’d originally sat down with us, but they’d gotten sidetracked after going up to the bar to say hi.

“What’s up?” Carter asked before recognizing there was food on the table. “Oooh, wings. Thanks for letting me know.” He grabbed a few napkins and a wing, but I had a feeling he couldn’t eat just one.

“The wings aren’t why I called you over here,” I told him.

Taylor shrugged. “They kind of are,” she said. “Settle an argument for us. What would you say if I asked you if you like eating wings naked? You too, Soph.”

Carter chomped down on the chicken before answering, and Sophia said, “I’m not sure what you guys have planned for the rest of the night, but I’m gonna pass.”

“I’m into it,” Carter said, grabbing another wing.

“See?” I widened my eyes at Taylor. “He thinks we’re asking him to participate in some weird threesome involving chicken and hot sauce.”

Sophia opened her mouth like she was about to say something but instead just turned around without a word and headed back to the bar.

“Whoa!” Carter looked more freaked out, which seemed to be a first from what I’d gotten to know of him. “I didn’t say anything about any sexual encounters. I can get into food play, but in the past, I’ve been limited to whipped cream or chocolate syrup or ice cream. I’d be willing to branch out a little from sundae ingredients, but I feel like buffalo sauce might be too risky. Sorry,” he added because clearly he thought he was disappointing us.

“Thanks, Carter. You’ve been a huge help.”

He looked genuinely pleased with himself, though I didn’t know what he thought he actually did to be helpful since neither of us bothered to explain.

“Can I grab one more before I head back to the bar?” He was already reaching for the basket. “Next time get the breaded kind, though. These are a little weird.”

Once he left, Taylor and I immediately burst out laughing. “So a threesome involving chicken wings and Carter,” I said. “That’s one scenario I definitely never thought I’d consider.”

“You’re considering it?”

“No, uh, no. You know what I mean.” I felt myself turning red, but there was nothing I could do to stop it. My cheeks always flushed from the slightest hint of embarrassment. “I’m pretty sure having Carter eat wings while we…”

Since now I probably looked like a time-lapse video of a tomato ripening to its full hue, I left my comment unfinished, though I was sure Taylor was capable of filling in the missing details.

She looked down at the yellow liquid in her glass and stirred it quickly, even though there was probably no need to. “Maybe we should drink more and talk less.”

“Definitely,” I said. I took a long drink of my beer until it was nearly finished.

Both of us were quiet for a while until the silence seemed to be more awkward than talking. “So how are your new classes? Is it a big change to do everything virtually?”

“Yeah, I guess. I’m just not great at sitting all day. I actually got a cheap projector cart to put my laptop on so I can stand while I work.”

“Smart.” God, I sucked at conversation.

“How are your classes?” she asked, and I couldn’t be sure if her question stemmed from genuine interest or a feeling that she needed to reciprocate. “This is your second semester, right?”

“Third if you count the two classes I took in the summer. If I take two in the spring and two next summer, I’ll be finished in a year from now.”

“That’s good,” she said, before taking a sip of her drink. Then she downed the rest of it and slid it to the edge of the table.

She was on her third…whatever that was. I couldn’t remember the name of it, but it was one of Xander’s creations for the Yard—the deck and lawn area Drew and Brody ran that was owned by Rafferty’s.

Taylor leaned across the table, her eyes fading a bit from the alcohol. Guess she was going to get her money’s worth out of her win.

“Yeah. I feel like my life had no direction for a while,” I said. “I thought I’d go right from playing college ball to playing professionally. And then when I messed up my knee, my whole life kind of stopped for a little bit there. I had to rethink everything I’d planned.”

Apparently I was a man of extremes, because now I was sharing too much.

“At least you’re on track now with a plan, though. The sports medicine thing is a good avenue for you I bet.”

“Made the most sense, I guess.” And then I asked, “Is there a reason you chose to major in criminal justice?”

“Um, yeah, but I don’t think it’s a very good one.”

Now I was more curious than before.

“Basically I watched like a million episodes of Law & Order: SVU and thought it looked like a cool job.”

“That’s…”

“Something I should never tell anyone ever again?”

I laughed but didn’t get the chance to reply before Taylor said, “Hey, wanna do a shot with me?” Her eyes lit up like a child’s might if they were told they could have ice cream for dinner.

“What kind?” I internally tensed, hoping she didn’t say tequila or something that was straight