Back Check (Aces Hockey #4)(7)

 

"You better show up." Lovey gave a light laugh and nudged him.

 

Once again Katelyn's glare could slice through ice. "Yes," she said. "That is a requirement."

 

"I'll be there," he muttered, tapping in "wedding." Christ. He wasn't handling this with his usual cool wit. He was the playboy with the devil-may-care attitude and cocky smirk. He was never this sweating, mumbling, fumbling loser.

 

It was okay that he wasn't paying attention. Most of the details involved the bridesmaids, not the groom. And since he'd been to this circus a few times, he knew what was involved for the groomsmen.  

 

A wicked bachelor party.

 

And tuxes.

 

He knew that.

 

Talk had turned to bridesmaid dresses and Duper stood. He set a hand on Lovey's shoulder. "We good?"

 

She smiled and nodded. Tanner leaped to his feet and followed Duper as if a Rottweiler had appeared behind him and was chomping at his ass. They moved to Duper's kitchen, along with Army, Rupper, and Hughie.

 

"So black tuxes," Army said. "With, uh, peach accents."

 

"Apricot," Hughie corrected him with a slap on the back. "Get it right, man."

 

"Christ."

 

Apparently the entire wedding was being coordinated around some orange roses Duper had once given Lovey.

 

"Captain Romantic," Army smirked.

 

"I had a moment," Duper said. "I thought the roses matched her hair. I'm still afraid we're going to look like we're dressed up for Halloween, though." He grimaced. "All black and orange."

 

Tanner threw a doubtful glance at Katelyn. A fucking wedding planner. How the hell had this come about? "Well, Katelyn has great taste," he said. "I doubt she'd allow that."

 

Four pairs of eyes focused on him with masculine interest. "Oh yeah … you know her?" Hughie asked in a low voice. "She is smokin' hot."

 

Tanner cleared his throat. "Yes. Yes, she is."

 

"How do you know her? Or should I say, how well do you know her?" Hughie grinned.

 

"Like she said, we went to college together." He resisted an urge to run a hand under the collar of his shirt, where heat was gathering. He wasn't sure why he was holding back. It just seemed … personal.

 

"We need beers." Duper headed to the fridge. He handed them out and Tanner accepted the cold one gratefully, popping the top and guzzling it down.

 

He watched Katelyn talking to Lovey, Amber, and Jillian, her smile now relaxed and genuine and so goddamn beautiful it made his chest hurt. He rubbed there without thinking, then turned to the guys, who all regarded him with raised eyebrows.

 

"So back to the hot wedding planner," Hughie said, leaning his elbows on the island. "Did you bash the beaver?"

 

Tanner stared at his teammate.

 

"Shake the sheets?" Hughie continued. "Do the horizontal hula?"

 

"Jesus," Rupper muttered.

 

Army cuffed Hughie on the back of the head. "Show some respect for the lady."

 

Hughie's eyes widened. "I'm respectful! Very respectful! I already said she's hot. I really respect her hotness. Okay, never mind. What I want to know is, is there any history there that would stop me from tapping that?"

 

Tanner took another long pull from his beer. Was there?

 

Sure, there was history. But that was eight fucking years ago. He'd been married since then. And divorced. Maybe she had too. So he said, "No."

 

Hughie's face brightened and Tanner resisted the urge to punch him. But it was no business of his if Hughie wanted to tap the sexy wedding planner's ass. A very fine ass, as he well knew.

 

"Yeah, I don't know," Duper said. "You might want to wait until the wedding's over. We don't want things to get awkward when you screw up."

 

"What makes you think I'll screw up?" Hughie demanded.

 

All four women glanced over at his raised voice.

 

"I'm a good guy," Hughie whispered, frowning. "Chicks dig me."

 

"Sure," Duper said, grinning. "Sure they do."

 

"Seriously, I think I'm in love with her," Hughie said, gazing across the room. "You don't want to stand in the way of true love."

 

 

 

        

          

        

         

 

Army snorted. "Or true hornitude."

 

Tanner ground his teeth together. "You're way too young for her, kid. That's what's standing in the way."

 

The girls were now huddled around a laptop computer, exclaiming over pictures or something. Katelyn pointed at the screen and said something that made Lovey pump her fists in the air and cry, "I love that!"