“I’d throw it to you,” Steve said as he tried to set up a difficult shot from the three-point line, “but I’m afraid you’ll break a nail.”
Angie smiled as the other guys laughed. “Why don’t you come a little closer and I’ll show you how strong my nails are.”
“Yeah, right— Hey!” Steven complained as Patrick stole the basketball. “Foul!”
Angie watched as her best friend sank the ball in the basket. She groaned and dropped her shoulders in disappointment. “Steve, next time throw me the ball.”
“It’s much more fun teasing you,” he said.
“Be careful,” Angie warned. “You and I are walking together at the end of the wedding. I just may trip you.”
Steve’s eyes widened with horror. “You wouldn’t dare.”
She pushed her finger against his chest. “Don’t tempt me.”
“You don’t have anything to worry about,” Tim told Steve. “Angie has to wear high heels. She’ll be too busy clinging onto you, never mind trying to trip you.”
“Clinging? Not going to happen,” Angie insisted as she made a face. “I’ve worn heels before.”
Tim and Steve gave each other a look of disbelief. “She’s going to take the whole procession down,” Steve predicted to Tim. “It’ll be one big pileup.”
“A stack of dominos,” Tim decided.
“I’m not listening.” She pressed her hands over her ears. “La-la-la-la.” She wouldn’t tell them that the heels were a concern. She actually followed her mother’s advice and had been practicing walking in her bridesmaid shoes. They were taller than anything she’d worn and she wasn’t as graceful as she wished.
“Hey,” Patrick said as he bounced the ball to Angie and jerked his head to the park entrance. “Is that Cole Foster?”
Oh, damn. She winced as she slowly turned to where Patrick indicated. Cole was walking through the city park and heading to the basketball courts. Her heart gave a jolt. He was dressed in a hoodie and jeans, warding off the cool Seattle breeze, but she remembered how strong and lean his body felt against hers.
“Yeah, that’s him.” she answered weakly as pleasure, dark and heavy, settled low in her pelvis. How did he find her? It wasn’t as if he would remember her schedule.
Patrick placed his hands on his hips. “What is he doing here?”
“You want us to get rid of him?” Tim offered.
“Uh...no.” Angie pressed her palms against the basketball. She dreaded having to tell her friends about Cole. They knew how much she had suffered when Cole left. She didn’t talk about it but they had tried to keep life normal for her. They probably wouldn’t believe she was back with him, but she couldn’t tell them the whole truth. That this was merely pretend. Or at least, it was supposed to be. That kiss sure felt real.
“Really?” Steve asked. “We can do it. It’s three of us against one of him.”
“No!” she said sharply and gripped the basketball tighter. She knew Cole could handle any situation but she still felt very protective of him. She had worried about him when he had been on the force. Cole’s colleagues had told her stories about his heroism. The idea of him hurt or in trouble had plagued her, but she had learned to trust that Cole wouldn’t take any unnecessary risks. She had known that his top priority was being with her, safe and sound at the end of the day.
“What’s going on?” Tim asked. “You’re acting weird.”
“I’ve been meaning to tell you guys.” She cleared her throat and spoke quickly. “Cole is my wedding date.”
“What?” Steve said in a squawk. “Is this a joke?”
“It’s the funniest thing.” She gave a nervous laugh and bent her head, concentrating on her dribbling technique. “I bumped into Cole and one thing led to another. And, I, uh...invited him.”
“Have you lost your mind?” Patrick asked, his deep voice booming.
“One too many basketballs to the head,” Tim muttered.
“You guys, it’s fine.” She held up a placating hand as she watched Cole getting closer. “There are no hard feelings.”
Patrick shook his head. “Well, you may not have them, but we do.”
She tossed the basketball to the side and let it bounce away. “Patrick, I swear, do not—”
“Hey.” Cole gave a nod as he stepped on the basketball court. She saw the caution flicker in his eyes as he saw her friends form a protective wall in front of her. “Haven’t seen you guys for a while.”