The Not-Outcast by Tijan

42

Cut

“That was your girl?” Hendrix asked, coming back with a beer in hand.

He handed it over, sitting down on his couch.

I took it. “She’s doing a girls’ night.”

Hendrix frowned, taking a sip of his beer. “I had a buddy who always thought ‘girls’ night’ was code for ‘I’m going out drinking with my girls and I’m going to cheat on you.’”

“I don’t think that’s what this is. Cheyenne’s not like that.”

“Still.” Another sip and he shrugged. “He found out after they broke up that his girl had been cheating on him the whole time. Screwed him up for life.”

“That’s a seriously depressing story.”

Another sip. Another shrug. “Just saying it how it is.”

“Girls’ night for them is at Sasha’s club. Where other girls dance.”

He grinned. “That’s awesome. You got a cool chick.”

“Speaking of—”

“Nope.” Beer in hand, he pointed at me, shaking his head. “Don’t go there.”

“Where?”

“I’m into the Not-Russian, but we’re not those guys. We don’t talk about chicks with each other, or our feelings about them.”

“I was going to ask if you wanted to go down to Come Our Way on Friday for a volunteer day. We’re back then and have a half-day. You mentioned doing an extra day.”

“Don’t I feel like a dumbass now.”

I grinned. “I never did it the first round. Thought it’d be cool to go before the charity event.”

“That’s Saturday night, isn’t it?”

“Yeah.”

His eyes narrowed and he took a slow sip from his beer. “I’m in.” Then, he eyed me. “Be honest, dude. You’re going to check out that Dean guy, aren’t you?”

I never answered him. It wasn’t that I didn’t trust Cheyenne. I did, but he was there and he worked with her and … I’d be checking this guy out.

He laughed. I didn’t have to answer him.

We went over to the hockey setup he had in his apartment.

I went first, hitting the puck into the net and the sirens lit up.