Koala Brother: You’re famous.

Koala Sister: No, you are.

Koala Brother: I’m serious this time. You are. My friends all told me, and Monica wants to get back together.

Koala Sister: Not The Monica

Koala Brother: So The Monica

Koala Sister: Dude

Koala Brother: I can see we’re staying in line with our last exchanges.

Koala Sister: Zero seriousness here, except when I tell you that your sister LOVES YOU SO MUCH!

Koala Brother: Right. Dude. No Monica.

Koala Sister: No Monica.

53

Cut

They had valet at the front door to usher people from their cars into the building.

“Hmm. Nope. Nuh-huh.” Cheyenne shook her head, pointing to the alley that led to their back parking lot. “No way am I walking in through the front door like this.”

I was refraining from grinning because it turns out that Cheyenne wasn’t sensitive about being hot. She stood out and she was okay standing out. She was wearing a cream-colored silky sort of dress. It flowed over her body like it was supposed to be taken off.

I groaned the instant I saw it, and both her girls started snickering at me.

I’d be fighting a hard-on the entire fucking night, but it was worth it. Driving all three girls to the event was a show by itself. One, they made no sense. At all. Sasha would say one word, and the other two knew instantly what she meant. Two, they laughed. A lot. And they snorted. And they made dirty jokes more than I heard in any locker room. And three, I now knew I never had to worry about Cheyenne when I was traveling for away games.

These other two took care of her, but it was reciprocated. They took care of each other. I never knew females could be like that, but they were all a trip when they were working at an energy level of ten.

Cheyenne leaned over, kissed me, and said, “I’m going in with the girls. I need them for the entrance.”

The doors were flung open, and each got out as if they were marching toward their own movie premiere, through the back door.

Hendrix was coming out to meet me just as I was opening the back door. His smirk was deep. “Those girls are something else. Holy shit.” His shoulders were shaking. “They walked in, and the crowd parted. It was like Dead Sea shit. That Dean guy has no idea what to do.”

I grunted. “You have no idea. Try being in the same apartment with them when they’re all three getting ready together.”

He laughed. “I would buy tickets for that.”

“Next time, because it’s going to happen.”

The other guys came over, and we all exchanged greetings.

Going to these events was part of the job, so it wasn’t anything special, but I saw that each one went over to greet Cheyenne.

Hendrix noticed me noticing and lifted up his drink. “That article got around already. There’s a group chat.”

Of course, there was a group chat.

I shared a look with him. “Are they being respectable in there?”

“No one wants to piss you off.”

“Good.”

The coaches came over.

The team’s publicist was next, and she was gushing about Cheyenne. “I have to meet her. Did you ask her about representation? And she’s stunning, and she works here and she—” The publicist wanted to meet Cheyenne, so I took her over to introduce her.

Cheyenne wasn’t quite ready for the publicist, but Melanie stepped in.

She took her extended hand, shook it, and drew her away from the group.

Then, Margo came over, and it was the same.

Cheyenne seemed surprised that the team’s owner had read the article already, but that meant I needed to educate Cheyenne about Margo. Margo knew everything. Then the other people attending the party came over to meet me.

I noticed Cheyenne moving toward Boomer, Reba, and Sasha remained at her side. She was covered.

The next hour blended together. Hendrix took my side, which was normal at these events. We rode them out together. The Dean guy came over.

He was frowning at me. “I had no idea you were dating our Cheyenne.”

I really didn’t like this guy.

“Our? She’s my Cheyenne.”

“Yeah.” Hendrix interjected, smirking, “She’s Cut’s Cheyenne. Get it through your head.”

He gave me a look the same time the Dean guy decided he was okay with it.

“That’s great! Are you serious? How long have you been seeing each other? What are your plans for—”

“If we could interrupt?”

Natalie had made her appearance. An older man was next to her, and first Natalie came to me, holding her hand out. Six months ago, I would’ve given her a kiss on the cheek, but tonight I gave her a nod and a brief hug. “Natalie.”

She stepped back, sending me a small frown before introducing her husband.

He was a fan, and his firm had season tickets, so they’d be attending the games a lot more now. Natalie and her husband introduced themselves to Margo, who came over to join our circle.

Natalie said, “I’ve known Cut most of his life.”

“Really?” Margo cast me a shrewd look.

I knew Natalie had apologized to Cheyenne, extending her an olive branch, but it was too long in waiting. That shit never should’ve happened, and she could’ve made Cheyenne’s life a lot easier. That was my opinion, and my other opinion was that it didn’t matter what I thought.

It all came down to Cheyenne.

If Chad made it right, somehow.

If Cheyenne was cool with it.

If Cheyenne was cool with Natalie.

Once all those pieces fit together, then I’d take up my woman’s side. That was all I thought about regarding people I’ve known since I was a kid, or a teenager in Deek’s case.

Speaking of Deek, I saw him now.

I must’ve made a sound because conversations lulled around me.

Margo’s eyes were a whole lot more alert.

Natalie turned, approaching her ex-husband first. The two husbands were gracious toward each other. How fucking fitting.

Hendrix asked under his breath, “Cheyenne’s dad?”

“No. It was just his sperm that helped create her. That’s all he is to her.”

Margo’s eyes now had a mean glint to them. She touched my arm. “Go. Do whatever you’d like. I’ll run interference.”

Hendrix looked in love. “Margo, you are one fierce owner, and if you weren’t married, and I wasn’t your player, I’d try to get in your pants.”

Margo smothered a laugh. “Dear Lord, get lost, Hendrix. I say that with affection.” Margo skimmed me over. “But you have a few things to explain, hmm?”

I had lied to her in her office. But I didn’t care.

Hendrix motioned for me to walk with him. “I noticed your boy isn’t here.”

“That’s a relief.”

“Everything good there?”

I gave him a look. “You know it’s not.”

Another chuckle from him. “I know, but I’m just double-checking because I’m moving in on the Not-Russian. That okay with you?”

“That’s Chad’s problem if you make headway, but fair warning, if somehow he pulls his head out of his ass, I will be telling him about you and the Not-Russian.”