Page 97 of Love at First Rep

Rafe hopped off the table and held out a hand to Garrett.

“Ready to get out of here?” he asked.

As Garrett set his hand in Rafe’s, his mind went from chaotic to calm. Nothing healed him like Rafe’s touch. “I’m with you. Always.”

30

THE WIND AND RAIN raged, but it was just another spring day in New Jersey.

Running from the car to the front door of Cole and Elena’s house left Rafe and Garrett a bit damp, but it didn’t bother Rafe since he had Garrett’s hand in his. Facing the storm was worth it to catch up with everyone. It had been a few days since they discovered the mole, and Rafe had no idea what Garrett was thinking when it came to their future plans.

When they got home after debriefing with the team, they showered and slept for hours. It took a whole day before either of them felt human again. They had mostly returned to Garrett’s regular schedule, but they planned to take one more morning to sleep in before going back to six a.m. classes at the gym. Elena answered the door, as beautiful as ever even dressed down in jeans and a Cherrywood High T-shirt, and they entered the house to welcoming shouts and a tail-wagging Wrigley. Rafe had the stray thought that Cole’s golden retriever was somehow better behaved than Cole himself, and Rafe laughed to himself as he scratched behind Wrigley’s ear to say hello. As they walked around the room to greet everyone, someone thrust beers into their hands. Rafe didn’t leave Garrett’s side, holding him close the whole time.

Was Garrett any closer to making a decision?

Would he join Rafe and BFS in the field? Or would he want to stay in Cherrywood?

Rafe honestly didn’t care which Garrett picked, but he was getting anxious to hear a decision. The last time Rafe tried asking what he was thinking, Garrett groaned, shouted not yet and buried his head in a pillow, so he didn’t want to push him. Maybe he could get one of the other guys to do it…

All the guys from the gym, plus Lucas and Elena, were gathered for a pizza party at Cole and Elena’s today, so Rafe had plenty of people to help him figure this out.

“Thanks for keeping your promise to keep my boyfriend from getting shot,” Elena said to Garrett.

Garrett winced, and Rafe’s gaze bounced between them before he remembered Cole and Lucas’ diversion at the station.

“How did I forget about that?” Rafe asked. “I saw that happening from the camera feed. That was a hell of a risk.”

“I had another detective backing me up who knew the plan so he could protect Cole,” Garrett said, his eyes widening and his voice rising as he turned to Rafe. “Wait, you saw that? Your team set up cameras at the station?”

“I told you they kept their eyes on everything,” Rafe said sheepishly.

“Is that why there’s camera footage from your fight at my gym?” Tobias asked as he stepped next to Rafe, surprising him. No, not surprising him. Rafe was always on alert and never missed a thing. He definitely was not intimidated by the former hockey player-turned-gym owner. Even if he was taller and bigger than Rafe, and looked like he could break Rafe in half with a glare. Not intimidating at all.

“Uhhhh,” Rafe said, trying to think of a way out of this. From his conversations with Garrett, he understood Tobias was a gentle giant and not as grumpy as people expected, but damn, the guy was scary. He could do this, though. He could be honest with Tobias and take accountability for everything—or so he thought, before Tobias’ eyes narrowed. “That was Carson. I don’t know anything. About anything.”

“Smooth,” Garrett whispered in his ear.

“Carson?” Tobias asked, his voice rising enough that he now had the attention of the whole room. “Carson’s involved with whatever you guys were up to?”

Everyone’s eyes darted to Carson, who resembled a deer in headlights, frozen with a beer tipped against his lips.

“Uh, no?” Carson said with so little confidence it turned into a question.

“Carson’s got skills,” Riley said, awestruck. “Teach me your ways, o’ wise one! I had no idea you were secretly a badass.”

Riley approached Carson and held up his hand for a high five. Carson reluctantly and awkwardly put his hand against Riley’s instead of slapping it. The two of them were friendly in computer circles, and Riley even got Carson to join Gym Rat Fitness, but Riley didn’t know half of what Carson was capable of.

Riley wasn’t the only one gazing at Carson with wonder. Hunter stared at him with heart eyes, and that’s when Rafe remembered Carson’s dilemma from the other day.

“Hey, Carson, you said you were looking for someone to be your fake boyfriend for a wedding date, right?” Rafe asked, and Carson’s eyebrows were practically at his hairline. Rafe made a show of gazing around the room. “Maybe someone here can help you out?”

Hunter’s crush on Carson wasn’t a secret to anyone. Garrett told him Hunter asked Carson out a couple times, but he shot him down like it was a joke. To be fair, a mercenary hacker and a high school athletic trainer might not have a lot in common. Rafe wasn’t a matchmaker, but what else was he supposed to do with his time until Garrett made a decision that could change Rafe’s entire life?

Picking up on Rafe’s implication, Garrett joined him in scanning everyone there. “Hmm, I think Hunter and Lucas are the only single ones here.”

Lucas tapped his chin in thought. “When’s the wedding? I do love getting dolled up. And an open bar.”

Carson blinked a few times before answering, “The second weekend in June, but it’s, um, out of town. We’d have to fly out that Thursday morning.”