wasn’t until later that afternoon, but they didn’t need to know that.
Mack stuck out his bottom lip.
Fuuuck. “Fine. I’ll meet you there.”
* * *
* * *
Noah checked his phone as soon as he got back in his car. No message from Lexa. Which wasn’t entirely unusual. Sure, they usually had texted each other by now, but Lexa did say that she was going to have breakfast with Liv today. Still, they normally would have at least said good morning or played a round of Word Nerd by now.
Noah tossed his phone onto the passenger seat with a curse. He should have texted her when he woke up like normal. Because by not texting, he was making last night into something when maybe it hadn’t been.
He drove on autopilot to the restaurant and swung into a spot next to Mack’s car. When he walked in and sat down at their normal table, he was the last to arrive. A cup of coffee waited for him next to a menu that he’d long since memorized. He met the guys here at least every other week. It was off the beaten path, so it didn’t attract a lot of tourists, which was good because most of the guys were recognizable.
“What took you so long?” Mack whined.
Noah dumped creamer into his coffee. “Why the hell are you monitoring my time this morning?”
“Because we need to make a decision by noon.”
“On what?”
Mack thumbed the screen of his phone. “I’m reconsidering the boutonnieres.”
Noah dragged his hands down his face. The last time they talked flowers, it took several hours just to get Mack to choose between white and red. “What’s wrong with the one you picked out before?”
“I discovered that flowers have meanings.”
“Oh, Christ.” Noah ground the heel of his hand into a suddenly throbbing temple.
“I discovered that the Christmas rose can symbolize anxiety,” Mack said. “I can’t wear that at my wedding.”
“It has the word Christmas in it,” Colton said. “What could be more perfect for a December wedding?”
Noah stirred his coffee. “Is there a flower that means giant douchebag? You should get that one.”
Mack ignored Noah and turned his phone around to show off a picture of a small white flower that looked almost exactly like Noah remembered the first one he’d chosen.
“I’m thinking of the white ivy flower,” Mack said. “It stands for fidelity.”
“Perfect,” Noah said. “Go with that.”
“Definitely that one,” Malcolm said, sending Noah a silent thank-you with his eyes.
“Absolutely,” Colton added.
“It’s ugly,” the Russian said.
Noah elbowed him to shut up. Mack’s eyebrows pulled together as he studied the picture again. “You think it’s ugly?”
“It’s not ugly,” Noah said. “The Russian doesn’t know what he’s talking about.”
Colton got a look in his eyes that said he was about to start some shit. He propped his elbows on the table and leaned toward the Russian. “What kind of flowers did you have in your wedding?”
“I don’t remember,” the Russian answered, cheeks suddenly red.
Noah glared at Colton, who responded with an I told you so smirk.
The waitress interrupted to take their orders. While the guys took turns, Mack suddenly became engrossed in something on his phone. The waitress walked away, and Mack looked directly at Noah.
“So, Liv just texted me.”
A cold shiver ran across Noah’s skin. “And?”
“And when were you going to tell us that you spent the night at Alexis’s house and she saw you without a shirt?”
Ah, fuck. Heat raced up his neck and blazed a path clear to his hairline. But embarrassment quickly became hope, because if she told Liv about it, then it must have meant something. Right?
Colton snorted. “I guess we know why you’re off your game this morning.”
“What happened?” Mack asked.
“Nothing,” Noah gulped.
“Bullshit,” Colton coughed.
“And you were shirtless why?” Mack asked.
“It’s a long story,” Noah mumbled.
Malcolm stroked his beard. “Why don’t you start at the beginning?”
Noah blew out a frustrated breath, swiped his hands over his hair, and launched into the whole story—Candi, the kidney transplant, the story of Beefcake and his fucking claws. By the time he got to the part about Lexa walking into the bathroom and stopping dead in her tracks, his nipples had started to tingle.
He crossed his arms. “Any questions?”
The Russian raised his hand. Noah called on him.
“Did she sniff you?”
“What the fuck, man? No.”
Another hand shot into the air.
Noah sighed. “Yes, Malcolm?”
“You said she acted weird when she saw you. Can you be more descriptive?”
“What more do you need?”
Mack piped in. “Where did she stare?”
The Russian pouted. “He did not raise his