Two Truths & a Lime (The Love Game #3) - Elizabeth Hayley Page 0,56

part. I’d assumed the Brew half of the name had just been because there was some beer in there. I didn’t realize it had been a combination of our names, and no one else would’ve either if Xander hadn’t made sure to point it out.

“Thanks, man,” I said, reaching my hand out to grab his. We met over the bar, using the handshake to pull each other in for a quick hug.

Brody did the same to him a few seconds later. “You even put my name first,” he said. “That’s so sweet.”

“Well, it made sense because the word brew begins—”

Brody waved him off, telling him to stop talking before he ruined the moment.

“These names are fantastic, Xander,” Sophia told him. “Wet Tea-Shirt Contest is hilarious. I’ll have to try all of these next weekend.”

I looked at her like she was crazy at the same time Taylor said, “Girl, you must be up out of your mind. Did you drink so much the other night, you forgot completely that it happened?”

“Unfortunately, I don’t think Drew’ll let me forget it, thanks to the video he took.”

“You two hold less liquor than a paper shelf,” I told them. “I shudder when I watch that video. It’s worse than Scared Straight.”

“Ahh, so I’m not the only Mason who’s famous for their poor decision-making. Where is this video, and why hasn’t it gone viral?” Brody asked. “Wait, hold that thought. I just saw my buddy pull in,” he added before I had a chance to tell him I was never sharing it because I valued my life.

Brody set his drink down and jumped off his stool, heading eagerly toward the deck steps.

“Yo, man,” he called. “We’re up here.” He gave a broad wave, but I couldn’t see who was coming.

A few seconds later, I heard another male voice call, “Hey, Bro. This place is so sweet.” The source of the voice ascended the stairs and slapped Brody’s hand.

I tried to place the guy since the way he and Brody were interacting already made me think he was a good friend. But I was sure I’d never seen the guy before. He had a few inches on Brody and was muscular in a way that told me he’d probably played at least one sport in college.

“Who is that?” I asked Sophia and Aamee, sure that one of them would know.

“No clue,” Aamee said.

Sophia just shrugged.

Brody seemed almost giddy. He practically bounced in place like he had a surprise for us. “Come on,” he said. “I can’t wait to introduce you to everybody.”

“Oh my God,” Aamee nearly groaned. “That’s gotta be the guy Brody was telling me about. He was at the pool yesterday, and when he came back to our apartment, he was gushing about some guy he’d met while he was out there.”

“Gushing?” I asked.

“Yeah. It was embarrassing. Or it would’ve been if Brody had any sort of self-awareness. He was going on about how good-looking this guy was and how he played division one football or something when he was in college.”

“Hold on,” Carter interjected. “D-one ball? You know where?”

Aamee stared at him like she wondered why he was speaking. “I don’t know.”

“I’ll ask him, then.”

“You do that.”

Brody approached us, grinning, one hand on his new friend as he went through our names so rapidly, I was sure there was no chance this dude was gonna remember them.

“Wow, it’s great to meet you all. Brody was telling me all about you yesterday when we met at the pool. I’m so excited he invited me here.”

“Yeah, you’re one of us now,” Brody told him. “Once you’re in, you can’t get out. We’re like a less intimidating version of the Crips.”

“We’re nothing like the Crips,” I told him. “And I’m sorry, if you said your name, I didn’t catch it.”

The guy looked a little embarrassed. “Oh, no, I don’t think I even introduced myself. I was trying to get all your names. I have like this mnemonic device type thing I do when I meet new people, and I was trying to associate attributes about you with letters of your name—”

“He’s so smart,” Brody said. “Tell them how smart you are.”

“Maybe you could just tell us your name first,” Sophia said, and I was thankful she’d chimed in so I didn’t have to ask again.

This whole thing was already weird, even for something Brody would be involved with.

“Oh, right. Sorry. I’m Ransom.” He ran a hand through his sandy hair, which was a bit out of