Page 95 of The Trouble with Players

“We wasted a lot of time,” he said.

“You were a stubborn ass.”

He laughed. “Takes one to know one.”

“Hindsight,” I mused.

“I still can’t believe you let me sleep in bed with you that first night.”

“Why?”

“I thought for sure you were plotting something.”

I laughed. “Yeah, I’m quite sneaky like that.”

“Well, you and Gina pulled off a good one with your wigs. Even if I wasn’t fooled.”

“How did you know?” I asked.

“When you only have eyes for one person, you notice everything about them. The way they walk. The way they hold their head. The curves of their body. I spotted you the second you sat down in those right field bleachers.”

A strange combination of sadness and joy swirled low in my belly. How could I feel both at the same time? It was so strange to be so close yet so far away from another human being—especially one you shared memories with. “This isn’t making things easier.”

“What?” he asked.

“It’s easier to get over someone you don’t see.”

“I don’t want you to get over me,” he said.

“That’s not fair.”

“Why not?” he asked.

“Don’t you want me to be happy?”

“Yeah, with me.”

“Crew.”

“It’s not like our parents are together.”

“Do you even hear yourself right now?”

“Yeah. Who’s ever gonna know if we don’t say anything?”

“I’ll know,” I challenged.

“Does it make you sick knowing we…?”

“I don’t want to regret it, but, now that we know, I know it’s wrong.”

He didn’t respond.

Did he seriously think if no one knew, we could carry on like we didn’t share DNA? Was it that easy for him to overlook it? “This was a bad idea,” I said, attempting to get out of his arms.

He tightened his arms around me. “I won’t say anything else. Just please don’t take this away from me.”

Tears pricked my eyes. I knew, when he left in the morning, I’d need to stay away from him. I’d never get over him if all I could see was him.

---