Page 177 of Play Along

“Isaiah.”

“Kenny, I didn’t get into it with him during the game today. I still have to deal with him for two more in this series. You’re not sleeping in my bed because he’s here. What else do you want from me?”

“I want you to talk to him.”

She stands firm, holding my eye contact.

I’m already annoyed that she stayed at her place last night to hang out with him, and now he wants to talk to me?

Every part of me is wanting to scream no. Fuck that guy. But I truly don’t know how to say no to this girl. Never have.

“Fine,” I huff. “But I’m only accepting sexual favors as a thank you from you.”

A little grin on her lips, she shakes her head at me as she leaves to go work on another one of my teammates.

With only an ice pack and a pair of shorts on, I leave the training room to find Dean leaning against the hallway, waiting for me.

“What?” I ask, staying on my side of the hallway, closest to the door, so I can leave as soon as he says some stupid shit I know I’m not going to like.

He clears his throat. “I need to apologize.”

That has my head whipping in his direction, single brow lifted.

“Kennedy chewed me out. She found out the details of our little childhood rivalry.”

She did?

I try to act nonchalant. “Well, I didn’t tell her anything.”

“Wouldn’t have blamed you if you did.” There’s a heavy pause, Dean’s focus locked on the carpet under his feet, clearly uncomfortable. “The truth is, I was a little shit back then.”

“Still are.”

His eyes shoot to mine in warning. “Still am, sometimes, but I was angry as a kid, and I took it out on you. So... I’m sorry.”

“How’d those words taste?”

“Pretty fucking terrible.”

“Well, I don’t really care anymore, so it’s whatever.”

“Yes, you do,” he says. “And you should. It was messed up. I fucked with you because I could, and it made me feel better when just about everything else in my life made me feel like shit.”

From across the hallway, I watch him, looking for any sign of bullshit, which is the only thing that comes out of Dean Cartwright’s mouth.

Only this time, he seems... sincere.

“Jesus,” I huff a laugh. “What the hell did Kennedy say to you?”

“Yeah, she’s fucking pissed. Told me she was more than happy to cut off our relationship if I didn’t apologize, so here I am, apologizing.”

I brush him off. “You’re good. I’ll let her know that you did.”

I turn back to the training room, but he stops me.

“I am though,” he says. “Sorry about it. I know you probably won’t believe me but I’m not that guy anymore. Well...” He tosses his head from side to side. “Unless my father is around. He tends to bring out the worst in me.”

“Yeah, your family sucks.”

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