Page 27 of Play Along

A job where she’s treated poorly. A job she’s overqualified for. But a job that will lead her to her dream one.

“We’ll take care of it.”

She nods, turning to leave again.

“Hey, Kenny?”

“Yeah?”

“I’m pissed at you right now, but I had fun with you last night.”

She attempts to hold back a small smile. “Yeah, from what I remember, I didn’t totally hate hanging out with you.”

“Geez. Cool it, Ken. I get it. You’re into me.”

Those brown eyes roll before she closes the door on me, but still I project my voice for her to hear in the hallway.

“Does this mean the honeymoon phase is over already?”

“I hate you!”

“See you at home, wifey!”

Chapter 6

Kennedy

Miller: We missed you at Max’s birthday party. I hope you’re feeling better. Also, I have something to tell you. When can I see you?

Me: Still not feeling great. Maybe this coming weekend?

Miller: I can’t wait that long!

Me: Baseball season starts next week. Don’t you want to spend as much time with Kai as possible before we go on the road?

Miller: Do I want to have as much sex with Kai as possible before you go on the road? Yes, you’re right. See you this weekend.

I set my phone on the kitchen counter next to the cheap plastic ring I’ve stared at since I got back to Chicago.

I feel bad lying to Miller, but I know what her exciting news is. I know she got engaged to Isaiah’s brother, Kai, this weekend. I also know I couldn’t show up to Max’s birthday party and act like I’m not legally bound to his uncle. I couldn’t take away Miller’s spotlight on her big day. I couldn’t look at her and lie about the fact that technically, she’s my soon-to-be sister-in-law. And I can’t stand to see her now, with this uneasy pit in my stomach, until I meet with my lawyer and get the reassurance I need that this sham of a marriage will be over as quickly as it began.

I met Miller last season when she started nannying for our Ace pitcher, Kai Rhodes. Miller’s dad, Monty, is also the field manager of the Windy City Warriors, and for the first time in my career, I got to have another woman around the clubhouse. It was refreshing and I’d consider her my first real friend I’ve made since moving to Chicago three years ago.

Before last year, any free time I had was spent flying back home to New York to see Connor, always having some kind of charity event or social gathering he needed me on his arm for. But Miller wiggled her way past my sometimes-cold exterior, and I couldn’t be more thankful to her for that.

The penthouse apartment I live in is one of the many investment properties owned by my family. It’s extravagant and over the top and a bit lonely when I allow myself to think about it. But it’s also a free place to live and who am I to complain when my current salary isn’t enough to afford me much in the city.

It’s another goal of mine, to be able to afford my own place, hell, my own life without the Kay family name attached to it. With a promotion and a new title, I’ll be able to.

Heading into the second bedroom, I rifle through the closet I never use. Business attire, designer gowns, and high heels worth more than some people’s rent. There’s a gap on my shoe rack where my patent-leather white Louboutins typically sit, but the memory of Isaiah carrying them around Vegas has me hesitant to put them back in this closet. At this point, I want to forget what few memories I have of that night.

I slip on a black pair instead, cramming my feet into the narrow channel before throwing on a camel-colored blazer and black cigarette pants.

I raided this closet for Mallory’s bachelorette party, but other than that, I can’t remember the last time I dressed in my “old” clothes. They’re reserved for mandatory social gatherings, whether that be an excessive dinner at my childhood home, or charity balls my mother likes to host to convince her wealthy friends she cares about someone other than herself, when we all know she only hosts them as a tax write-off.

But my lawyer works for my family, and showing up in my daily uniform of athletic gear would get back to my mother. She’s already going to lose her mind when she hears about what I did this weekend, but I’d rather have a solution before she even learns about the problem.

I’m not sure why their opinion of me matters to me so much. But it always has. I got the best education I could. Became a doctor instead of stopping early and taking a different path in sports medicine. Agreed to marry a man I didn’t want to, simply because my parents told me to.

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