Page 108 of The Match Faker

‘Tutti-Frutti?’

‘Yeah. That’s the name I have you saved under in my phone.’

My heart bloomed. I kind of liked it.

‘Better than Mamma Mia.’ Our eyes locked and we both smiled.

‘Glad your new nickname meets your approval! So as I was saying, I’m about to be crowned Connect 4 Champion. And when I beat you at Jenga too, you’re really going to hate me!’

‘Enough of the fighting talk. Time to put your money where your mouth is, Stone.’

I went on to beat Liam at Connect 4, then when we moved over to playing Jenga and a bad move from me caused the tower to collapse into a heap of wooden blocks and Liam declared himself the winner, it wasn’t hate that filled my chest. It was laughter and gratitude.

The fact that fate had brought us back together, we’d had a chance to clear the air and I’d got answers to the questions that had swum around my head for decades made my heart so happy.

Tonight Liam and I had really bonded. Not because of our sexual chemistry, but because of our shared history. The easy conversation and the time we’d spent playing together reminded me why we used to be such good friends.

Playing the games had been fun, and although we’d pretended to care, it didn’t matter who’d won.

We’d reconnected emotionally and that was the most important thing.

38

Liam

The doorbell rang. I put down my water and let Nate in.

I was glad to be training today. I wasn’t used to having so much free time. Back in LA, my days were always filled with filming, rehearsals, press junkets or meetings. All I had in the diary over this week was a shoot for a shaving company.

‘How’s it going?’ I asked as Nate stepped inside.

‘I’m cool. You?’

‘All good. Ready for this session.’ I walked up to the gym and Nate followed.

‘That’s what I like to hear. Let’s get you warmed up.’

About twenty minutes later, a sharp ringtone vibrated around the room.

‘You wanna get that?’ I asked.

‘Sorry, man. Thought I had it on silent. Ignore it. I’ll switch it off in a sec.’ The ringing stopped, then a minute later it started again. Nate winced.

‘It’s okay, get it. Might be urgent.’

Nate went to his bag and pulled out his phone. ‘Shit. It’s Andrea. She never calls in the morning.’

Andrea was his fiancée’s teenage daughter. After what he’d been through when he’d tried the whole relationship thing back in LA, I never thought I’d see the day that Nate settled down with one woman and took on the responsibility of her kid too.

‘Answer. Don’t worry about me.’

‘What’s up, Dre? Fuck. Calm down. Okay.’ He nodded. ‘Yeah. I’ll get there as soon as I can.’ Nate hung up.

‘What’s happened? Is she okay?’

‘Andrea’s got an important play tonight, but the lead and understudy got food poisoning, so there’s no one to play his role and she’s freaking out.’

‘Oh shit.’

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