Page 57 of Wicked Games

I follow Liam up to his room. “How is she?”

He grunts and drops his bag on his desk. He motions for me to take the chair, and he flops onto his bed. “She’s stressed as always. Colby just got his license, and our parents splurged and got him a car. I think they forgot about the insurance rate for new drivers. He’s going to have to get a job if he wants to keep it, otherwise…”

“He’ll get there.” It might be a lie—I have no fucking idea how much car insurance costs.

Liam nods sharply. “What’d Theo say about the alternate captain thing?”

“Not much.” I drop into his desk chair and kick out my legs. “He deserves it. I can’t even play, although Coach hinted that I’ll be rejoining regular practice again.”

“Wow, the magnanimous Caleb Asher. Kind words, seeing as how you’ve held on to the captainship with a bloody grip since the beginning of junior year.”

I roll my eyes. It’s true, though. If it was anyone other than Theo, I would’ve been pissed.

And everyone would’ve known it.

My phone rings, pausing my retort. I flash the screen at Liam, and his eyebrows jump up.

“Didn’t know your mom remembered your number.” He hops up and leaves the room, closing the door behind him.

“Yes?” I lean back in the chair, and the front two legs lift off the floor.

“Caleb?” my mother asks. Like she’s not sure.

“What can I do for you, Mother?”

She huffs. “What a greeting. Where are you?”

“A friend’s house.” I focus on the ceiling. Talking to her is painful, like going to the dentist to have a cavity filled. She’s out of touch with reality most of the time.

“But not the Black’s? Eli’s mother called to check in, said they were going to be in Chicago for another few days.”

Silence.

“You didn’t say they were out of town,” she finishes.

“I didn’t know you cared.” My chair’s front legs slam back down.

“We’re having family dinner at David’s tonight. Six o’clock.”

I glance at my watch. It’s almost five. “Thanks for the short notice. I already have dinner plans.” They’re at least a forty-five-minute drive from Eli’s—longer from Liam’s. Besides already telling Mrs. Morrison I’d be having dinner with them, I’d be late—even if I left now.

And that would be worse than not showing up at all.

“Caleb Asher,” she starts.

“Sorry, Mother. If you want to get on my schedule, maybe you should book farther in advance.”

I hang up and toss my phone across Liam’s desk. There will be consequences for this. Not from Mother Dearest, of course. Uncle David will take it as a personal offense. And unfortunately, he has a bit more sway in my life than she does.

He should’ve mentioned it when I was at his stupid house this morning.

My phone immediately lights up with an incoming call from my uncle.

I leave it in the room and go downstairs, joining Liam and Colby at the table. They’re playing cards while their mother bustles around the kitchen, and I try to ignore the swooping feeling in my gut.

They used to live in the Bryans’ house until Liam’s dad got laid off. Suddenly, their whole family was put on a shoestring budget. No more fancy house in Rose Hill with an expensive mortgage, and no more private school for their son—until he got the scholarship, that is. Colby wasn’t so lucky, even in that. He doesn’t play hockey, so…

Still, this family has done the best they can. They converted their basement into a game room to keep the boys from going out and spending money, and they’ve always welcomed me, Eli, and Theo. The Morrisons are a blessing on lost boys like us.

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