Page 12 of Playmaker

He arches a brow. “Wanna find out?”

What the hell, right?

I’ve already gone out of my comfort zone by coming to this party tonight. What’s a ride in a car with a hot guy going to change? Screw my reservations. For once, I want to be a daredevil.

“Lead the way,” I reply with a bright smile.

Whether it’s out of excitement or fear, I can’t be certain, but when Mark opens the passenger door for me again, a shot of adrenaline courses through my veins. The feeling is foreign, but it’s one I’m going to welcome with open arms tonight.

Take that, Holden.

Try all you like, but you’llneverwin this game you started.

Seven

Cameron

Five years earlier

We’re gathered around the table at lunch—Mallory and Jackie sit beside me while Ethan, Penelope, and Jack, another member of the team, sit opposite us. Mallory is raving about the cheerleaders’ new routine for their upcoming competition, twirling a brown ringlet around her finger while she chomps on a piece of gum. She’s on a liquid diet, and the only reason I know this is because as soon as she sat down she bragged about how she’s already lost three pounds.

I couldn’t care less about their routine or what diet Mallory is on. The twins have taken a liking to me, and they’ve insinuated having a threesome at Jack’s upcoming party this weekend, so if I have to pretend to care about liquid diets and routines for the next few days, then so be it.

“Are you guys ready for the game this weekend?” Penelope shuffles closer to Ethan on the bench, flashing him a flirtatious grin that Ethan seems oblivious to.

“Yeah,” he replies, shoving another bite of fiestada pizza into his mouth. “This team will be easy to beat. No sweat.”

Jack rubs his hands together and wiggles his brows. “My cousin is bringing a keg for us for the after-party at my place. He goes to State.”

“Oooh,” Jackie drawls. “A college boy. Is he hot?”

I chuckle low and deep, watching as Jackie squirms on the bench. “Trust me, baby. You’ve got the hottest man sitting beside you.”

Ethan rolls his eyes. “Stop being a douchebag, Cameron.”

“What? It’s the truth.”

“Will Michael be there?” Penelope interrupts.

Maddie’s boyfriend? He’s in the same grade as us, but I avoid him like the plague for reasons I have yet to understand. There’s nothing wrong with the guy. He’s funny, smart, and he’s a great teammate. Maddie seems to be happy, and yet that doesn’t make me feel relieved in the least. I expected her to move on eventually and forget what happened between us on that beach, but I didn’t expect to feel so annoyed by Michael’s face whenever I see him.

“I think so. Yeah,” Jack replies.

“Good.” Penelope sits up straighter, satisfied by his answer. “I call an upstairs bedroom for us.”

Mine and Ethan’s gaze both shoot to hers. “Don’t bet on it,” Ethan says. “My sister is dating him.”

Penelope furrows her brows. “Who’s your sister?”

“Maddie Davis.”

She throws her back with laughter, and Mallory and Jackie join in, and irritation prickles along my skin. “The freshman? Yeah, he’s not having fun with her. At least that’s what he told me beneath the bleachers yesterday when we—” Her face turns red, and I haven’t noticed my grip on the table is damn near making a dent in it, but my knuckles are white, and all I can see is red.

Michael cheated on Maddie with Penelope?

Is he an idiot?

Ethan’s face more than likely is a reflection of mine. “He cheated on my sister?”

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