Page 5 of Playmaker

Maddie has never had to try to be beautiful. It just comes to her naturally. Even now with her hair piled up messily into a bun on top of her head and wearing only a T-shirt and a pair of pajama bottoms with fuzzy socks on her feet, she’s stunning.

Her face gives no indication of how she might be feeling after last night. I wouldn’t blame her if she was pissed, but she doesn’t seem like she wants to chop my balls off. After all, she made me breakfast, so she can’t hate methatmuch, right?

Unless it’s poisoned . . .

I inspect the plate carefully, not putting it past her. “Is this for me?”

I hold my breath for the sharp reply, but it never comes. Instead, she nods and sits down on one of the bar stools and digs in to her food. She’s giving me the silent treatment, and somehow, that’s even worse. I’d much rather she got in my face and fought with me because it would mean she cares. Her indifference isn’t something I’m used to. I don’t like it at all.

We eat our breakfast together in silence, and when I’m finished, I wash my plate so she doesn’t have to. Not that it makes a difference considering the countless plastic cups and other trash sprawled across the counter and littering the floor. “It was really good,” I say. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” she replies in a monotone voice.

“Mads—” I freeze at the nickname and grasp her wrist to stop her from going upstairs. It used to come naturally to me, but things are different now. They have been for years.“Maddie,”I correct. “I’m sorry for what I said last night, I—”Am I really sorry, though?As much as I say it would have been a mistake to kiss her, I know it wouldn’t have been.

“It’s fine.” She pulls her hand back, rubbing the spot on her wrist where my fingers were. “You were drinking and didn’t mean it. I don’t fault you for it. Ethan said you could use the guest room, and I shouldn’t have intervened. Hopefully I didn’t ruin your night.”

Ruin my night?

How could she think that? I mean, yeah, she stopped me from following through on my plans with Sadie, but if it meant I’d get to stand that close to her again, regardless of whether or not she was pissed at me, I wouldn’t change a thing. We’ve spoken to each other more in the past twenty-four hours than we have in years. I didn’t realize how much I missed her until last night. How much of anidiotI was for pushing her out of my life for good.

“Maddie, I—”

“I’m so fucking hungover.” Ethan enters the kitchen and plops down on the empty bar stool, tugging his plate closer without telling his sister thank you. He begins to inhale his bacon, and whatever I was about to tell Maddie dies on my tongue.

“That’s what happens when you drink.” Maddie chastises him. “Consequences.”

“Please, shutup,” he grunts. “I’m not in the mood today, Maddie.”

She takes that as her cue to leave, and it bothers me that I feel like whatever happened last night isn’t resolved between us. The need to apologize to her is stronger than usual, but why? I’ve been a dick to her since I started high school, but I’ve always been able to keep the urge to apologize for my behavior at bay because I knew it was for the best. What’s the difference now?

“How was Sadie?” Ethan asks.

Since I can’t exactly share the run-in I had with his little sister, I do what I do best and change the subject. “Fine, but I’m more interested to know about how you hit things off with Jennifer.”

Jennifer was the other girl at the party last night. Someone I invited to set Ethan up with. My best friend’s been off his game lately, so I thought I’d help him out. “She was all over you last night, so I’m assuming you got lucky.”

Ethan drags a hand through his shaggy blond hair and gives me a sheepish grin. “Before we talk about me, let’s talk aboutyou. Sadie texted Jennifer that you left her alone in the guest room last night.”

Because your sister was more intriguing.

“I wasn’t in the mood.”

“Dude.” He narrows his eyes and lets out a scoff. “She was naked, and you just left her there?”

I’m unsure why he’s surprised when he should be accustomed to my ways, which haven’t changed since we got into high school. That knowledge doesn’t tamper the growing disgust I have for myself, though. “She was too desperate,” I lie. “It was a turnoff.”

“Have I ever mentioned how much of a fucking asshole you are to girls?”

“And you aren’t?” I counter.

Before he can reply, the front door opens, and we share terrified expressions. If his parents are home early with the house looking likethis? We’re dead.

Thankfully, Maya, Maddie’s best friend enters the kitchen instead. She sets her purse on top of the island before she analyzes the mess we made last night. “Damn. You guys are fucked. Why haven’t you started cleaning yet?”

I point at Ethan with a cheesy grin. “Just swapping sex stories before we get to it.”

Ethan whips his head to mine with the promise ofdeathin his eyes.

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