Page 36 of Anti Player

“Brett made me promise he would know how to skate,” she says. She’s wearing a hoodie but it’s freezing in here.

“Does that always happen to you?” she asks.

“What?” I feign innocence, although I’m guessing she witnessed me being asked out.

“I saw your instructor swooning on you.” She laughs.

“It happens on occasion. Almost feels like an occupational hazard,” I whisper.

“She is legal,” Maddie points out.

“I’m aware. Most of the instructors are college age.”

“So what gives, Bardot?” she asks, knocking her shoulder into me.

“Not you too, Maddie. I have enough pressure with your brother breathing down my neck, and we can’t talk about this here. I’ve got too many kids to deal with. We’re breaking for dinner soon.”

Asher sees his mom and skates over bumping right into her. Maddie’s sweet laughter fills the space between us as she wraps her arms around her son.

“Mommy, I’m Kaleb’s special helper today,” he tells her excitedly.

Maddie smiles at me. “Is that so?”

I pinch my lips and shrug. Asher is happy. That kid doesn’t smile enough but right now he is jubilant.

The kids come off the ice and all the groups meet in the eating area, which has lots of tables with benches. They all eat their mac and cheese and garlic bread. Asher sits with his friend Smith. Those two seem to be hanging out a lot.

Maddie is hungry after a full day’s work, so she eats the mac and cheese.

“This is surprisingly good,” she says, digging her fork into the pile on her plate.

“Coming from you that’s saying something.” I laugh.

“What kind of proposal did you have for me?” she asks, her voice full volume.

My heart skips a beat and I look around wide-eyed. Brett is way out of earshot on the other end of the cafeteria, which is huge.

“You need to be quiet unless you want Brett to castrate me,” I whisper.

She winces.

“I’ll have to find you alone later. And we need to be careful because you know how protective Brett can be.”

“Gotcha. The hallway tonight, around ten?” She laughs. I think she is joking with her comment, but I answer.

“That’s perfect.”

Her jaw drops.

“Eat your food, Maddie, with your mouth closed. Seeing your mouth dropped like that is giving me all kinds of ideas I shouldn’t be having.” With that statement I leave a slack-jawed Maddie to her business, and I go take care of the kids. Ten o’clock can’t get here fast enough.

CHAPTER

NINE

Madison

With Asher fast asleep, I go to take a shower and wash the day from my body. I can’t stop thinking of Kaleb’s proposal. Does he want to give up his virginity to me? The thought seems ludicrous. He can literally have any female he wants. I watched how his instructor asked him out. She was a pretty girl. I know girls are always coming on to Brett, and vice versa where my brother is concerned. If it isn’t his virginity, then what could it be? The comment he made about my mouth falling open was straight out dirty. I don’t know this side of Kaleb. He was always very well behaved around me. He looked out for me like my brothers did. This attraction between us is clearly changing the rules of whatever game we are playing. It’s dangerous to flirt with Kaleb. He’s like family and we don’t have a big family. He matters to my brothers, my mother, and if I’m being honest, he matters to me. This is all just so crazy, yet I go out of my way to shave my legs, even though I shaved them yesterday. I also shave my pits and bikini. There is no logic behind what I am doing. Yet I saunter to my room and put on a fancy pair of panties. I am supposed to be sworn off men, but this is different. Kaleb needs my help.No, he doesn’t,the voice in my head mocks. Hemust have a different type of proposal. Maybe a job offer. Still, I slip on a lacy bra and then an off-white tank top and cutoff jean shorts. I brush out my hair and put on deodorant and then I moisturize my legs.

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