Page 86 of The Problem with Players

Before Avery walked over to the two, she pulled her high ponytail out and raked her hands through her long hair,allowing it to fall past her shoulders. She then pushed out her chest and headed straight to River.

“Hey, babe. The food is getting cold and”—Avery’s eyes moved to Sarah—“Oh, hi there.” Without a moment of hesitation, Avery wrapped her arm around River’s waist and slipped beneath his arm, forcing River to place his arm around her shoulders. “Who’s this?” she asked with the sweetest voice I’d ever heard.

I wish she used that voice on me more often.

For a moment, River hesitated. The swirl of confusion sitting in his bent brow almost made me burst out in laughter. Then realization settled in, and he pulled Avery closer to him. My chest tightened from their proximity to one another. I knew they were acting, but still, a sting of jealousy slapped me hard.

“Oh, this is just someone I used to know, babe,” River said, rubbing Avery’s shoulder in a circular motion.

Sarah’s eyes danced up and down Avery with a look of disgust. She wiped away her crocodile tears and huffed. “Who’s this?” she demanded.

“This is Avery. My girlfriend,” River said proudly as he puffed out his chest.

“Since when do you have a girlfriend?” Sarah barked with a disgusted tone, letting her true colors show.

“We’re new,” Avery mentioned as she stared at River with lovey-dovey eyes. “But I’m pretty sure we’re going the distance.” Avery stood on her tiptoes and kissed River’s cheek.

I wanted to slug my brother in the jawline for getting that kiss on the cheek.

It’s fake, it’s fake, it’s fucking fake, Nathan. Chill out.

“You moved on?” Sarah questioned, those fake tears falling from her eyes. Or maybe they were real tears from the realization that River was not wrapped around her finger anymore.

“Yeah,” he said with a confidence that made me proud of the fucker. “I suggest you do the same.”

With that, he pulled Avery in closer to him, turned around with her, and headed back inside to the barn. Sarah stood there with a look of shock for a second before walking back to her car and driving away.

And that, my friends, was what one called a mic drop.

The second Sarah was gone, Easton and Grant began jumping up and down all over River and Avery, celebrating the epic scene that just unfolded before us. Even Evan had a small smirk on his face as he stood there with his arms crossed.

“Not bad, Kingsley,” Evan stated, giving Avery a slight nod. That was the biggest compliment in the world from Mr. Grump.

“You fucking rock star,” River said, playfully shoving Avery. “First you get us a baseball win, then you gift me with another win.”

“I had a good feeling you’d bring some good vibes to the property,” Grant said, complimenting Avery.

She laughed and bowed. “What can I say? I’m a useful woman.”

“Damn straight you are,” River said, placing his hands against her shoulders in celebration.

“Drop the scowl, you’re starting to look a little too much like me,” Evan whispered as he nudged me in the arm.

I shook my head. “I’mnotscowling,” I said with, indeed, a scowl.

He chuckled slightly and shrugged. “Whatever you say, Nate. Whatever you say.”

After the guys were done celebrating with Avery, she walked over to me with the kind of smile that made my own grumpiness dissipate.

I gave her a slow clap. “Not bad, Coach.”

“I bet you didn’t know I was such a good actress.”

“Some might’ve said you weren’t acting at all,” I sarcastically remarked. “It seemed a littletoorealistic.”

Raising an eyebrow, she shifted her stance, hands on her hips. “What’s that, Nathan? A tinge of jealousy?”

Dismissing her accusation, I heavily sighed and shook my head. “Jealous? Me? Not in the slightest.”

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