Page 89 of Play the Game

“Does she taste like a biscotti too?”

Okay, that one isn’t funny.I snap my attention to Kane, and he throws his hands out with innocence, but I still recognize his cocky smile. “I’m kidding!”

I curse under my breath and unwrap a biscotti, taking a bite. Scottie’s mouth tastes better, but I choose not to acknowledge the thought. “Alright,” I say in between bites. “Who is the culprit? Whose idea was it?”

“Well, you see, I got a call.” Malaki chuckles.

I know right away.

I pick up my phone and dial Ford.

He picks up after one ring. “Hey, bro.”

“You’re not fucking funny.”

He makes a noise before bursting out in loud laughter. “The laughs I get outweigh all the times you’ve told me that exact line, so I disagree.” My teammates chuckle from behind, but Iignore them and start to undress while Ford continues to talk on speaker phone. “And it was your sister’s idea.”

“No surprise,” I mumble. “She’s been with you for too long.”

Ford takes no notice of the comment and starts to talk about his upcoming game. The entire time he’s talking, there’s a pesky thought in the back of my head that has blue eyes and a bratty mouth. I have a sudden need to know where she is.

“Wait, before you go…”

I stare at my phone and wait for Ford to say something stupid.

“What?” I’m impatient.

“Your parents are on their way to your house. K, later.”

The call ends, and I stare at it for far too long.

Wait, what?

I call him back, but he declines it because he’s an asshole.

Fuck.

I knew it would get to my mom sooner or later that she hasn’t met Scottie. I’m a damn fool for thinking I could go an entire year without having her meet my family, but I was willing to try.

I ignore my teammates as they all snatch a cookie from the platter on the bench, and I text Scottie after looking up her location.

Did you find a dress?

No. I hate them all. I’m not going.

I bet she looks good in every single one.

I pull up her location again and furrow my brow.

What store?

….a boutique.

I zoom in on the map, and my shoulders drop.

Scottie, that’s a thrift store.

It’s a boutique to some.

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