Page 186 of The Wrong Play

He took one.

Victory.

The game was on, Parker was half-asleep, and Matty was still sulking about the “Great Nacho Betrayal.” All in all, a solid Saturday. If Riley was going to be at the spa with Casey and Nat, this was how I wanted to spend the day.

Parker’s phone lit up on the coffee table.

Incoming FaceTime:Walker Davis.

Parker groaned, barely cracking one eye open. “If this is about Cole’sRolling Stonearticle, I swear?—”

I snatched up his phone before he could finish. “Ooo, let’s see what Big Brother Davis wants.”

Matty perked up. “Does this mean I get to watch Parker get bullied in real-time?”

“Absolutely.” I grinned, answering the call.

Walker’s face filled the screen, looking entirely too put together for a Saturday. He was in some swanky hotel room, probably on the road with his NHL team, the Dallas Knights. And sitting next to him, grinning like he was about to cause problems on purpose?

Ari Lancaster.

Star defenseman…and possibly my hero and who I wanted to be when I grew up.

Not that I would admit that to him. He’d never let me hear the end of it.

“Youfinallypicked up, jackass,” Walker said before his eyes focused, his frown deepening. “Oh. Jace?”

I smirked. “’Sup, WalkerDisneyDavis?”

“You don’t have to say my full name,” Walker sighed.

Matty snorted as Parker grumbled, rubbing his face. “That’s not youractualname. I hope you know that.”

“He wishes it was his full name,” I said.

Ari leaned into the screen, pointing. “Thatcher.”

I saluted. “Lancaster.”

“Question.” Ari squinted at me. “Your hair during the last game. Was I imagining that?”

Matty perked up, eyes gleaming. “Oh, I love where this is going.”

Parker sat up, suddenly interested. “I love where this is going as well.”

I smirked at both of them, because I appreciated their attention. “‘As well,’” I mimicked. “So proper, Mr. Big Brain.”

Ari snorted, and I preened.

Running a hand through my hair, I rolled my shoulders, completely unbothered. “You jealous of my luscious locks, Lancaster?”

Ari grinned. “Nah, just concerned, buddy. Because last I checked, you’re not an Instagram influencer from Miami.”

Parker was eyeing me, like he could tell I was getting all giddy inside because Ari Lancaster had called me “buddy.”

Walker shook his head and examined me. “Or an eleven-year-old at summer camp.”

Matty started dying like Walker had actually said something funny. Which he hadn’t.

---