Page 3 of Make Your Play

She walks between Carson and me, her movements hurried as she swiftly disappears around the corner of the building. I don’t know if I feel more turned on or more ashamed of what the fuck just happened. I shouldn’t have let myself get carried away like that with her.

The silence stretches between Carson and me before he finally speaks. “What was that?”

My eyes slice to him. “Nothing,” I tell him, my voice gruff. “It was nothing and you saw nothing—got it?”

Carson stares at me for a moment. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Without sharing another word, I get my shit together and my clothing back in order before we head back into the gala. From across the room, Riley’s gaze meets mine. In a crowded room, somehow she always seems to capture my attention. Her stare lingers for a beat before I’m pulled in a different direction, severing the moment, but it doesn’t sever the memory lingering in my brain.

A secret Riley and I share.

A secret my sister can never find out about.

CHAPTER ONE

RILEY

PRESENT

Sitting on the couch, the fireplace flickers off to my right and I stare out the window watching the snow as it begins to fall from the sky above. The winters in Aston were never kind. They were always brutal and relentless. The flurries aren’t big in size and they’re falling at a slower pace—for now. They’re calling for at least a foot, but we usually end up with more than they anticipate because of the cold air that sweeps across the Great Lakes.

“Here,” Nova says as she steps in front of me, handing me a warm mug that has marshmallows crowding around the top of the cup. “I made sure to put extra in it for you.”

A smile pulls on my lips and I adjust myself on the couch, stretching out my legs as I take it from her. She’s added extra marshmallows to make up for the fact that I can’t have the fun hot chocolate the rest of the adults are drinking. I’m stuck with a virgin version.

I look up at my best friend as she sits down on the base of the fireplace and winks at me. This is Nova and Lincoln’s firstChristmas in their new house, so they decided to combine their annual Christmas Eve party with a housewarming one. Nova has been bouncing back and forth between tending to Posey while trying to entertain the rest of the guests.

I’ve been relatively useless, keeping to myself as I wallow in my sorrows on the couch. These past few months have been a roller coaster of emotions and stress. A combination of shitty news from my doctor and being alone for the holidays has been hitting me deep in my chest.

“Hey.”

I turn my gaze away from the fireplace, glancing in the direction of where the deep voice came from. Carson Ford, one of the star defensemen from the Aston Archers takes a seat on the couch right beside me. The heady smell of his cologne tickles my nose and I give him a smile.

“Hey, Carson.”

He stares at me for a moment, assessing me with his dark gray eyes. “You seem sad. What’s going on?”

I know Carson well enough that his assessment isn’t unwarranted. I wouldn’t go to the lengths of saying we’re friends, but more so good acquaintances. He plays hockey with Nova’s boyfriend Lincoln and her brother Nash. I know Carson more from association…

And the night at the gala when he saw me with my hand shoved down Nash Simmons’s pants.

Such a good look.

“Oh, you know,” I start with a shrug, and roll my eyes as I place my hand on my noticeable stomach. “Just starring in my own Hallmark movie. Pregnant and alone for the holidays.”

Carson winces, as if he can feel the pain, but he can’t. Luckily for him, he’ll never find himself in the same position I’m in. “Any asshole who doesn’t step up when he gets someone pregnant is someone you don’t need in your life.” He pauses, taking a slowsip of his glass of bourbon as he looks around the house. My gaze follows his, drifting across the people scattered throughout Nova and Lincoln’s home. “He’s a piece of shit, Riley.”

I tilt my head to the side as Carson’s eyes meet mine once more. He’s not wrong, but I’m also to blame for this mess. Sleeping with Chad was a drunken mistake I made after only talking to him for a month or so.

When I found out I was pregnant, I really only told him as a courtesy. I didn’t want anything from him and wasn’t expecting a grand gesture or a relationship. I also wasn’t expecting him to tell me he had no plans for a child. He went on to accuse me of it not even being his, so I dropped the issue. I let it go.

“You’re better off without him,” he muses out loud as he looks around the room again. His movements are slow and a smirk drifts across his lips as he scoots closer and throws his arm over the back of the couch. “How have things been going?”

“Just peachy,” I lie with a snort, a laugh following the sound as I give him the fakest smile. He doesn’t need to know all my problems, so I give him the shortened version. “I’m stressed beyond belief, so I’m just going to pretend like things are fine and drink my weight in hot chocolate while I rot on the couch.”

“Lincoln will probably kick you out before you fully decompose.”

He gives me a serious look before his expression cracks and a string of laughter falls from his lips. I can’t help but laugh with him at the truth behind it. After living with Nash, Lincoln seems to be craving some alone time with Nova and I can’t say I blame him.

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