Page 108 of Play to Win

I saw him on TV too, looking so handsome and professional in his suit and tie.

“Can I come in?I need to talk to you.”

“Why me?”I stare at him as I move aside to let him enter the condo.

He walks in.“Because you know Théo.You know what’s going on with him.”

“Uh ...yeah.”I’m not sure what he’s talking about.I move around him and lead the way to the living room, gesturing at the couch.“Have a seat.Can I get you anything?Coffee?”

“Nah.I’m good.This is a great place.”He crosses to the big couch.

“It is.”I sit in an armchair.“Okay, what’s going on?”

“Did he tell you about ...Emma and me?What happened?”

“You mean when you both betrayed him and stabbed him in the back?”I narrow my eyes at him.“Yes.He told me.”

He winces.“I need to know something.”

I chew on my bottom lip.“What?”

“What did Théo tell you about Emma?About how things ended?”

I think back.“He said he found her cheating on him with you.He said ...you were staying with him last summer.Visiting Vegas for a while.He came home early and found you two on the couch ...”

JP hangs his head, nodding.“Did he tell you that he’d already broken up with her before that happened?”

I frown.“No.”I squint at him.“I don’t think that makes it much better, frankly, if you’re looking for forgiveness.”

He shakes his head.“That’s not what I’m looking for.I know I fucked up.Big-time.”

“Yep.”I nod firmly.“But in any case, no ...they were still together when that happened.”I pause.“Weren’t they?”

“Emma told me they weren’t.She told me she’d ended things with him, because she had feelings for me.We’d been hanging around for a couple of weeks, mostly with Théo, but sometimes just she and I would do things ...chill at the pool, or go to a show when he was busy.There was an ...attraction between us.”He swipes a hand over his face and looks away.“I was at Théo’s place when she showed up.She said she came to get some of her things she’d left there.I know I shouldn’t have hooked up with her, regardless, but it was hard to resist when she was right there coming on to me, and she’s really hot and she was telling me how great I was compared to Théo ...who’s always,alwaysbeen better than me at everything.”

My eyes fly open wide.I stare at him.Then I slowly stand and move over to the couch to sit next to him, my heart swelling with sympathy.I can imagine Théowasa hard older brother to live up to—not only athletically talented, but brilliant.And insanely gorgeous.But I say, “I’m sure that’s not true.”

“It’s true.And I lost my mind.”He shakes his head.“It’s okay, this has all just proved that point.Heisbetter than me.”His tone is laced with bitterness.

I actually do feel sorry for him, even though he did a terrible thing and hurt Théo.“Backing up, though ...”I say slowly.“Emma lied to you about ending things with Théo.”

“Apparently.Théo didn’t exactly want to have a conversation about it.He kicked us both out.We drove back to L.A.together.He wouldn’t talk to me about it.”

“Do you blame him?”I level an incredulous stare on him.

“No.”He sighs.“I get it.But ...I just found out that Emma recently told him the same thing ...that we’d broken up.”

“Ohhh.”I nibble my bottom lip.“How did you find out about that?”

“Everly.”

I suck in a long, slow breath and let it out.Well, I never told her that was a secret, and shewastalking about trying to help JP and Théo get past this.I don’t know if Everly told him she heard it from me, though.“I see.”

“She wanted to get back with him.”

I nod.“Yeah.He told me.”

“Oh.Okay.Wow.That’s ...great.”

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