Page 69 of The Forever Play

I snicker.

Me: How’d you know?

Celly: Of course I know what you’re doing. Have fun!

I send her a few kiss emojis, then glance at the TV. I’mactually watching an old football game. Or at least the highlights of it.

Denver Broncos versus Seattle Seahawks.

I’m watching with half an eye, playing a game of Puzzle Blocks on my phone and getting increasingly bored. Restless, I rise from the couch and head to the kitchen, opening the pantry and eyeing the candy box on the top shelf.

“You don’t need it,” I remind myself as I reach for the tin and open the lid, picking out the packet of Nerds Zander bought me and downing a mouthful. I crunch through them, loving the fake watermelon taste before scoring myself one more mouthful, then flinching when there’s a knock at the door.

I go still, my heart rate spiking as I return the candy box to the top shelf of the pantry and shuffle to the entranceway. I’m wearing a Tigger onesie right now. Zoey and I bought matching ones, and she wanted to wear them tonight. Do I quickly whip it off before answering the door? But I’m only wearing skimpy pajamas underneath.

Screw it. Just embarrass yourself and answer the door looking like a Disney character. Who cares what people think as long as you’re not standing there half naked.

Alone and half naked.

Twitchy, I inch toward the front door, wondering if I should grab a fry pan first.

It worked for Rapunzel, right?

“Uh… one second.”

“Sen, it’s me.”

Zander’s voice stops me mid-step, and I pivot back toward the door and quickly unlock the bolt.

Pulling the door open, I stare at him under the yellow porch light, loving the way the shadows cascade across his face, accentuating his chiseled features. He’s so good-looking it hurts. The smile on his face is adorable as he drinks me in.

“Cute.” He points at me, and I glance down, cringing at how ridiculous I must look.

“Zoey’s got one, too, and…” I shrug.

“I like it.”

I can’t help a soft laugh and turn so he can check out the tail. Wiggling my butt, I give it a swish, and he snickers but doesn’t break into a proper laugh.

Actually, he looks kind of tortured and unsettled standing outside the front door, scuffing his Converse on the concrete.

“Hey, are you okay?” I whisper.

“Yeah. I just…” He winces and looks over his shoulder. “Please don’t think I’m a big stalker or anything, but I saw that the hockey team’s at an away game, and I figured…” He gives me a helpless shrug. “I just wanted to check that you and Zoey were okay… by yourselves.”

My lips curl into a teasing smile. “You don’t think I can handle it?”

“I absolutely think you can handle it.” He gives me a reassuring nod, then licks his lips before softly confessing, “And maybe I don’t just want to check on you.”

“What do you mean?”

“Maybe I want to see if you’d like to hang out… without Russell sending me hate vibes and my teammates…” His shoulder hitches. “Being my teammates.” A pleading look flashes across his face before he pulls his features into line.

My insides dance, a ticklish thrill racing down the back of my legs. It’s pure temptation and zero logical thought.

Which is why I pull the door open wide enough for him to enter. It’s why I take a quick sniff of his delicious cologne-plus-man smell, and it’s why I shut the door behind me and have to clamp my lips against the giddy giggle that wants to pop out of me.

Zander’s here.

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