Page 32 of The Future Play

Me: You think very highly of yourself to be worthy of the event queen’s time.

Baseball Boy: Since I named you the event queen, I think I should jump to the top of your priority list. Don’t worry. I know how you can make it up to me.

Me: Is it something dirty?

Baseball Boy: Would you like it or hate it if it was?

Me: Depends on what the dirty thing is. I’ve never tried anal, so that might be a dealbreaker.

Baseball Boy: Jesus Christ.

Me: How red are your cheeks??

Baseball Boy: Not at all. You don’t know me.

Me: Mhm. So how dirty are we getting?

Baseball Boy: You? I don’t know. I’ll probably be plenty dirty and sweaty tonight… I have a baseball game. And since you owe me, I figured you might want to come.

I get a stupid smile on my face at that. We’ve been joking about me going to see him pitch since we first met, but knowing he actually wants me to come makes me feel all gooey inside.

But before I can respond, my phone is yanked from my hand.

“No phones at brunch,” Jace says sweetly. “Now where’s the new bestie? I need to suss out the competition.”

I snatch my phone back, then, resisting the urge to look at it or type a reply, I tuck it in my purse. “She should be here any minute. And there’s no competition. You’ll always be a sister to me.”

She shakes her head. “That’s just because you wanted me to marry your butt munch of a brother.” She says it so smoothly, most people might not notice the hint of pain beneath it, but Jace and I have a similar shared pain. People who made us think they loved us but didn’t choose us.

My ex did it to me. Josh did it to her. Dumbass. Especially because Jace is a total catch. She’s sweet, smart, funny—not to mention gorgeous with her golden-brown hair and freckles.

“More like I wanted my brother to marryyou. You were always way too good for him. I could never wish a lifetime of marriage to Josh on anyone I like.”

She laughs at that, then grabs my hand. “Oh my god.”

“What?” I look in the same direction and see Rae walking toward us.

Then Jace starts laughing, and the second Rae sees us, she stops and starts laughing too.

“Okay, what am I missing?”

Rae strolls over, her smile as bright and warm as the sun shining on us.

“I should’ve put this together,” Rae says.

Jace turns to me. “You mentioned all the girls’ names together, so it never registered for me, but it should have.”

“What?” I ask.

“Okay, so you know how Sarah and Mackie love to pick on me about the”—she glances at Jace—“douchey guy I dated in high school to avoid my feelings for Aaron?”

“Yes. It’s part of the friend group canon.”

“I think I probably mentioned his first name—Davey—but not his last. Edwards.”

I whip my head from Rae to Jace. My best friend and next-door neighbor. JaceEdwards. Then my head swivels back to Rae again. “Wait. Your douchey ex was Jace’s cousin?”

Jace shrugs. “I love him, but… yeah. Unfortunately, sometimes he can be that way.” She elbows me. “You know how that goes.”

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