Page 93 of Playmaker

I took a swallow of the beer, the cool liquid refreshing in my throat. “The same as ever. I told them to fuck off. We’ll see how that plays out.”

“Sorry.”

Hunter didn’t know everything about my family, but he’d been to visit and he knew enough. I didn’t share with anyone about my brother and my ex, and fuck why I’d told Callie. Pierce had figured out she was my soft spot and gone after her. Exactly why I didn’t want to have a soft spot. Thinking of Callie made me swallow more beer.

As if my thoughts had conjured her in his brain, Hunts asked, “Where’s Callie?”

“Probably at her place.” When his eyebrows shot up, I broke the news. “We’re over. Whatever the fuck you want to call what we were doing, it’s done.”

His forehead furrowed. “Why? I thought you two were getting along.”

I smiled, but there was no humor in it. “She’s had enough. She can handle the club and the golf tournament. And with the wedding over, she’s done.”

Hunter sat up. “What the hell? Why?”

I couldn’t answer that.

“Wait, did she end it?”

My gut burned, but I nodded and drained the last of the beer.

“Why? What did you do?”

I hadn’t done anything, had I? “Apparently she’s getting feelings, so she’s bailing.”

Hunter was wide-awake now. “What?”

My beer was empty and I wanted another. But I was too damned wiped to get up off the couch. I didn’t want to move, ever again.

“Did you tell her you have feelings too?”

Hunter had to be more exhausted than I’d thought. How long had Faith been gone? “No.”

“Then go tell her!”

“I’m not going to lie to her, Hunts.” Not like it would work anyway.

“Oh don’t be an idiot. You have feelings.”

I sighed. I leaned my head against the back of the couch, staring at the ceiling. “Sure, I liked her. But not what you’re talking about.” I’d blocked anything like that years ago.

“Are you stupid? I’ve been with you a long time. This woman—she was different.”

She was. But that wasn’t a path I wanted to follow. “Hunts, it was going to end sometime. Might as well be now.”

“Why did it have to end?”

“What did you think would happen? We’d get married and have babies and live happily ever after?”

“What’s wrong with that?”

“Nothing. It’s great—for the right people.”

“You don’t think you’re the right people?”

I shook my head. “I know I’m not. It’s like…pool.”

“Huh?”

---