Page 76 of Play Maker

Iz rings an imaginary bell. “Ding, ding, ding!”

For a brief second, I think I’m off the hook.

“I’m thinking Grimes was more like a lumberjack of lust.” Izzy wags her brows.

“I hate you all,” I say around my laugh, grabbing a pillow and hurling it at her.

“Youdid, didn’t you?” Syd points a perfectly manicured finger at me. “I can tell by your laugh. You sound like a woman who’s had her walls repainted.”

“Okay, ew,” Greer groans, holding her belly.

“I am not confirming or denying anything,” I say, holding up my hands.

“I bet she rode him like he was late for kickoff,” Izzy mutters into her hot cocoa.

“I’m going to put glitter in your shampoo,” I warn.

“For real, put us out of our misery.”

“It wasn’t that night.” I smile, loving that they’re wrong … for once. “It was the night before, the night of the storm.”

“She limped the next night,” Mags throws in. “Just a little.”

“Idid not!”

The girls all erupt.

Syd fans herself. “On a scale of one to holy-hell-I-see-stars?”

I grin despite myself. “Somewhere between sweet mercy and full blackout.”

Izzy shrieks. “Yes! Lauren Brooks isalive!”

And I laugh—full, and free, and so loud that Greer looks at the Teddy cam app.

“You went from despising him to boinking in—” Mags snaps her fingers.

“No, she called dibs on him from the get-go.” Izzy smiles softly.

“Who didyoucall dibs on again?” Mags asks.

Iz answers, “Cody Warren, now married, with triplets.”

“And in a thrupple,” Greer adds.

“Have you seen Dean Costello?” Iz fans herself. “I kick myself daily for fumbling that play.”

Riley and I exchange a glance, saying neither of us remembers it being Cody.

“So that was one hell of a storm.” Riley winks.

“I can’t wait till the storm comes for me.” Mags sighs dramatically.

“Gotta wait for the right storm,” I tell her.

Riley gives a soft demand, “Don’t settle for anything less than a perfect one.”

“Those wrong storms could cost you more than you’d ever imagined,” Syd says quietly.

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