Page 28 of Changing Rules

“I’ll be back in a couple of hours,” I say. I’ll talk to her when I get home. For sure. “I might as well run some errands after lunch, since I’m already out.”

“Well, then,” she replies, her tone lightening up a little. “See you in a couple of hours. Love you.”

I hurriedly end the call, realizing I told Stacey I’d be here five minutes ago, and tap on her number. “Hey. I’m parked out front.”

“Give me a minute,” Stacey chirps. “What are you driving?”

“A Porsche.”

“I should’ve known.” With a giggle, she hangs up.

I smile involuntarily. I’ve always loved expensive luxury cars, and Stacey heard all about my fascination in college.

“Hey.” She opens the passenger door and slips in. Once her seat belt’s buckled, she shifts so she’s facing me. “I usually go to a nearby café for lunch, but with you, it won’t be safe. So, drive.”

“Won’t be safe?”

“Did you forget who you are?” she teases. “Preseason starts next month. I’m sure the media’s anxious for fresh gossip about the players. They’re probably dying to dig into what you’ve all been up to during your time off. New couples, new breakups. And you being the star quarterback? You’re their prime target. Alexander Walker, the panty-dropper.”

“Whoa.” I laugh loudly, throwing my head back. “I am definitely not that.”

“We dated,” Stacey states nonchalantly, amusing me even more.

I was right but also wrong—she’s totally different. The Stacey from college, even the happy, carefree Stacey, was never this bold.

“I remember.” Our eyes lock for a second.

“Turn left at the light.”

I nod. “How was your morning?”

She huffs a loud sigh. “Your sister kept me busy all morning. She’s around way more often than she needs to be. I’m trying to figure out her motives.”

With a shrug, I hum. “That’s how Audrey is. You probably forgot.”

“Maybe you’re right. She’s your sister, after all. I was only her friend, and not for very long.”

Once we’re parked at the lunch spot Stacey directed me to, she quickly strides away from the car. “Let’s go. I don’t have much time, so we better hurry.”

The moment we step inside, it’s clear she’s a regular here. She greets the owner, an older man with a bushy mustache, who calls her by name. Once we’ve got our pad Thai with pork, we sit at a table near the window.

Already, it’s hard not to notice how easy the vibe is between us.

“So, why did you want to see me?” Stacey tilts her head to the side, her focus intent on me.

“I don’t really know,” I tell her honestly. “When I saw you at dinner the other night, I was amazed. You’ve changed so much since the last time I saw you.”

“Thank my therapist for that.” She takes a sip of her soda. “Trust me, it didn’t happen overnight. It took a lot of time, a lot of tears, and hundreds of long talks, but here I am. I’ll never, ever let anyone treat me the way I let people treat me in the past. I’ve learned how to stand up for myself. So, yeah, I am different now.”

“It’s so good to hear that.” My chest fills with pride and affection. “I’m happy he didn’t ruin you.”

“He didn’t ruin me.” She sets her fork on the table and straightens. “You didn’t ruin me either.”

My heart stumbles. “Me?”

“You.” She folds her arms across her chest. “Jake did me wrong. That’s true. He drugged me and raped me to prove a point to you. But you? You were the one who broke me.”

The food in my mouth turns to ash, making it difficult to swallow.

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