Page 105 of End Game
“That’s super sweet,” Poppy teases, “but I’m gonna need an apology.”
“I’m sorry, baby.”
She squeals, running towards him and wrapping her legs around his waist. “That took you long enough.”
“You’re so damn hard-headed.”
“Hey!” I say, shaking my head. “Can this be about me for like ten seconds? I don’t know what to do.”
“Strong women create new challenges and we’re gonna have to draw some new plays, Branch,” Finn says.
“That’s your plan? That’s all you got? This is your sister, one you’ve already punched me in the face—twice—over and you tell me to draw new plays? Can you at least, like, tell me to leave her alone or something?”
Finn kisses Poppy, and then, only reluctantly, does he pull his gaze away to me. “I always do what’s best for Layla.”
“I know.”
He grins. “So go get her, asshole.”
“But . . .”
“If you’d walk away from her to make her happy, that tells me you’d literally do anything to keep a smile on her face. So you goand do that while I use your guest bedroom to get reacquainted with my girl.”
As they walk out of the room, Poppy throws her head back and looks at me upside-down. “Make it good. Go get her and don’t give her another option but to say yes.”
To say yes . . .
I grab my keys and head to my car. The key in the ignition, I head out of my subdivision and onto the highway. Nowhere to go, no one to see, I just need space and fresh air before I do something really stupid.
Like the universe is playing some kind of game, everywhere I look, I see happy couples. Couples with children. Families skipping down the sidewalk. They’re everywhere, like it’s some kind of family day out.
As I stop at a light, I notice a little girl. She’s holding her father’s hand. Hair as blonde as the sun is pulled into two little pigtails with pink ribbons on each side. She looks up and smiles like she knows me, like she’s trying to tell me something. It’s eerie as hell.
The light changes to green and I hit the accelerator hard, my heart strumming wildly in my chest.
Part of my predicament is clear: I can’t half-ass it with Layla. It’s all or nothing, one way or the other. It needs to be nothing because that makes sense. It’s logical. It’s safe. But as I turn the corner, my tires screeching against asphalt in a totally not-safe fashion, I realize my mistake.
Sometimes that play that wins the game isn’t the safe one. It’s not the pass over the middle that will definitely get you ten yards. It’s the Hail Mary at the end that you toss up with nothing but a prayer.
CHAPTER 32
LAYLA
Exposé Sexy Dad Alert: Best a Baby Daddy?
We caught up with embattled Branch Best last night at the Hopetown Mall. The charismatic (and sexy as hell) wide receiver had a little something to say about recent headlines surrounding him.
Turns out Branch is going to be a father with Finn Miller’s sister, Layla James. According to Branch, Callum’s statement was nothing more than an attempt to make Layla look bad in a bout of jealousy. Branch insists this is a non-issue.
When asked if this means he’s off the market, our favorite hottie said, and we quote, “I’m going to be the best father I can be in every way.”
We don’t know what that means, exactly, but we can’t wait for our ovaries to explode with pictures of him with a baby.
Toying with the necklace around my neck, I peer into the refrigerator. There’s nothing in there that looks good. Of course, the box of food delivered earlier today from Branch’s deliveryservice is in there, but I moved it to the back and created a wall with milk, juice, bacon, and a very creatively positioned tub of Greek yogurt so I don’t have to see it.
Sure, it would’ve been easier to throw it away. But I can’t do that either. I like having it in there. I’ll probably even eat it later. But every time I see it right now it makes me sad.
I’ve been sad for two days now, ever since he left. He’s called a few times and I’ve sent them to voicemail because there’s nothing to say. Anything he does say will make me cry and I’m not going to cry. I’m going to find Layla James, the one pre-Branch, pre-baby, pre- . . . love. I’m going to stop with this weak girl nonsense.
