Page 104 of The Games We Play
Then he turned his head toward me, voice low and steady. “If you want to pretend it didn’t happen because that’s what you need, fine. But I won’t.”
“I’m not pretending,” I said, barely above a whisper. “I just… I don’t know what to do with it.”
“Then don’t do anything,” he said, his voice like gravel and velvet all at once.
I swallowed hard, not sure how to relieve the ache that started to press into my chest.
We sat in silence for a minute, yet it was anything but quiet because my mind was swirling.
Every nerve in me was alive, way too aware of his proximity. My fingers curled around the edge of the log just to keep them from doing something stupid.
“You always did know how to get under my skin,” I murmured.
Mac leaned closer, his voice a breath against my ear. “That’s because you’ve always let me.”
The hairs on the back of my neck stood up, and my whole body went still, except for my heart—my traitorous, unrelenting heart—pounding like a drum against my ribs.
I turned my head, only slightly, and there he was. So close.
Too close.
Not close enough at the same time.
“She’s coming!” Aspen hissed, snapping my attention away from Mac.
Rhodes, Theo, Boone, and Aspen stood off to the side, waiting for Ellie. Logan was in charge of distracting her and leading her here. It was his job to make sure the surprise went off without a hitch.
Even though I looked away from Mac, I could still feel the weight of his fixed look on me, like a tether pulling tight between us, and it left a buzz under my skin I couldn’t shake.
Voices drifted through the trees, quiet at first, then clearer as footsteps approached. A few moments later, Ellie stepped through the clearing. She stopped short, her long blond hair catching the dappled sunlight as she reached up and tucked a few strands behind her ears.
“Surprise!” we all yelled, the word echoing across the water and into the woods.
Ellie blinked, eyes wide, and then broke into a breathless laugh. Her gaze swept over the setup—the pop-up table full of snacks, the coolers loaded with drinks, the blankets and floaties scattered across the grass—and finally landed on us.
“What the heck?” she asked, putting her hand over her chest.
Aspen was the first to reach her, wrapping her in a hug. “We wanted to throw you a little birthday get-together.”
“We figured something small, just the core group,” Rhodes added, smiling warmly.
Ellie turned toward Logan. “Did you know about this?”
He shrugged with a grin that betrayed him instantly. “Maybe.”
She swatted his arm, laughing. When she turned back, Logan touched the spot like it still tingled, the grin lingering on his face even when he thought no one was watching.
Everyone began settling in—grabbing drinks, finding seats, tossing jokes across the circle. Ellie, beaming, finally declared, “Okay. Enough chit-chat. I’m getting in the water.”
This spot had always been a Cassidy family favorite—full of childhood memories, secret teenage parties, and sun-drenched summer days. The trees created a shaded canopy overhead, the light filtering through in golden specks. The water shimmered beneath it, clear and inviting.
Boone was the first to make a splash, leaping in with a front flip. Mac followed with a running start and some kind of half-twist that sent water crashing over the rocks.
I set my drink carefully on a nearby boulder and backed up a few steps.
With a grin, I took off running, launching myself into the air and mimicking Boone’s flip. For a second, I flew, and then the cool water welcomed me in a rush.
I let myself sink, the shock of the temperature calming my overheated skin. I stayed under just a moment longer than necessary, eyes closed, savoring the quiet.
