Page 89 of False Play
He gripped my shoulder. “Hey, look at me.” When I did, he shook his head. “We’re not going to do this. What do I always say?”
“We win as a team, and lose as a team,” I mumbled.
He nodded like a proud dad. “Exactly. So get your head out of your ass and keep working on your reputation.”
“Kennedy is doing all the heavy work, I’m just showing up where she wants me.” I laughed.
“She’s damn good at her job.”
“That she is,” I beamed.
“You like her a lot.” He pointed it out like a statement, not a question.
I gripped the back of my neck with a sheepish shrug. “She’s cool, I guess.”
“You want me to drop the topic, don’t you?” He grinned.
“Yes, please.”
“Just…be careful, okay?” He pursed his lips in doubt. “I know a lot of people have this perception of Kennedy that she’s mean or whatever, but she’s a nice girl.”
“I know,” I whispered.
She was too good for me, but I was too selfish to let her go.
“Can you guys stop fucking around?”I shouted at Hayes and Parker. They had been getting on my last nerve since we got back from the store.
“Ohh, is Cat Daddy getting angry?” Hayes asked, faking a shiver.
“Is Cat Daddy going tospankus?” Parker threw an exaggerated wink my way.
“Here I thought you were a sensible man,” I mumbled to Parker as I placed the red cups upside down on the table.
“Sensible men can also have fun,” Hayes chimed in.
“What the hell do you know about being sensible?” Owens asked dryly.
“I’ll have you know, I’m a kind, sensible, and generous man. Tell him why, Anderson.”
I scoffed. “Debatable.”
He crossed his arms, visibly offended. “Oh, so I guess having your sister as my roommate isn’t a generous thing to do at all?”
Morgan was in the middle of pouring the hot chocolate into all the thermoses we bought, but his eyes flicked to mine in shock. “Olivia is moving here?”
I nodded. “Whatever happened with Holt was bad enough that she wants a fresh start. She’ll be here probably by next season. If not before.”
“Why isn’t she moving in with you?” Owens asked.
“I offered to turn Sush’s room into another guest room, but you know my sister.” I rolled my eyes at the reminder of the lengthy discussion we had about it. “I managed to convince her to live with Hayes for a few months until she gets back on her feet. That way I can keep an eye on her without invading her space, you know?”
Morgan whistled. “Bold move, Anderson.”
“Terrible,” Owens added.
“Hey!” Hayes frowned. “I’ve known Olivia since we were like fourteen. We were neighbors when they moved to Oklahoma.”
Morgan nodded thoughtfully. “So she can see past your bullshit, got it. That makes more sense.”
