Page 51 of Games We Play (Thistle Cove 2)

“He doesn’t think I’m good enough for you.”

“What?” He frowns. “What the hell are you talking about?”

“The final night of float building when I was in the kitchen. He told me that you needed to focus on football—not girls. Not me, for sure.”

“Too bad that’s not his decision.” My hand shake as I tie my shoes. Ezra steps over and wraps his arms around me. “No one gets to decide who is important to me, KK, especially not my dad, who’s barely around himself. Come on, I’ll drive you home.”

“What about your dad?”

“I’ll deal with him when I get home.”

The last thing I want is to face Mr. Baxter again, so I follow him to the garage. My heart pounds, not just for myself, but for Ezra. His dad is hard on him. Will this push him over the edge?

He leaves me by the SUV. “Wait here.”

He kisses my forehead and walks insi

de. Angry voices carry through the shut door, but Ezra remerges, jaw clenched tight. He nods for me to get in the car, and I move quickly.

“Is he pissed?”

“Yeah, he’s pissed. At me, not you.” The garage door opens, and he backs up. At the end of the driveway he stops the car and says, “My dad is an asshole. Selfish, egotistical, driven. Right now, all he can see is that state ring. I don’t even give a shit about it, but I compromised to keep him off my back.” He holds my eye. “I will not compromise when it comes to you, got it?”

“We can lay off until the end of the season. It’s okay.”

He shakes his head. “No, it’s not. He has to understand he doesn’t control everything and everyone. Not you and not me.”

I take his hand. “Just be careful.”

He pulls into the street and takes me home, dropping me a few houses away. The lights are still off, meaning Mr. Baxter didn’t call and wake up my parents. I kiss him quickly, then ease out of the car, shutting the door quietly behind me. I wave when I get to the front porch and he drives off.

My heartrate doesn’t slow until I’m in bed, under the covers. It’s not getting caught that’s bothering me, or even Ezra fighting with this dad. It’s the dark look Mr. Baxter gave me when he looked at me on the bed, barely dressed. It’s the fact he has something on me that he can hold over my head.

Mr. Baxter already has too much power in this town.

I don’t want him to have it over me too.

30

Finn

“Ice and rest your shoulder for the rest of the day, and you’ll be fine for the game tomorrow.”

“Are you sure?” I ask Jenna, the team trainer, over the sound of tape ripping. I’m sitting on a padded table in the athletic training room. She’s looped the adhesive around my arm to secure a bag of ice to my shoulder. “About the game, that is.”

“Yeah, I’m sure. I mean, if it hurts let me know, but this is just precautionary. Coach Chandler wants you well rested for tomorrow.” Her walkie-talkie crackles and one of the coaches asks her to head out to the field to check on a player. “Close the door when you leave, okay?”

“Thanks, Jen.”

“No problem, Finn.” She grins and pushes back her gray hair. “You guys are going to nail the title tomorrow night, but it’ll be a lot harder if you’re not at your best.”

She walks out, grabbing her cooler of ice and bandages. I look down at the ice pack and shift it a little. It’s cold as fuck, but it masks the slight pain I’d been having since the last game.

“Finn? What happened?”

I look up and see Kenley in the door. Her expression is concerned, her blue eyes wide and worried. She steps through the door and drops her backpack by the cabinet filled with supplies.

“Hey,” I say, happy to see her. “It’s not a big deal. Just icing my shoulder before the game tomorrow night. It’s been a little sore all week.”

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