Page 88 of Plays Well With Others

She grins. “Maybe he’d date me, then.”

What???I want to lunge at her.

No, he won’t date you. He won’t date anyone if he can’t date me—don’t you get it?

Whoa. Where did that nasty, green-eyed creature come from?

I try to shake off the jealousy. To accept that Carter’s an unattached man. If I want to make it clear that we’re just friends—friends with temporary benefits—I have to acknowledge that he’s on the market.

“You never know,” I say, hoping my breezy tone is believable. “But I hope your farmers’ market date is great.”

I hope it goes so well you marry the guy and have ten babies.

“Me too,” she says, then her gaze snags on a sun pendant. “I think I’ll take this necklace too.”

“It’s going to look great on your date,” I say,and you will tell your future children all about the night you met their dad.

As I’m wrapping it up, she glances at her phone one more time, then at me with a thoughtful look. “You know, you should make an eggplant necklace.”

When she leaves, I’m no longer strategizing how to tie her hands so she can never swipe right on Carter. I’m whipping my gaze to Fable, already picturing the purple veggie hanging on a silver chain. That’s brilliant. That’s like money-tree-level brilliant.

“Can you do that?” I whisper. The idea is too precious to say aloud.

“I’m on it,” she says, then I hear a familiar voice.

“Looks like you two are up to trouble.”

Warmth sizzles down my spine. “You came by,” I say, a smile overtaking me when Carter strolls closer. Did my words come out kind of dreamy-sounding? I think they did.

“We were getting some ice cream,” he says, nodding toward his teammate. Malik Hamlin’s by his side.

“He treated me. Because I’m better than him,” Malik deadpans.

“At what?” I ask, taking the bait.

“Everything,” Malik says.

Carter laughs. “Whatever you tell yourself to sleep better.”

Malik’s gaze strays to our table and to some chains for men. “Oh, sweet. I need a new gold chain,” he says.

“You’d look fine in this one,” Fable says, tapping one for him.

He meets her gaze. “You think so?”

“I’m never wrong,” she says.

There’s a glint in Malik’s eyes as he says, “I’ll take it.”

Damn. Easiest sale ever.

Carter shoots me a look that saysDamn, Malik moves fast.

I give him one that saysI know!

Then, I let my gaze linger on Carter a little longer. His forest-green T-shirt hugs his pecs and shows off his biceps. The ends of his hair are a little wet.

While Fable rings up Malik’s purchase, Carter leans a little closer. “Thanks for the shirtless soap,” he says in a low voice, just for me.

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