Page 64 of Play Your Part

“The team is winning, that’s the story. No one cares about that old picture,” Kennedy said, perched on the arm of the couch.

Deandra slid her phone across the couch to Kennedy. “That’s not what the internet says.”

Kennedy’s eyes scanned the screen, getting larger at whatever she read. “People like drama, but that’s all died down, hasn’t it? Maybe we… quietly end this.”

I gritted my teeth against the tightness in my chest. We agreed to three months, but she wanted out now. If the bolting from my room after we hooked up the other night didn’t make it clear, her wanting out of this arrangement hammered her feelings home.

She regretted what happened between us, while I lived in those memories. Losing this complication I couldn’t afford sent a ripple of panic through me. I needed more time to figure out what it meant.

If we ended our arrangement now, we would never talk about what happened between us. We’d lose whatever relationship we built. And there wassomething. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have texted night and day while I was on the road. It would have died out eventually, but neither of us let it.

“You think attention is going todie downjust before Justin Ward comes to town?” Deandra laughed as she snatched her phone back.

Kennedy straightened. “He’s… when is he coming back?”

“Next Wednesday. Two nights after the fundraiser.”

“We should go together,” I said carelessly. Desperately. At least my voice sounded casual. I stopped hovering in the kitchen and strode into the room where they sat. “Think about it. If we’re pictured there together, someone will ask Ward, and he’ll spout off at the mouth like he always does. It’ll drum up our rivalry right before the game, and more people will want to be there.”

Deandra clucked her tongue. “You know, Volkov, sometimes I like you.”

“But do you need all of that?” Kennedy pressed. She spoke to Deandra rather than me. “Hasn’t winning helped with attendance and with Volk’s image?”

Her use of my hockey nickname scraped my chest. “Not enough,” I said, unable to stop myself.

Kennedy’s eyes didn’t stray from Deandra, wanting her to confirm what I said.

“His press coverage has improved, but we need more time. And the extra attention for the team won’t hurt either.”

“You want to keep faking this?” Kennedy asked, addressing me for the first time.

I smirked. “It’s not all fake, is it?”

Her mouth parted in surprise. She didn’t dart a glance at either of her friends but instead kept her gaze on me. “My feelings of annoyance aren’t.”

I huffed out a laugh.Feelings of annoyancewas one way to characterize what existed between us. But there were plenty of other nonfake things happening. I wasn’t about to reveal that in front of anyone else though. There would be other opportunities, with us alone, to confront her.

Gemma sat uncharacteristically quiet, observing the entire exchange. She briefly glanced at me, but I couldn’t read her expression.

“We agreed on one team event,” Kennedy reminded me, as if I had forgotten.

“But up to three dates a month,” I replied. “And we haven’t hadanydates this month, unless you count—”

Kennedy shot off the couch, pushing me out of the room. “Fine, I’ll go. And nowyoucan leave so we can get work done.”

We stopped moving as soon as I offered a smidge of resistance. “You’re working? On what?”

“It’s nothing—”

“Kennedy is helping with the fundraiser after my good-for-nothing employee quit with no notice,” Deandra explained. “We would have been screwed without you, Kens.”

Her face revealed nothing, even as I said, “I didn’t know you were working for the team again?”

“I’m not.” She was still avoiding my gaze. “I’m helping out. It’s not a big deal.”

Gemma rested a hand on Kennedy’s shoulder. “Can I talk to you for a minute? Alone.”

Kennedy followed Gemma into the other room. They walked down the hallway, huddled close together, their lips moving quickly.

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