Page 40 of Play Your Part

“Okay, we’ll come back to that later,” Zach said, pointing his slice of pizza at me. “Our fans liked him, but he’s a rat and the rest of the league knows it.”

The familiar instinct to defend Justin bubbled inside me, but he was no longer mine to defend. And why should Iwantto defend him after everything he put me through? He left me behind because he couldn’t love me as I was. Sometimes, memories of the good moments snuck in between the cold hard facts. Like the first time I saw him six months after my mom died. He took me to a rage room to break shit, then held me as I cried. It was the least alone I’d felt since she passed.

“What’s—” Zach stopped short, realization dawning on him. He fidgeted uncomfortably in his seat. “Oh shit, I forgot for a second.”

Zach had serious skills of blocking out his surroundings and focusing on what was at hand. The fire at Alexei’s house had become a thing of the past as soon as he saw the press conference clip. Maybe that was one of the reasons he succeeded in hockey.

“The team is better off without him?” I asked, remembering Alexei’s claims. I initially dismissed them. Justin put up good numbers year after year, but the team failed to reach the playoffs each of the last five years. With someone so talented in their ranks, it raised the question ofwhythey couldn’t win when it mattered.

Zach hesitated a moment, but I held his gaze, silently communicating I wanted the truth. “I’ve only been here for a week, but from the stories I’ve heard… I’d say you traded up.”

I shook my head. “It’s not like that. We met by accident.”

“I didn’t… I didn’t meanthat. Just that Volk’s the real deal. You’ve chosen well.”

Goosebumps sprouted on my forearms. I needed to change the subject. Fast. “You seeing anyone?”

Zach’s shoulders sagged, tension leaking out of them at the subject change. Funny, I would have thought pushing the conversation back to him would have caused the opposite reaction. “Nah. It’s hockey season. I’m trying to keep up with this team. I don’t have time for distractions.”

If only my life could be that simple.

17

KENNEDY

Myphonevibratedloudlyon the kitchen table as I heard the garage door open.Come over. Your boy needs you tonight.

“Kennedy, we won!” Connie’s voice followed by Rich’s hushing reached me a second before I saw them. Rich shouldered much of Connie’s weight as they walked through the house in matching forest green Wolves jerseys. “Volk got a hat trick, and we shut the other team out. It was amaaaazing.”

Rich shifted Connie to his other arm and covered his wife’s ears. He motioned with his head to the stairs. “I’m going to get my lovely, drunk wife to bed. Thanks for watching the kids tonight, Kennedy.”

I waved a hand. “Of course. I’m glad you both had fun.”

“Oh, and tell Volk to keep that winning streak going,” he said, flashing me a smile.

I knew about the winning streak because I started to pay attention to Wolves hockey again after Deandra sent the clip from Alexei’s press conference a couple of days ago. I wouldn’t be blindsided by something like that again. Every morning after I snoozed my alarm, instead of catching an extra ten minutes of sleep, I read a recap of the Wolves’ game, watched new interviews with Alexei, and scanned comments on the Wolves’ social media accounts. I tried not to think too closely about it.

This new practice of mine revealed the Wolves started the season strong after a shaky preseason. And their attendance numbers reflected it. Everyone loved a winner.

By the time I grabbed my phone, I already had another text from Zach.Stop ignoring me.

Following the near house-burning situation, Zach and I slipped into what felt like the beginning of a friendship. Mostly, it revolved around food, but many friendships had started with less. He stopped by after practice sometimes to eat from my stash of chocolate chip cookie sandwiches and to watch online videos, usually of people doing stupid things.

What’s wrong?I asked, immediately regretting it. Because if I were dating Alexei, I should have known. Hopefully, Zach would believe Alexei’s pride kept him from telling me. He might lack a bit of common sense when it came to practical matters, but Zach was more perceptive than he seemed.

Come over and ask him yourself.

I responded by sending him a GIF of a person giving the middle finger, then followed up withOn my way.If I didn’t go, Zach would doubt my commitment to Alexei. Before jumping in my car, I quickly brushed my hair and changed into a backup T-shirt, one that didn’t smell like spit-up. It wasn’t as if I cared what Alexei thought about my appearance, but I did need to impress upon Zach that I did. My rational brain wholeheartedly accepted this explanation, and yet, as I got closer to his house, my heart rate steadily rose.

Zach opened the door before I knocked. “Took you long enough,” he said, pushing the door open wider so I could enter.

“I was at work when you texted,” I grumbled. “It’s only been, like, fifteen minutes.”

“Well, it felt longer.” We both fell silent, still in the foyer. “Do you need me to show you to his room?”

I cocked my head to the side, tossing him an annoyed look. “I think I can manage to find it.”

Zach nodded, satisfied enough to head back to his video game as I made my way upstairs. Alexei’s room didn’t take long to find since all the others were open. I knocked lightly on the closed door at the end of the hall.

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