Page 53 of Play Your Part

He raised his eyebrows. “Like, with people?”

“Yeah, with people,” I said, as if I hadn’t spent every road trip this year holed up alone in my hotel room. Matt had pressured me into a hot tub pizza tradition after home games, but on the road, I stuck to myself. I wasn’t an asshole about it, but my teammates stopped asking because they knew the answer. “You in?”

“I’ll find you after this.” He nodded toward the room, suppressing a smile.

We didn’t have a game tomorrow, which was the only reason I let Matt drag me to a lounge, a popular spot with my old teammates. I had been tempted to go back to my room, but I needed to do something to settle this adrenaline pumping through me. Running in the hotel gym could have done it, but I still hadn’t shaken those stubborn feelings of gratitude.

So that was how I ended up sitting in a roped-off VIP section, pounding shots with Briggsy and Matt. Drinking for the first time this season. I would regret it in the morning, but right then, I didn’t give a shit.

I proved every fucking person in that organization wrong tonight. My cause for celebration.

“Did you know he could be fun?” Briggsy leaned into Matt, trying to ask the question in secret, but his drunk ass had long lost its perception of reality.

Matt’s gaze darted to me for a beat before returning to Zach. “Yeah, Volk and I go way back.”

“Was he always so serious? Because living with him can bescary.” Zach spewed his words faster than usual, defying laws of nature. “The only time I’ve seen him smile, you know except for scoring goals and winning games, was when Kennedy stayed over last week. He didn’t even notice I left all my stuff downstairs because I fell asleep while playing video games—”

“Oh, I noticed,” I cut in. “It’s hard to ignore piles of trash in the middle of my house. I just didn’t say anything.”

Zach pointed at me. “See! It’s like he had a brain transplant or something. He always used to yell at me to pick up after myself, and rinse my dishes before putting them in the dishwasher, not anywhere but the specific places he told me to put them and stop taking naps and go to sleep at a reasonable hour and—”

Matt cleared his throat over Zach’s verbal vomit. “It’s because he’s getting laid, jackass.”

I wish.

“Your sentimental side is overwhelming.” I knocked back another shot.

If I had to talk about my situation with Kennedy, I needed more alcohol. Since the night boy-wonder invited her over, nothing had been the same between us. Or at least, that was how I felt. I had no idea if Kennedy would agree.

Before that night, I would have described our relationship as cautiously friendly. But then Kennedy came over and stayed over, and I didn’t want her to leave. Not when I saw her in my doorway. Not when she ran her hand down my chest. I could have woken her up after she fell asleep, but I liked having her in my bed. I liked waking up next to her even more. Even if it did make me freak the fuck out, because feelings for Kennedy were not baked into our agreement.

“You’re getting laid byKennedy,” Matt clarified. “That’s why you’ve stopped being an insufferable grouch.”

Two months and we were done. I had to hope whatever feelings I had would leave along with her. Focusing on my career—and not letting a woman reel me in only to leave me again—made my life simpler. If I didn’t have to put on this front of being in a happy, committed relationship, I would find a woman to bring back to my room and remind myself whycasualwas what I needed.

“Maybe that’s the secret to why sun shines out your ass,” I said, signaling to a server for more shots. “But my good mood is all thanks to our winning season.”

“I’ll cheers to that,” Zach said as he thrust his shot glass in the air.

“Isn’t that Graham Sutter?” Connor Lepel, another Wolves winger, shouted. A woman sat in his lap kissing his neck. She didn’t pause at his distracted attention.

Sure enough, my old teammate, Graham, weaved through the throngs of people. Although he was drafted after me, he’d worked his way up to captain of the Bulldogs. Not long after the team dumped me, they signed him to a monster seven-year contract and handed him the keys to what was supposed to be my kingdom. When he saw us, he stopped walking and said something to the blonde trailing him.

“But they lost!” Zach shouted. I would have laughed my ass off if Zach’s voice carried to Graham over the volume in the club. Graham and I got along fine, not friends but solid teammates. He ignored the noise around me and my reputation, and focused on the game. He never gave me one reason to dislike him.

Until now. Because that blonde on his arm? That was Cora.

She marched up to our table, pausing between me and Matt. Her short hair made her look formidable. I vaguely recognized the disco-ball colored mini dress she wore. Cora favored standing out in a crowd, so most of what she donned sparkled, used flashy colors, and showed off her body.

“Cora,” I said.

Matt’s gaze shot up to her face with recognition.

“I didn’t expect to see you.”With my former teammate, no less.

“Hey, Volk.” She slipped her hand into Graham’s. “I’m surprised to see you too.”

“We’re out celebrating,” I said before introducing Matt and Zach. “Graham, I think you’re well-acquainted with these guys.”

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