Page 35 of Play Maker

“Are you always this happy in the morning?”

“Nah, but I had a good workout, and my girl is here having breakfast with me.”

I shook my head. “Your girl needs a shower and a ride home.”

Adam handed me a plate with eggs, bacon, and toast, nodding his head at the counter seats. “Breakfast first. I want to talk to you about something.”

My gut clenched as I shoved steaming food in my mouth. Adam didn’t usually preface conversations—he simply started talking. Maybe breakfast was a pity meal meant to make me feel better when he explained how he wouldn’t have time to help me after all this summer.

I swallowed and took a bite of bacon in an attempt to hide my hurt feelings. “About what?”

Adam snapped the burner off then propped his hands on his hips as he met my eyes. “Moving in with me.”

13

Iinhaled at the wrong time and sucked bacon shrapnel into my lungs. After an embarrassingly long coughing fit, I croaked out, “What?”

“Move in here. In Noah’s room. At least for the summer. He said it was fine. Do you need me to help you carry stuff?” He punctuated his impromptu speech by flexing, as if I wasn’t already acutely aware of his muscles.

I glanced toward the hallway where RJ had retreated. “You told them about my personal problems?”

His expression sobered. “No. I told them you needed help, and everyone was on board.”

The quick hit of panic softened to confusion. “Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why would they help? They barely know me.”

“Because we take care of each other. That’s what friends do. Plus, Noah owes me for not blabbing about his ‘secret’ love affair with Chloe to her brother.”

My brows rose. “He thought it was a secret?”

Adam shook his head in disgust. “For a quiet guy, Noah is shit at keeping things on the down low.”

I remembered Chloe’s smitten face when she described Noah the first time we’d met. He wasn’t the only one unable to hide his feelings. Eva had told me how their crew rallied around Chloe and Noah when they needed help, and I’d seen for myself how tight-knit the group was—I hadn’t expected to be included.

No wonder RJ had given me the contemplative look. She was probably wondering why Adam would insist I needed to live here, and I had no doubts he’d insisted. In the back of my mind, I wondered the same thing myself.

“Couldn’t be any worse than Rob’s house,” I muttered.

Adam heard me and rubbed his hands together. “Excellent. That’s not a no. Let’s talk details.”

I pushed my food away, not capable of eating and making major life decisions at the same time. “You already have details?”

“Of course. We have it all worked out. Noah said you can use his room free of charge. He got the okay from Chloe to stay with her for the summer. You can use his bed and stuff. Don’t worry, we’ll get you clean sheets.”

“What aboutmyfurniture?”

Some of his excitement faded, and he sat down facing me on the other stool. “Okay, we hadmostof the details worked out. I assume you would have moved it all into not-Archer’s place. Can you still do that?”

I took a slow sip of my coffee and considered the situation. Rob would probably prefer if I stayed at his house where he could control me better, but he couldn’t force the matter if I refused. Mom would expect him to do what Adam and his friends were doing—help.

Mom’s stipend would stretch a lot farther if I didn’t have to pay rent. The slow swirl of panic I’d been ignoring since yesterday dissipated, and excitement tingled at the base of my spine. Adam was offering me the perfect solution, as long as I could stand living with three roommates. And they could stand living with me.

I’d make nice with any number of roommates as long as one of them wasn’t Shad.

“Yes,” I mused. “I think I can do that. There’s still time for them to take my furniture with all Mom’s things, and I can store anything I won’t need for the summer.”

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