Page 134 of The Love Playbook

Whistling followed by the sound of footsteps approach, and Jace and Brandon turn to find Damon coming toward us. “Guys, pregame warm-ups start in five,” he starts, then stops beside Brandon, taking one look at me before his jaw drops. “What the actual fuck?”

“Is it that bad?” I ask.

“Chris is sick.” Brandon tips a chin toward me before I can answer.

“In the head.” Jace snickers.

“I need to skip the game,” I say, leaning forward to whisper so no one else can hear. “But if I tell Coach the truth, he’ll bench my ass or worse. So, I’m faking sick, hence the makeup.”

“Okay, but why do you look like Danny DeVito as the Penguin inBatman.” Damon winces as he stares at me.

“The fuck I look like Danny DeVito. That shit’s insulting.” I point.

Damon’s lips twitch, and I know that asshat is fighting a smile. “We need you today. Can’t you skip another game?”

“Can my girlfriend’s mother join a mental health rehabilitation center another day so I can play OSU?” I arch a brow. “No, you jaded motherfucker.”

“Geez.” Damon holds his hands up. “Someone’s hostile. It was just a suggestion. No need to get your panties in a twist.”

“So, what’s the whole plan?” Brandon asks as he motions toward my face. “Because this can’t be it.”

“The plan is to look sickly, and right before we go out for pregame warm-ups, I’ll drink some of this.” I pull the little bottle from my pocket and wave it in front of their faces. It’s my secret weapon.

Brandon leans forward, eyes squinting at the label. “Ipecac?”

Jace frowns. “Wait. Isn’t that the shit they use for kids when they swallow something poisonous to make them puke?”

“Yep.” I grin. “I know, I’m a genius.”

Brandon’s eyes widen. “Sooooo, you’re going to barf all over the place?That’syour plan?”

“Yep,” I say, popping thep. “And I have to say, boys, the monster burrito I had for lunch isn’t sitting well.”

“Damn, even I have to admit that’s pretty good. But what makes you think medical won’t just hold you?”

“I can be persuasive,” I say with a grin.

“Okay, but you can’t go out there like this,” Brandon says, crouching down in front of me and furiously rubbing the shit into my skin.

“Ow! That fucking hurts, bro.” I swat at his hands, and he laughs.

“It’s not my fault you used a gallon of it. You need to blend this shit in. Don’t you know anything?” he says with a shake of his head.

“I grew up in a house with six brothers. How the hell am I supposed to know about makeup?”

“By the way, where’d you get this stuff, anyway?” Jace asks, examining the tube of flesh-colored goop while Brandon finishes his handiwork.

“Brynn left it in our bathroom,” I say with a grimace.

Jace’s gaze snaps to mine, his mouth agape. “Bro, she’s gonna kill you.”

“I thought about that.” Chris raises a finger. “But if I tell her it was because I’m in love with her best friend, she’ll have to forgive me, right?”

Jace grunts, which is as good as a yes.

“I don’t get it,” Damon says, crossing his arms over his chest as he leans against the opening to the stall. “You’re going to all this effort to help her mother.Why?”

“I might be helping her mother, but I’m doing this for Charlotte. There’s a lot to it, but I need to prove to her that I’ll stick around even through the hard shit. That she’s worth the effort. And, because I’m an optimist who’s hoping to give her a brighter future. One where she’s no longer waiting for the shoe to drop.”