Page 40 of Playing Dirty

“Yeah, I’d imagine so after Thanksgiving,” he supplies, a little grin on his lips. “Is there anything else?”

“Nope,” I lie, forcing a tight smile. “That just about sums it up.”

Recounting the events of Vermont holds no appeal to me. If anything, I’d love to shove it to the farthest recesses of my mind and forget any of it happened. That’s all I’ve been trying to do since I got back, but with little success.

Clearing my throat, I flip the topic of conversation to him instead.

“How about you? Everything all good down in Nashville over break?”

“Yeah, it was fine. Pretty typical, all things considered. My sister was ridiculously spoiled by everyone, Holden included.” He starts picking at hisfood without meeting my gaze, and I can tell there’s something else on his mind before he mutters, “It was just weird not having Kason there. He’d always spend Christmas with my family.”

My stomach twists at the mention of Kason.

Nothing will ever compare to watching my parents rip each other to shreds during their divorce, though a close second to it has to be helplessly watching the fallout of Kason and Phoenix’s friendship last spring.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad Phoenix and Holden found each other. They’re what each other needs, and apart from Oak and Quinton, I’ve never seen two people fit together as seamlessly as they do, even if it was messy to get there.

It sucks that Phoenix lost his best friend in the process though.

“You’ll get back to it eventually. You know that, right?” I offer, but I doubt it’s nearly as reassuring as I intend it to be.

“Here’s hoping, because I fucking miss him.” A tight smile tugs at his lips, but he’s quick to shove it away. “But enough of the heavy crap; we’ve got something a lot more exciting to think about. Like the pre-season party at the Kappa Sig house on Friday. You’re gonna be there, right?”

“Absolutely,” I reply instantly, my mood starting to lift again.

A party is good. Normal, even. Not to mention it’s the perfect way to push away all the things I wish I could forget.

Even if just for a night.

Twelve

Madden

“Shit, looks like we picked a good night.”

My attention shifts to Dillon, who is looking out my window from the driver’s seat of his SUV. Following his gaze, I find throngs of people on the lawn in front of Leighton’s Kappa Sig house; at least thirty-something of them dancing and laughing between the house and where we’re parked on the curb.

Leave it to drunk college kids to think standing outside in the dead of winter with four inches of snow on the ground is a good time.

I’m not one to go to parties, but under no circumstance was I letting him or any of my other teammates come over here without me tonight. Tensions are always high when Blackmore crashes a Leighton party, and more often than not, I can talk them outof whatever ridiculous shenanigans they cook up while mingling with our rivals.

Sliding my gaze back to him, I ask, “Exactly how do we know it’s agood nightto crash a Leighton party?”

“Lots of people, obviously,” he says before shoving open the driver’s door.

An uneasy feeling settles in my stomach, but I know if there’s ever a time I’m gonna let them run loose, it should be now.

Let them get the partying out tonight and tomorrow, because starting Monday morning, we’re in game mode. Apart from the time we’ll be spending in class, our lives will be nothing but fielding drills, batting cages, and hitting the gym.

My entire body buzzes with excitement just thinking about it.

My teammates on the other hand? Well, from the way they’re piling out of the SUV, they’ve got a completely different kind of buzz on their mind.

Lights flash inside the house, and I can feel the bass thudding all the way from the curb. The beat is strong enough to drown out the sound of my racing heart, which is now pounding in double time, as I stare up the walkway.

“You’re still good to DD, right?” Dillon asks, tossing his keys to me, which I quickly pocket after locking the doors.

“Yeah, all good,” I reply, flicking my attention back to the house. “Remind me again…what exactly are you hoping to accomplish with this?”