Page 12 of Playing for Keeps

I cocked an eyebrow. “You trying for the award for the most single-syllable answers in a row?”

The words were out of my mouth before I could think. Crap. Apparently there was still a part of me that saw Luke and just thought “play”.

A muscle in his jaw twitched. Shit. Was he going to sock me?

“Brilliant has three syllables,” he said instead.

I rolled my eyes. “Thank you, Professor.” I summoned a grin, which I aimed at Jonathan. “Professor was one of his nicknames growing up. I can tell you some of his better ones if you want. For a small fee.”

Jonathan smiled back, but it was tentative. He shot a look at Luke.

What had Luke told Jonathan about me? The idea of Luke discussing me with his boyfriend caused my gut to clench.

“I really don’t think you want to head into nickname territory, Sonic the Hedgehog,” Luke said.

My heart gave an erratic stutter.

Just hearing that oh-so-familiar tease in Luke’s voice cut through all my guilt and regret and confusion about him, lighting up the one core truth I’d tried so hard to deny.

For the past six years, I had missed him every single day.

Chapter4

Luke

Ethan.

I couldn’t quite believe Ethan was standing in front of me cracking wisecracks. He’d become an almost mythical figure in my mind, like a unicorn or a leprechaun.

I’d decided over the years that my feelings for Ethan had overexaggerated how good looking and charming he was.

Seeing him again had quickly proved that theory wrong.

This grown-up version of Ethan had a voice slightly deeper and smoother than before. But he still had that overwhelming brightness that had always left me dazzled after spending time with him, as if I’d looked into the sun for too long.

My comment about nicknames had just shot out of me, and a kaleidoscope of emotions had flashed across Ethan’s face.

Fuck.

I had to physically stop myself from moving toward him, from trying to make sense of all those emotions.

He’s not supposed to mean anything to you anymore.

Ha. This short interaction proved how ridiculous that notion was.

Ethan’s face settled into his sunshiny smile. The same smile that had always caused happiness to balloon inside me. “I’m up for a nickname battle anytime you want, Hunter,” he said.

It would be so easy to do this. To fall back into a shared joke. To resurrect our friendship as if the pause button had simply been pressed for the past six years.

To expose myself to another round of heartbreak and pain.

“Yeah, I don’t think that needs to happen.” My voice was sharper than intended.

Ethan’s smile faded, the light in his eyes dying a brutal death.

He looked away, his jaw tightening.

In the silence that followed, footsteps thumped down the hall.