Page 20 of Playing for Keeps

“Good game guys,” Ali said, coming up and slapping both Luke and me on the back at the end of the game. “You got lucky.”

“There was no luck in it. You’re looking at Ashburton High’s two best basketball alumni,” I said.

Ali’s eyebrows shot up and his gaze darted between us. “You guys go to school together?”

“Yeah.” Luke’s voice was flat.

“Can’t believe you’re from Ashvegas too,” Reuban said to Luke. “You don’t have that inbred look about you.”

Luke managed a half smile. “I guess I’m taking that as a compliment.”

“So you guys must be related then?” Ali joked.

“Well, Ethan’s kid is my nephew, so I guess that counts as related, right?” Luke said.

My shoulders stiffened.

Ali’s smile died as he caught a whiff of the tension between us. “Really?”

“Yep.” Luke popped thepon the word.

“Oh, right.” Poor Ali seemed to have no idea how to extract himself from the awkward bog he’d found himself in.

“Poor Theo has both of our genes. He’s got no hope.” I tried to joke the awkwardness away.

“Is he old enough to play rugby yet?” Ali said.

“He’s starting rippa rugby this year,” I said.

“Ah, rippa rugby. I remember those days.” There was a fond element to Ali’s voice.

I remembered those days too. The smell of the leather seats in Luke’s dad’s car as he drove us to rugby. The taste of the oranges at halftime. The sound of Luke’s dad cheering from the sidelines.

Back then, he cheered equally loudly for both of us.

Right from the beginning, Luke had stood out on the rugby field. It was as if the ball had been designed to fit in his hands, and he’d been dipped in some special substance which meant he could slither away from the opposition and keep on running.

And me? I’d loved it because I got to spend more time with my best friend.

The same guy I could feel the tension radiating off now.

Shit.

After telling him I was the father of Char’s baby, I’d given him a few weeks of space. Then one night I saw him at the pub and decided to try talking to him. We were best friends. I’d made a major mistake, but I was doing my best in the circumstances, supporting Char in every way I could.

Surely Luke and I could move past this? I really couldn’t handle my life without him.

But when I approached him outside the pub as he was leaving, Luke wasn’t in the mood to hear me out.

“I’m sorry, okay? I’m really, really sorry. But can we just talk about it? I need you, man.” My voice cracked a bit on the last sentence.

“You knocked up my sister. She’s eighteen! You’ve completely fucked up her life.” Luke grabbed my shirt and hauled me up close, his eyes wild.

My heart pounded. He was looking at me with such intensity, for a second it felt as if he was going to kiss me.

He punched me instead.

But I hadn’t survived being a smart-ass kid living with my mother’s loser boyfriends without learning how to defend myself.