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Page 10 of Playmaker

Cameron

“Go long!”

With dust trailing behind me, I push myself faster as I watch the ball soar in the air, heading straight toward me. The arm my dad has is impressive. I’m surprised he never tried to pursue a football career himself.

I’m laughing when I dive to catch it, missing it by only a few inches. I begged and pleaded with him to practice with me. It’s Thanksgiving, and after watching the big game, it inspired me to come out here to try to get ready for varsity tryouts next year. I need all the time I can get.

Mom is sitting in a patio chair with a lemonade in her hand, laughing with me when I tumble to the ground. She’s more tired than usual, but despite my concern, she tells me it’s just the cold weather. “So close!” she shouts across the yard.

Dust covers my jeans as I lie on my back, and soon enough, my dad’s shadow hovers above me, sporting a grin of his own. “You almost had that one,” he says.

“I’m better at throwing,” I say.

“Trust me,” he replies, “I know you are. I have no doubt you’ll make the team.”

I take his hand, allowing him to help me up. “What if I don’t make the team? What happens then?”

He shrugs and pats me on the shoulder. “Then you try again. If this is something you really want, I’ll practice with you. And if it’s something you don’t want to do anymore, we’ll find another sport or activity you’re interested in. Your mom and I will support you whatever you decide to do.”

“Always,” my mom adds, joining us in the yard. She bends down to pick up the football, tossing it between her hands. “Well? Think you can handle a few passes from me?”

This is the best Thanksgiving ever.

Morning comes too soon.

The sunlight filtering through the curtains of the living room practically blinds me when I peek one eye open, then both as I attempt to adjust to it.

What happened last night?

I remember coming home from Jamie’s party and playing video games with Ethan until the early hours of the morning. I had been annoyed because I had wanted to speak to—

FUCK .

One after another, memories slam into my head like bulldozers.

Maddie’s head thrown back in ecstasy. My hands and tongue worshipping her breasts. Her fingers wrapped tightly in my curls.

Last night wasn’t a fever dream. It was all real , and now I have to live with whatever the aftermath will be. I don’t regret it. Kissing Maddie has been something I’ve wanted to do for years, but do I feel guilty? Of course I do. Ethan is my best friend. The minute he gets an inkling that something happened between us, he’ll exile me from his life forever. It’s been stated on numerous occasions he wants me nowhere near his sister, and for good reason. I don’t have the greatest reputation. Ethan and I don’t do relationships, and if I had a sister, I’d keep Ethan away from her too.

The sound of pots and pans clattering in the kitchen pushes me to sit up on the couch to investigate who’s making the noise. Mary is humming a tune as she cracks an egg into a bowl, and Richard is beside her making pancakes.

Throughout high school, this was the normal routine. Mary and Richard would make breakfast and I’d always help them do the dishes afterward. After all, if it wasn’t for their delicious home-cooked meals, I’d have lived on takeout with the money my dad gave me while he was away on another business trip. The least I could do was help clean up.

“Cameron!” Mary wipes her hands on her apron and races over to me, enveloping me in a hug filled with a warmth only she is capable of giving. “Oh, I missed you so much, honey. I feel awful that we planned our trip right in the middle of your spring break, but thankfully we still have the Grand Canyon this weekend to look forward to.” She rambles cheerily. “We can’t wait to hear about everything that’s new and exciting with you.”

She looks back at me expectantly. I don’t have the ability to say no to her, but the one event that’s been the most exciting is one I can’t tell her. I don’t believe Mary would be upset if she found out Maddie and I kissed, but Richard? He’s a different story. The man could have been a football player himself back in the day. He’s so tall he almost towers over me, and he’s got sleeves of tattoos on both heavily muscled arms. Richard saw me and Ethan do some pretty dumb shit in our teenage years. If he found out I kissed his daughter? I don’t know what his reaction would be, nor will I risk a fist to the face by attempting to find out.

“I mean—” I rake a hand through my curls while I try to think of something other than Maddie’s face as she shattered apart in my arms.

“Breakfast first, then,” Mary says, tugging me off the couch. For a small woman, she sure is strong.

I sit on one of the bar stools while they cook breakfast and fill me in on their trip to the Bahamas. She sipped margaritas and laid on the beach during their port stops, but they both seem to have had the time of their lives. Richard, his face still sporting a burn from his time in the sun, tells me about winning a game of cornhole on the cruise ship.

Their marriage makes me wonder if this is the kind of stability my parents would have given me had my mom not passed before high school. Would they still be in love like this? Would I have woken up to breakfasts being made for me every morning? Would they be so eager to hear about my life? And I’m not talking about my football career, which seems to be the only thing my dad cares about, but me . Just me.

Mary’s face softens as she flips the bacon, seeming to read my thoughts. “Have you heard from your father lately?”

I shake my head.

“He’s on another business trip?”

“Yeah. He sent his condolences before I came home. I don’t think he’ll see me before I go back to school.”

Mary tuts , annoyance evident in her features. “Well, you’re welcome here for the entirety of the break, but you already know that.”

This home became my safe haven during high school. When my dad kept leaving, I started staying here every weekend, and every weekend eventually turned into five nights out of the week. Mary and Richard wouldn’t have cared if I moved in with them, but a part of me couldn’t allow myself to do that. I waited at home those remaining two nights, holding out hope that my dad would come home and stay for good. I thought my living situation was temporary .

“I do, Mary. Thank you.” My eyes stray over her shoulder as Maddie enters the kitchen, and my sad memories are replaced by pure, unrelenting lust.

She’s wearing a pair of tiny pajama shorts that hardly cover her ass and a tank top with no bra on. My mouth dries out at the sight of her, and I’ve never been more thankful to be sitting down. Otherwise I wouldn’t be able to hide the fact that my hard cock is twitching at the memory of what her breasts looked like.

I went from not being able to get it up a few days ago to not being able to put it back down because of her.

Unbelievable .

Mary grabs the plates while Richard finishes the pancakes. Both are completely oblivious to the sexual tension in the kitchen.

“Good morning,” Maddie says, giving her mom a side-hug. “What time did you guys get here?”

“Early this morning.” Mary claps with excitement. “I can’t wait to hear about everyone’s year so far!”

Maddie gives her mother a pointed look. “We catch up at least once a week. I have nothing new to tell you.”

Since she wanted to fuck with me by wearing that little ensemble, I’ll fuck with her right back.

I clear my throat and ask, “Really? There’s nothing exciting you want to share with your parents? I find that doubtful, Mads.”

The flush that rises to her cheeks pleases me more than I care to admit, but before I can focus on it further, Mary’s eyes dart between the two of us. “Did you just call her Mads ? I haven’t heard that nickname in ages.”

I smile from ear to ear. “Indeed I did.”

Maddie shoots daggers through her eyes at me before she twists to Mary and says, “Cameron and I are friends again for the time being. We’ve sorted out our issues for now.”

Friends .

What happened in the closet last night didn’t seem like friends to me. Then again, what else are we supposed to call this thing between us? We haven’t had the chance to talk about it since it happened, and a part of me is thankful for that. Do I want it to continue? Do I want to sneak around with her knowing what’s at stake? More importantly, does she?

Maybe she regrets it. Maybe she kissed me and thought I was shit at it. Who knows?

Mary’s sniffling drags me from my thoughts, and I smile when she says, “I knew you two would reconnect. It was only a matter of time. Gosh, I am thrilled to hear that. Aren’t you, Richard?”

“Hmm?” He drags his eyes away from the griddle. “Oh, yeah. It’s great the two of you are friends again. It’ll certainly make things less awkward this weekend.”

Ha .

Don’t be so certain about that, Richard.

The smell of bacon must have woken Ethan up because he’s next to join us. He kisses his mom on the cheek and nods at his dad before taking a seat on a bar stool beside me. Everyone in this family knows not to talk to Ethan when he first wakes up. He’s the devil incarnate until he’s had his cup of coffee, which Mary has already started brewing.

“So, what are your plans today?” Mary asks.

“IT’S LAKE TIME, BITCH!” Maya’s voice echoes from the high ceiling of the foyer before she races around the corner, her face blanching when she spots Mary and Richard in the kitchen as well. “Oh, I’m . . . I didn’t realize you came back today! I’m so sorry, Mr. and Mrs. Davis. I would have knocked, or—”

Mary scoffs and grabs another plate from the cabinet. “You’re like my other daughter, Maya, and I’ve told you a thousand times to call me Mary. Would you like to stay for breakfast before you leave?”

“Um, yes. Please. That’d be great.”

Maya takes the last bar stool beside Ethan, and I don’t miss the way his eyes flick to the bikini top beneath the sheer cover-up she has on. She arches a brow at him and asks, “Do you work today?”

Ethan shakes his head. “No. I’ve got the day off. Why?”

Well, it’s nice to know that someone can speak to him in the morning without him biting their head off. The rest of his family seems to think the same, exchanging confused glances before returning to their food.

“Well, I wanted to rent a boat for the day, but I don’t know how to sail. Maddie said you used to take sailing lessons as a kid?”

Ethan shifts in his seat. “I did, yeah.”

“Do you still know how to sail? If so, care to tag along for the day and be our captain?”

“Hm . . .” He taps a finger to his chin, contemplating. “That depends. Can I bring Cameron? I don’t want to be on a boat with just you two. I’ll die from boredom if I have to talk about Justin Bieber and Harry Styles all day.”

Oh no.

No.

No.

No.

“I have training,” I blurt, desperate to get out of this. I refuse to be stranded on a body of water with Ethan and his little sister, whom I made fucking come in a closet last night. It’ll be more than obvious, and if Ethan finds out and he’s the one driving the boat?

I’ll be swimming back to shore.

Maddie tries but fails to hide her grin. “That’s a shame. I really wanted to go on the boat. I’m long overdue for a tan, and I have the cutest bikini I’ve been dying to wear.”

Maddie .

Bikini .

Oiled up in the sun .

Kill me now .

There’s a challenging look in her eyes and dammit. I told myself I’d be strict with my routine. I’m not even supposed to be eating the piece of bacon that tastes like greasy heaven on my tongue right now, but cardio is part of my training, right? We could swim for a bit and that can count. I’ll just work out in the gym later tonight instead of this afternoon for muscle endurance. Easy fix.

There’s no way in hell I’m passing up seeing whatever bikini Maddie purchased. Yes, I’ll have to be on my best behavior to ensure Ethan doesn’t suspect something happened between us, but from the teasing she’s doing, it seems like Maddie doesn’t regret last night, either, and that fact alone would make me agree to just about anything if it means the possibility of alone time with her today, even if it’s only for a few seconds.

The stakes are high. I could potentially lose not only my best friend but also Mary and Richard. Over the past six years they’ve become the only real family I have, and by agreeing to this, I risk losing them all.

But when Maddie laughs at something Maya says, I find myself enamored with the sight, and all of those doubts, all of those risks don’t seem that daunting.

Right now, my future has never been more clear.

Challenge accepted, Maddie .

“I’ll move my schedule around,” I reply with a cocky grin. “Lake day it is.”