Page 103 of Game Plan

“What’s on your mind?” Jules asked.

“Nothing important.” Who was I kidding? If it weren’t, then it wouldn’t occupy so many of my thoughts.

I came to an abrupt stop when a figure I recognized halted before me.

My friend elbowed my side. “Who’s this?”

“You good?” Evan Nichols asked. His fists were clenched at his sides, and an angry frown marred his forehead. Even though his words sounded calm, his clipped tone said otherwise.

I forced a plastic smile onto my face. “Yep.”

“Tell Pierce I said hello when you see him.”

“You can tell him yourself at practice tonight.”

“Oh, you think you’re a smartass once again, huh? Anyway, I just wanted to say hi.”

“Okay, then. Bye.”

“What the hell was that?” Jules asked, once we were far enough away that Nichols couldn’t hear us.

“A guy on the football team.”

“You would tell me if you were in trouble, right? He looked mad at you.”

I shrugged, pretending I was unaffected. “I think he may have anger issues. Anyway, I don’t know him. I only saw him a handful of times at Lola’s, and he always acts like a jerk.”

“If I were you, I’d stay away from him. He’s bad news.”

If only she knew.

A week later, Donovan met me after practice in the poolside bleachers. We both unwrapped our lunch—a turkey sub for me and a tuna sandwich for him. We did that sometimes when we both had some free time after swimming laps in the middle of the day.

He washed his food down with a sip of iced tea. “Any more encounters with Football Hottie Number One?”

“No. It’s like he’s avoiding me. To be honest, I’m avoiding him too. I don’t have a clue what I would tell him if he were standing here right now.”

“The truth?”

“Which is?”

“Only you know, girl. I was thinking. Don’t get mad, okay, but you should kiss him. You’d know whether he’s the one or just a friend with benefits you can screw around with. Tongue play is the ultimate test. It won’t lie.”

“Tongue play, really?”

He smirked.

“What if it sucks?”

“Then your future is destined to end either as friends or fuck friends. Nothing more.”

“And what if it doesn’t suck?”

“It means it’s time to listen to your heart—and your vagina—and screw his bones and fall in love and all this shit. You guys have lost enough time as it is. You have years to make up for. The sex should be out of this world with all the tension you’ve been ignoring. Lucky you. I wish I had someone just like that. Is Football Hottie Number Two free? You make me wish for a jock too.”

I nudged his side. “You have no chance. Have you checked the basketball players? I heard there’s one who plays on your team.” I’m also aware there’s one on the football team, but it’s a piece of information I won’t disclose.

“Thanks for the tip. I’ll have to keep my gaydar on. How do you feel about checking their practice next time? I’ll get their schedule.”