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Starting with her brother. Though I haven’t talked to Brandon since I left town, I know it’s only a matter of time before we cross paths. Now, I know we will at their father’s birthday if not before. The last thing I want is to give him one more reason to be angry with me.
He never needed to warn me away from Parker back in the day. She was too young for me to even think about it. Four years difference when you’re in high school is a total no-go. Plus, I witnessed Brandon’s wrath against any guy who dared look at Parker wrong. The few guys who had the poor sense to hurt her feelings? Theyreallysuffered. I got that message loud and clear without Brandon telling me to leave Parker alone.
Then there’s the work thing. I saw how it went when guys on my last team dated a trainer or someone within the organization. After things ended—and they always ended—it made for awkwardness all around. You can’t escape and are forced to look that person in the eye every day.
The biggest reason I should have said no has nothing to do with Brandon or my teammates or anything else. I should have said no because Iwantedto say yes. And wanting Parker is perhaps the most dangerous thing I can think of.
So, why did I walk across the bar last night and tell her yes?
That’s something I’d rather not examine too closely.
I survive practice, and the guys are all smiles again in the locker room. Honestly, I expected worse. But when I return from the shower, I see that they weren’t quite done.
I sigh and turn to the locker room, where the guys are very conspicuously quiet.
“I got the message,” I announce. “Loud and clear. Now, where are my clothes?”
No one looks at me. But there are quiet snickers, and a few guys are suddenly very interested in their phones.
Only Van steps up in front of me, arms crossed over his tattooed chest. “And what’s the message?”
“If I do anything to mess with Parker—”
“Anything atall.”
Shockingly, that comes from Felix—the only one who didn’t physically come after me today. I thought maybe it meant he’s on my side, but now I realize it was probably just because he was in the goal.
I hold up both hands. “I’m just going with her to a family thing. It’s not really even a real date.”
Is it?
I’m honestly not surewhatit is. She called it fake. A favor. We’ll stick with that. Because the idea of going on arealdate with Parker makes me feel unsettled. There’s a very real spark of attraction I’ve felt between us, which I’d rather not acknowledge and definitely shouldn’t encourage.
“Why’d she pick you?” Van asks.
“Probably because I’ve known Parker since we were kids,” I say.
The whole locker room goes quiet for a few seconds as the guys process this. I wasn’t sure until just now if Parker had told them. Apparently not. I don’t know if this information is going to help or hurt.
“Her brother was my best friend growing up,” I continue.
“You know Brandon?” Eli asks, looking shocked.
It’s obvious by his tone that Elialsoknows Brandon, who also must not have mentioned knowing me. Otherwise, Eli’s welcome probably wouldn’t have been so warm when I first got here. I doubt Brandon would paint me in the best light after the way I left.
But then, he doesn’t know his own role in why I took off.
Of all my life’s regrets—and there are many—ditching Brandon and, by extension, Parker tops the list. At the time, in all my eighteen-year-old maturity, it seemed like the best option. Theonlyoption.
Now, looking back, I would have chosen differently.
“Brandon and I were best friends and teammates back in the day. We fell out of touch when I went pro.” True enough. Even if it’s not the whole story. “Trust me—If I did anything to Parker, Brandon would kill me before any of you had a chance.”
“Yeah?” Van says. “Well, we’d find a way to bring you back just so we could kill you again.”
“And we’d enjoy it,” Alec says, the glint in his eyes making me wonder if his shiny outside disguises a very dark inside.
“Noted,” I say. “Now, where are my clothes?”
