Page 85 of The Switched-Up Playbook
“Why do you always say that before your actual question?” I huff as I stop at an intersection to let a group of students cross the street. One of the girls is swaying dangerously, although I’m not sure if the cause is alcohol or the heels she’s wearing.
“It’s polite not to jump people out of the blue. Usually you would answer with,Yes, of course,and then a conversation could ensue,” he explains with the patience of a middle school teacher.
That tone ticks me off every fucking time. For the sake of my emotional stability, it should be punishable to be infuriating and hot at the same time. So I won’t be trapped between wanting to push him out of the car or pull his pants down.
“Okay, boomer.”
“You’re a total brat, Hoff.”
“No, I just think it’s funny how you prepare me for your questions, then jump me without warning in a forest.”
Xander coughs in surprise, finally turning toward me. “Don’t make it sound like you didn’t want it.”
I press my lips together to prevent myself from answering. The sad truth is, I would drive us right back to that forest so it could all happen again. Whatever he started when he barged into our locker room—maybe even with that kiss at the Halloween party—has not gotten out of my system yet. Even with hockey fully taking over my life again, those memories are my favorite shower entertainment.
“Why didn’t you come to St. Bernard’s?”
“What?” No polite prelude could have prepared me for that question.
There’s a honk from an upcoming car behind us. We’re still standing at the intersection, which has been completely empty for a while now.
“It would have made sense, right? Nate and you playing together. You visit his games; he calls you every day. You could have even roomed together.”
“We could have roomed together anyways, but Nate decided he’d rather stay on campus,” I remind him, a note of bitterness in my voice. My roommates can be nosey fuckers that have problems respecting boundaries or cleaning schedules, but they have also become my closest friends. Yet I fully expected Nate to move into the Nook with us when Linden and I got that offer. Instead, he decided to stay with Xander.
“Living in the dorms is cheaper,” he points out with a frown, like that was a factor Nate would have seriously considered.
“Yeah, and you are there.”
Xander raises a brow at me, then tilts his head. “Is that why you didn’t go to St. Bernard’s? Because I am here?”
I can’t help but laugh. “Jesus fuck, Xanxan, keep that ego in check. The world doesn’t revolve around you.”
“True, since it’s too busy rotating around your knee instead.”
I take the next turn to maneuver my car into the parking lot of Xander’s dorm. Once I switch the engine off, the interior lightturns on, illuminating his handsome face. There’s a small smile playing around his lips that takes the sting out of his words.
I narrow my eyes at him anyway. “Asshole. You might have not been the reason why I didn’t go to St. Bernard’s, but you could still be the reason I’ll go to jail.”
Xander waves me off, but makes no move to get out of the car. “So? If it wasn’t me, what was it then?”
I gnaw on my lip. He’s not wrong to pose that question.
“Do you know that we would have been roommates in freshman year?”
“What?! No!” Hart gapes at me, and I laugh at the way his eyes widen in shock. His face is incredibly animated when he isn’t trying to uphold The Responsibility.
“Yes. Hoff came after Hart; there was no one in between,” I explain with an amused chuckle. My fingers trace the outline of the car key as I’m trying to decide if I will give him the whole truth.
“But Nathaniel is before Nicholas.”
“Administration didn’t want us to room together. They probably thought it would stop us from socializing.”
“Clearly they didn’t know Nate then.”
I snort at Hart’s comment. My brother probably met more people in his first semester of college than I would want to engage with in my whole life.
“No, clearly they did not. They originally intended to pair him up with a footballer who left in the first week. Hancock, I think? And I got Hart, Alexander.”
