Page 90 of Traded

“Yeah.” He doesn’t look too pleased about it. “My dad can be a handful, but I don’t think I can avoid it. And I’d like to see my mom.”

“I’ll put the date on the board once you know. I’d like to meet them.” For once it’s nothing but honesty that flows from my mouth.

“Yeah?” He glances at me, his face softening. “I’ll tell him. Can’t get out of it once it’s on the board. It’s as good as a NPHL contract.”

The gentle teasing makes some of the numbness recede. My smile feels close to genuine. “Don’t mock my board. It works.”

“I wouldn’t dare.” He nudges the remote into my hands. “Put on one of those weird eighties movies you like. I can cope with it until dinner.”

“I think you mean cult classics.”

“Pick one before I change my mind.”

It feels…normal.

Maybe we can make this work after all. I press my lips to his cheek instinctively, and he turns, catching my lips instead. He deepens the kiss, his hand at my nape, and a soft, small noise sounds in my throat.

He pulls back at once. “What was that?”

“Nothing.” I swallow. “I’m going to go and unpack. Get ahead of the washing, you know?”

I slide from his lap before he can stop me. Passing the kitchen, I look up to see Lauren watching me. Her eyes are narrowed, but she doesn’t look angry.

More like… confused.

That makes two of us.

I can’t get out of there fast enough.

I’m not scared of him.

I’mnot.

Chapter twenty-six

Schmoozin’ for a Bruisin’

Games Played:28/82

Blackwater Titans

20–6–2

1st Atlantic Division

Callum Morris, NPHL Network Analyst:

“Well, Jeff, the Titans continue to set the pace in the Atlantic despite that recent bump, but the road to playoffs is rarely smooth. The only real talking pointis still Carter Reynolds and that noticeable shift we’re seeing in his game. He's choosing his moments more carefully, attacking with less frequency and relying on positioning over outright explosiveness. Whether that's the natural evolution of a captain managing an eighty-two-game season or something more is anyone's guess, but with Blackwater continuing to pile up points, it's a question nobody inside the Titans seems particularly interested in answering right now.”

“Call sheets are up!”

I take one from the bundle of papers passed to me, handing it off to Erin from Ness’s team on my left.

Up on the podium Ness flicks through a clipboard, looking harried. “Meridian wanted a joint approach, so today is going to be an absolute fuckload of fun for all of us.”

I gnaw at a loose nail, my eyes running down the list. The room around me is filled with people waiting for orders, all of us summoned to support the team’s Sponsor Day.

Bothteams. Ness looks disgruntled as she jerks her thumb to the guy on her right. “This is Nathaniel. Nate. PR lead for the Aces and overall pain in my ass.”