The Game You Play (Rixon Raiders 2)

Two hours later, everyone who was anyone was crammed into Asher’s house.

“Okay fuckers, quiet down.” He jumped up on the breakfast counter and thrust his beer in the air. “Now I know Coach said it all last week at Seniors Night, but this is my house and I want to say a few words.”

A couple of the guys cheered while Grady balled up a napkin and launched it at him. “Get on with it,” he yelled.

“This won’t take long,” Ash grinned at him, waggling his brows, “just like Mackey in the sack.” Another round of hoots and hollers broke out around me.

“Last year should have been ours; we should have been in that championship game, bringing home the crown. But this year… this year it’s ours. I love you guys and I don’t know what I’m going to do when the season’s over. So raise your drink in the air and let me hear y’all. Who are we?”

“Raiders.”

“And what are we going to do?”

“Win!”

“Damn right we are. Now let’s celebrate like the winners we are and get fucked up.” He chugged his drink down and thumped his chest like Tarzan. Cam laughed beside me, but I barely smiled. Because celebration or not, something was missing.

I followed Cam outside to our usual seats where Hailee joined us. “Everything okay?” Cam asked her as she slid onto his lap.

“Yeah, fine.”

“They’re not coming?”

She shook her head, her eyes finding mine. “I don’t think so.”

“Maybe it’s for the best,” Cam said quietly as I focused on my beer, scratching off the label with my thumbnail.

“Yeah.” Hailee’s eyes burned into the top of my head.

“Shots,” Asher appeared with a tray of Jell-O shots.

“Nah, man,” I grumbled, not in the mood.

“Aw come on, man, we made it. A near perfect season and State in our sights.” He thrust a cup at me, waiting for Cameron and Hailee to take theirs.

“I can’t believe this is almost the end.” Ash’s expression fell as he raised his cup in the air. “It’s been the best four years of my life. To good friends, football, and the future, whatever it may hold.” Something flashed over his face, but it was quickly gone as he downed his shot.

“Pittsburg won’t know what hit them,” Cam said, tossing his empty cup on the tray.

“Yeah,” Ash shrugged, “but it won’t be the same will it?”

A good friend would have reassured him, would have promised things wouldn’t change.

But he was right.

Come graduation nothing would be the same anymore.

Felicity

“You must be Felicity. I’m George, welcome to A Brand New Tail.”

“Hi,” I smiled at the man. He was younger than I expected; with sandy blond hair and a bright smile. He couldn’t be a day older than twenty-five.

“Thank you so much for this.”

“No problem. Regina said you’re thinking of applying to study animal science at college?”

“It’s a possibility but I know it’s super competitive and some hands-on experience would really help my application.”