When Angie turns, a little pep in her step, I notice as Asher watches her walk away. His lips slowly curl into a sensual grin, and I want to trip Angie. Again, I realize that makes me petty, but I don’t care. As she passes me, she looks so damn proud of herself. “Told ya.”
“Yeah, yeah,” I snarl at her, but then I flash her a grin so she doesn’t know I want to trip her. I go to my dad first, hugging him tightly as he kisses my temple. “I feel since you guys won, the Assassins will do the same.”
I beam. “Well, with you and Posey on the power play, I think it’s a done deal.”
He kisses my temple again. “Great game, sweetheart.”
“Thanks, Dad,” I say as my mom hugs me tightly.
“So good! You were everywhere!”
“Gotta keep the captain game strong,” I say, shaking the C part of my jersey at her. She chuckles at my silliness as I look Asher over. “Dude, that shirt doesn’t fit.”
He laughs as he high-fives me. “I know. I told Mama Harp I need her to make me a new one.”
“A bigger one to fit all those muscles in,” Mom teases. “He claims he didn’t eat little Asher and he’s not on steroids.”
I laugh as Dad slaps Asher hard on the back. “He isn’t on steroids. Lucas would kill him.”
Asher nods. “Dead. And then after he killed me, he’d kill me again.”
I snicker as Mom grins. “So, what’s y’all’s plan? Wanna get some dinner?”
“Sure,” I say with a shrug, and then I glance at Asher. “Make them pay for us.”
Asher grins. “Yeah, I want to, but I just made plans with Angie. She’s cute. You didn’t tell me that.”
Because I hate her. That’s not true; I love her. But, ugh. Why Asher? I think I would be less upset if she hit on my dad. At least then, my mom could flick her away like a bug, and that would be that. Nope. Instead, I have to grin. “Yeah, she’s great.”
“But I’ll come for a drink, some apps. We can go to Brooks House, make my sister serve us.”
Mom and Dad nod, and then everyone looks at me. I can refuse, go back to my room and sulk, or I can keep this game of hiding my feelings strong.
I love games.
“Yeah, totally. Let me go shower and change. I’ll meet you guys there.” I turn, but then I stop, turning back. “Can you give him a ride? He Ubered here.”
“I can wait for you,” he says. And then he sits to decide it. “So you don’t have to drive alone.”
“Great!” I say a little too over the top, but then I remember he doesn’t have a car yet. “What are you going to do, Uber to Angie?”
“No, she’s meeting us at Brooks House.”
Fan-fucking-tastic. I so don’t want to see them together. I try to keep my face neutral, but it doesn’t work. “So, we’re going to Brooks House for your date?”
He shrugs. “I’ll buy you wine and apps.”
I scrunch up my face. “No, you’ll get your mom to give it to me for free.”
“Same thing.”
“It isn’t, but whatever. We’ll be there soon, guys.”
I don’t even wait for them to say bye to me, I just head back to the locker room. When I enter, the room is full of winning chatter, but all I hear is Angie. “He’s so dreamy. So big. Yeah, his brother is Aiden Brooks. The star of the Assassins? Yeah, girl, he is so beautiful. I don’t know how Ally doesn’t bang him from sunup to sundown.”
Because I’m terrified of rejection, you dumbass!
I fight back the tears and go to my locker, fishing out my phone. I open my contacts and go to Taco’s name. I hesitate, knowing it’s a really bad idea, but that doesn’t stop me.