Page 20 of Her Game Plan

“Blackmail should always be considered.” I mean that. I might not want to blackmail Callan, but I would’ve done it. Probably.

Addie takes a sip of her coffee, moving the phone so it’s propped up as she starts eating breakfast. “And yet, he said yes out of the kindness of his heart.”

I pop my knuckles. “I don’t trust it. Who says yes to a fake-dating agreement without getting something out of the deal?”

“He’s getting a roommate out of it,” Addie reminds me.

“Sarcasm noted.” I lift my middle finger where she can see it. “Speaking of roommates, where’s yours?”

“Um, he’s…” Addie trails off, turning her head as she rubs at her lower eyelid.

“Oh my God, Adeline Keaton. Tell me what the man did to you right now, or so help me, I will fly down there.”

“Nothing. He just…” She swallows hard. “He met my brothers.”

“Not all six at once.”

She closes her eyes as she nods.

“Oh fuck. Did he stay around long enough to say goodbye before he ran?”

“No.” She lets out a wet laugh. “He bolted so quickly, I think he left rubber marks on the floor of my mama’s kitchen.”

I lean down in front of the camera, giving her my full attention. “Oh, Addie. I’m sorry. You should’ve started with that, instead of letting me blabber on about my bullshit with Callan.”

“It’s fine. I have a women’s game tonight in San Francisco, and then rent is due next week, and Levi already found a new place, so it’s all on me. And I do have some savings, but it’s irresponsible for me to pay for this place by myself, which means I need to find somewhere new to live. I’m… I feel so overwhelmed.”

Addie has known she wanted to be a referee for professional men’s basketball since she was two, when her six older brothers gave her a whistle and let her call their game. Or that’s the way she tells it at least. Now, she’s worked her way through the ranks far enough that she’s mostly refereeing minor league and women’s professional games. Unfortunately, the real money in refereeing doesn’t start coming in until you make it to be a full-staff ref for men’s basketball.

And I hate the fact I know that. But I’m a good friend who chose to ask why my sexy, smart, hilarious best friend was moving in with her very blah boyfriend after only dating him for a month. Turns out, rent in Dallas is not cheap. And Addie is nothing if not logical.

“Move here!” I offer. “You can live with me. Or me and Callan if we decide to live here.”

Addie snorts. “There is no way that man is moving into your condo when he owns a mega mansion closer to his practice facility.”

“I’m closer to the stadium for games.” I’m not particularly attached to my condo, but there is something about just assuming I’ll move in with him that rubs me the wrong way. Not that he’s made that assumption yet, but he will. It’s a total man thing to do.

“That barely even matters in football. They don’t play that many games,” Addie reminds me. “Plus, do you really want to start off your relationship by demanding he move in with you when he’s already doing you a solid?”

“Can we not call it a relationship, please? Unless you’re around my family, of course.”

Addie stares at me for a beat. “Okay, but what if, and hear me out, you considered it a real relationship? Like, gave it a test run. You have to fake date him until March, anyway. Might as well see what happens. Maybe you would want to settle down if you tried it.”

I drop onto my sofa, running my fingers along the soft blue suede. “I did try that. It sucked. I felt like I was drowning with Jace. Like a little piece of my freedom was stolen away every minute I spent with him.”

“You dated him for four years!” Addie exclaims.

“Exactly. I tried! Now I know I’m not a relationship girlie.”

Addie narrows her eyes. “Okay, but Jace sucked. He was in an alternative rock band and had a ponytail.”

“They were indie folk.” The defense of his music pops from my mouth, an old habit it appears I haven’t quit. “And I met him the day after my thirtieth birthday when my dad went on and on about how much happier I would be if I settled down.” I take a deep breath before blurting out, “Plus, it was a man bun, and I was in a bad place!”

I should’ve never agreed to go out with him. But I did. And he was gorgeous and interesting and loved music as much as I did. It was everything my teenage heart had ever wanted, wrapped up in a brooding forty-year-old package.

“Plus,” I continue. “I like having options. I’ve been on a pro-athlete kick since Jace, but what if tomorrow I want to start dating musicians again? Or pilots? Hell, maybe I could try out a finance bro.”

Addie takes an extra-large bite of a breakfast burrito. “Or, what if you act like a normal human and pick someone not based on their caricature?”