Page 61 of Enemy Games

“That would be a pretty good start.” Ethan leaned back in his chair. He just needed to be rubbing some gold rings. “But judging from the way she was hanging on to you on Saturday night, I'm willing to bet that there's some interest on her side too.”

That was a relief to hear from someone on the outside. I wasn't crazy to think that there was a deeper meaning behind why she chose to wrap her arms around me in her time of need.

It wasn't a fluke. It wasn't just convenient. Maybe it was actually about me.

“Well, the first step is talking to her. I think you should ask her in person. You don't want to go the easy route and just text her. Plus, it’s harder for someone to turn you down when you're face to face.” Reid finally said something helpful.

“Okay, fine. So find her and then what?”

“Then you ask her if she would like to go out sometime. Simple as that.” Ethan linked his fingers over his stomach.

Was it really that simple? I looked between them.

“It doesn't have to be overly complicated. If you want to go all out, you can ask her with flowers or chocolates—something to soften the blow.” Ethan thought he was hilarious, but he was not helping the situation.

“You're overthinking this. Next time you see her, talk to her. Ask her how she's doing. Maybe see how her classes are going. Offer her some help. And then say hey, maybe sometime we could go see a movie or get dinner. It could really be that easy.” Reid’s tone suggested he thought he was talking to a child.

“Okay, I'll give that a shot.” I stood up and grabbed my bagel and coffee and hurried out before they could add anything else and make me start second-guessing myself. I heard their laughter but ignored it on my way out.

I didn't know when I would run into her next. But I had a feeling the longer I waited, the worse my anxiety would get. I could text her and ask her to meet me somewhere. But that might be weird.

I wanted it to be natural. Maybe she was in the library.

Or maybe she was at home. But I didn’t want to just show up there. That would start gossip way too fast.

I didn’t know her schedule. Other than the fact she was really busy. But I wasn't going to give up hope, not yet. I finished my breakfast while walking around campus, wasting time before my class started, while thinking of the most likely places I could run into her without it seeming like I was stalking her.

Chapter 17

Presley

My heart raced as I waited for the decision to be made.

Coach Jarry and Matthew stood with their backs to me as they stared at the X-rays lit up in front of them.

I wiped my palms on my jeans for the third time, wishing one of them would just say something, anything to let me know what they were thinking. I just wanted to play again. I was super careful about not re-injuring my wrist and letting that rest for the past three weeks.

More than anything, I wanted to join my team. I hated that I was missing out on these fundamental times as we got to know each other as players and build the chemistry that we desperately needed in order to start winning games.

I huffed out a breath of irritation, and they both turned to face me at the same time. I forced a smile and waited for one of them to crack and tell me what the verdict was. They shared a look before Matthew gave a small nod.

Jarry beamed at me. “You're good to go. I want you dressed and ready for practice tomorrow morning with the rest of the team.”

I stared at them both for a few moments. As if one of them might suddenly tell me this was a joke and I actually had to wait another four weeks to play. When neither of them said anything else, I jumped up and pulled both of them into a group hug.

“Thank you so much. I can't wait to get back out there.”

“Just don't get injured again,” Matthew teased, as if falling had been a part of my plan. He took the X-rays down from the lightbox and added them into a folder. “Let me know if you're sore or have any lasting or any recurring pain.”

“I will.” I slid off the exam table as Jarry opened the door and headed into the hall. She went to her office and shut the door, leaving me alone. I pulled out my phone and texted Chris to let her know the good news.

As I headed for the rear exit, I saw I had a few minutes before my next class. It was a perfect time to let my parents know the good news as well.

I was passing the dorms when someone called my name. I looked up from my phone, expecting to see one of the girls from the team or maybe a classmate, but it was Hunter jogging toward me.

I froze, unsure what to do. I hadn't seen or spoken to him since we got back, and I couldn’t help but feel awkward about what I’d done in Green Lake. I practically claimed him in front of the entire party and our teammates. I hadn’t thought about it in the moment, I just reached for someone I felt comfortable around.

I couldn't shake the feelings from Saturday night. How right it felt to be with him. How my instinct to grab him in my time of need overshadowed any lingering feelings of hurt.