Page 90 of Playing the Player

“Hey, babe.” Olivia chirps down the phone when she finally answers. “What’s up?”

“What do you mean ‘what’s up’?” My voice pitching to levels I didn’t know it could reach. “You were calling and texting a million times. I thought someone had died!”

Olivia laughs down the phone and I have never wanted to reach into it and strangle someone so much in my life. “No, no. I was just letting you know that we’re going out for drinks since the guys won tonight. I think you should come.”

“So everyone is still alive?”

“Yes.”

“No one’s in hospital?”

“Nope.”

“I almost had a heart attack, woman!”

“Worth it.”

I groan, flopping back down onto the couch. “You’re the worst.”

“I know.” Despite myself, I smile. “So what do you say?”

As pissed as I am, that does sound kinda fun. A night out with my friends… Maybe that’s exactly what I need. A distraction. A few drinks. Something normal. “Yeah, okay.”

“What?” Olivia screeches, “I thought I’d have to bribe you.”

“I know. It’s shocking.” I stretch, arching my back. “But I have worked my ass off today and I need to let off some steam.” And then a thought slams into me. “Will he be there?”

There’s a small pause before Olivia speaks again. “No. He’s just heading home.” With someone? God, Sash, don’t be ridiculous. Relief and disappointment hit me at the same time. “I’ll be at your place in an hour.”

True to her word, Olivia gets to my apartment exactly fifty-nine minutes after we went off the phone. I was able to finish my dinner and get ready before she even got here. I think that’s a personal best.

I’m wearing a pair of black denim jeans with my black cowboy boots. I was going to put on my Flames jersey but I couldn’t wear Conor’s name because that would just be weird now, and I couldn’t wear anyone else’s because that would be so disrespectful to Conor. Instead, I opted for a red top with spaghetti straps that hangs low enough to show off the perfect amount of cleavage. Plus, it’s in the team colors so it’s a win-win.

“You look hot as fuck.” Olivia whistles the second I open the door.

I laugh. “Me? Look at you!” She’s gorgeous, wearing Josh’s jersey as a dress because he’s such a mountain of a man, paired with knee high, black boots.

We walk to the bar since it’s close to both of our apartments. Josh is with us too, keeping us safe from all the ‘playboys and thugs’ as he put it. He’s acting like our own personal bodyguard, glaring and growling at any man who passes by whether he looks in our direction or not.

The early December air is cool against my bare skin, but that is forgotten when we step into the heat of the bar. The space is already buzzing. Music pounds through the speakers. People are dancing. The whole place is electric after the win. This is exactly what I needed.

The three of us move through the throng of people, stopping at the bar to grab some drinks before we find a booth to sit in. The last time I was here was the night Liam got here. It was the night Conor asked to kiss me. I think it was the night that truly started all of this. I shake my head to rid myself of those thoughts. I’m not here to dwell on the past. I’m here to forget it.

My eyes wander around the room. Players and their partners sit off to the side, some of them up dancing. Regulars that I’ve seen every time I’ve been in here sit in their usual spots with glazed eyes. Sometimes I wonder if those people ever leave this place.

As the song ends, most of the people on the dance floor scatter around the room. I smile at people as they walk past, congratulating the players on their amazing win, even though I didn’t see it. They don’t need to know that.

My gaze moves around the room again and then… everything stops. My stomach drops, my knees feel weak. I grip the edge of the bar stool I’m sitting on, needing anything I can hold onto for support.

“Sash?” Olivia’s voice sounds so far away. “What’s wrong?” She rests a hand on my trembling arm, squeezing tight.

“You said he wouldn’t be here.” I whisper. I feel like I can’t breathe all of a sudden. My lungs are tight and my head feels dizzy. Tears slip past my lashes as I take him in. He’s laughing. A brunette is perched on his lap. His good arm is wrapped loosely around her waist while she leans into him, whispering something in his ear. He laughs again. The same laugh. The same smile. The same look he used to give me.

“I need to go.”

The barstool screeches backwards and almost topples to the ground from the force of me standing but Josh catches it just in time. I need to get out of here. I need air.

“Sasha, wait!” Olivia calls from behind me but the sound is muffled.