Page 50 of The Has-Been

Liam goes silent, his hands running through his hair.

I hold back laughter at Reid’s cringey joke. But Reese leans forward. Her chest heaving.

On instinct, I take a step toward her.

“I think—” her voice breaks off, and I narrow my eyes as Reid looks like he’s about to cross the room to her. But I know where this is going, so I relax. “I think I’m gonna be sick.”

Reese fake gags, flipping Reid the bird. He waves her off, rolling his eyes.

“Yeah, I would love to see you two alone in a room together.” Liam frowns.

Reid’s stupid fucking teeth spread across his face as he looks to Reese. “What do you say, wanna let ‘em watch?” He winks.

I can’t help but laugh, watching Liam’s face lose its color.

“NOT LIKE THAT!” Liam corrects.

Reese was always like a little sister to him, so I’m surprised when Liam allows Reid’s joke to slide with no more than a twisted expression.

After a few seconds, I note, “What are you doing here, though? I figured you’d be half-blasted at Melbourne’s already?”

Reid shifts in the recliner across from Reese. She’s swirling a piece of her hair…she only does that when she’s nervous.

“I’m cockblocking her,” Reid grumbles at last.

“Pardon?” I blurt, craning my neck toward my cousin.

“Don’t look at me! You’re the one who made me promise I’d let June set up an account! And, well, I did, and she finally found me a date.” Reese slumps her shoulders. “Only took like two weeks…”

I clap my hands, jumping up and down, unable to suppress my excitement.

“Yeah, well, don’t be too happy cause I’m not going,” Reese adds.

“Why?” I question as I eye Reid, who I’m certain has something to do with this.

“Cause she matched with Lawrence’s defensemen, Thatcher.” Reid’s blue stare finds Liam—as if he knows he’s going to need the backup for the ass-kicking he’s about to receive for fucking this up.

“OH. HELL. NO.” Liam shouts, shaking his head as he paces into the kitchen. “No way in hell am I letting you go anywhere with that guy! I think he’s been arrested like three times!” Liam says in Reese’s direction—like he really is her older brother, preventing her from going on the date.

My heart does a little flip—I ignore it, or at least pretend to.

Reese looks at me, eyebrows raised, silently saying: See. Not going.

“Wait, how did you even match with him? I thought the app was for Delleth students only?” I question through furrowed brows.

“There are ways around it,” Reid explains, simply. Too simply.

We all look at him. Someone is clearly familiar with doing it—at away games, it seems.

“What?” Reid stills. God, is he seriously that oblivious to his reputation?

“You’re a pig.” Reese looks at him, disgusted.

Reid smiles, a slow devilish grin, really trying hard to deepen those dimples, “More like a horse.”

Reese coughs, eyes rolling back as she chokes on his words.

I eye them suspiciously then⁠—