Page 96 of Unforgettable Player

Scout marches across the room and grabs me by the shoulders.

“How long will I have to shake you for you to come to your senses?”

“Scout.”

“Seriously, Eli? How long? This is Connor we’re talking about. You two are not compatible. Okay, fine, you want to jump his bones—gross—but when you go back to your real lives and Connor’s a college hockey star and you’re a super smart whatever, it won’t work. Can you really imagine Connor hanging out with the people you know at school? Can you really imagine yourself hanging out with a load of hockey bros after a game at the college bar?”

“I mean … yes?”

She frowns, dropping her hands.

“What happens when we come home for Thanksgiving and Christmas? Are you going to be his boyfriend or my friend?”

“Can’t I be both?”

“No.” She shakes her head. “No. Don’t you see? You can’t be both.”

My heart sinks. “Are you asking me to choose?”

She frowns, her eyes getting shiny. Fuck, please don’t cry.

“It sounds like you already have.”

Panic flaps its wings around inside me as Scout heads over to the door. “Why don’t you go downstairs and hang out with your boyfriend? Mom and Dad will be so happy to finally marry you into the family.”

“Scout.”

“You’re sleeping with my brother, Eli. What do you want me to say? Fuck.” She runs a hand through her hair. “What is so irresistible about him? He’s fucking milquetoast. There’s ten of him on any hockey team. If that’s what you want, we’ll hang out at every fucking NCAA game until you find a replacement. I swear they’ll have the same personality and IQ, same boring six pack and abs.”

“I don’t care about the hockey or the six pack. I love him.”

“Why, Eli?”

“Because he sees me, Scout. Other guys don’t see me. They’re into nerds or they’re into Asian guys, or they’re bored and I’m there. No one’s ever truly seen me the way he does.”

The water in her eyes spills over and she swipes at the tears with the back of her hand. “You’re serious?”

I nod.

“That’s like, bare minimum. Surely Connor isn’t the only one?”

“He’s the only one I really want to see me.”

“Fuck.” She spins around, looking at everything like she can find a solution in the furniture. “Fuck, fuck, fuck.”

When she spins back again, she has a slightly crazed look in her eyes. “You know I see you.”

“But not like that.”

“Can’t we just live without sex?”

I laugh and she finally smiles.

“Do you want to live without sex?” I ask.

“I can buy whatever a man has to offer … in fact, so can you!”

“It’s not sex, Scout. Or, not just⁠—”