Page 28 of Game Plan

“Never mind. I’m done with you.” My voice was clipped now. Not wanting to argue further, I pushed past him. Not offering him another glance, I kept talking with my back to him. “Thank you for coming to the meet. You didn’t have to, but the team appreciates all the support it can get. See you around.” It sounded so impersonal, and I hated myself for doing so, but I couldn’t help myself.

“Jesus, Shepard, did you forget to add sugar to your coffee this morning, or are you always this enjoyable these days? You don’t even have a good reason to be mad at me. You just like to argue. You like how it makes you feel when we butted heads. Tell me I’m wrong.”

“I don’t wanna talk to you anymore. I’m done with you. You’re acting like a child, and I don’t have to stay and indulge you. Go be an ass to someone else.”

“Wow, the old Melinda Shepard I used to know never got her panties in a twist like that. Perhaps you should go commando from now on. Just a thought. It could help relieve your pissy attitude. Do I have to remind you that you’ve started the fight? Or do you want me to tell you your lips quivered minutes ago, begging me to kiss you?”

“Now you’re living in a fantasy world. Stop projecting or making stuff up about me.”

“I thought we made it clear last year that lying was a bad habit of yours.”

How could he be so infuriating? “Bye, Mason.” No way would I give him the satisfaction of saying things about me that might be true while I tried to deny them.

Anyway, I wasn’t the only one looking for a fight. Two could play this game, but I was the one putting a stop to it before we said things we would regret later. “Whatever happened to you to make you act like an asshole right now, I don’t deserve to be on the receiving end of it. If you suffered a concussion during your last game, get your head checked.”

Before he could add something else, I shouldered the door open and rushed outside, determined to enjoy the night and not let Mason Pierce mess with my head—or my heart—once more.

The fury inside me dulled to a low simmer, and I could finally drag a full breath in. What was that all about? I hadn’t argued like that with someone in a long time. It felt good to just let it all out for once instead of pretending. And even though I tried to convince myself he didn’t get to me, when he stood a little too close for comfort, I relished every beat of Mason’s heart against mine, and the memory of how our bodies fit perfectly together.

Our confrontation was uncalled for, and yet after my big mouth had spilled the tea about my date to Mason, I let my pride take over and couldn’t reel in my words. It was stupid, and I hated the fact he still affected me more than he should.

“Screw you, Mason Pierce.” There, I said it. I just wished I could believe it for real.

9

You don’t need luck, girl. You’ve got this

“Do I look okay?” I asked Cassidy as I twirled in front of the full-length mirror attached to the wardrobe door. “I haven’t really ever gone on a date before. Mase and I, we just kinda hung out together most days, and it often involved workout attire. And Jay and I, we happened, and then we went out, but mostly with other people around at first. It was never a date date where you don’t really know the other person and have to make small talk.”

Tonight, I was wearing dark-blue jeans I had paired with a sleeveless black lacy top, a charcoal knitted cardigan with an open front, and black knee-high boots my roommate had lent me. I had curled my hair in loose waves and was wearing minimal makeup and silver hoop earrings. Looking at my reflection once again, I added a coat of petal-pink lip gloss and smacked my lips together.

“Is it too much?”

“Mel, stop. You look gorgeous. Jett would have to be blind not to see it.”

I huffed a long breath. “Thanks.” I grabbed a cream fake-leather purse and a hot-pink one from a hook by the wardrobe door. “Which one?” I posed for her with both.

Sitting on her bed and staring at me, she rolled her jaw back and forth for a few seconds. “Pink. I love the touch of color. It just gives the entire outfit a little je ne sais quoi.”

“Geez, Cassie. Are you sick? You never wear colors, and now you think they look good on me?”

She flicked her wrist. “The keyword is on you. It looks good on you, roomie. I would never be caught dead wearing pink, but when you’re the one wearing it, it works.”

I chuckled. “Thanks… I guess.” I checked the time on my alarm clock. “Jett will be here any minute now.” I sat on my bed, facing Cassidy. “Do you think it’s too soon? Should I cancel? We could go to that Kappa Sigma Gamma party instead. I heard they hired a DJ. Dancing could be fun. Or maybe we stay in and watch that documentary you’ve been talking about.”

I reached for my earrings, about to take them off, when my roommate leaped to her feet and tackled me until I tumbled onto my back on the mattress, both of us laughing.

“Stop. You are going. It doesn’t matter if you never see him after tonight. For once, think about yourself first and have a great night and forget about everyone else. You deserve to have some fun. And if he kisses you, then that’s a bonus. If he doesn’t, his loss.”

She rolled away from me, and we rested on our backs next to each other. Butterflies fluttered in my chest. Maybe I could do this. Let go for a night and have some fun with a nice guy and see what would happen. No strings attached, no complication, no bittersweet history between us.

“Unless you’re secretly pining for Mason.”

I hit her with a pillow. “No. I thought I’d made myself clear every time you’ve broached the subject since I came back earlier.”

“You can’t seriously tell me that encounter in the athletic building hallway wasn’t hot. I was swooning just from the way you described it.”

“Shut up. Did you miss the part where I told you he played me and then insulted Jett?”