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I refused to be the reason Gavin risked his dream. “Can’t. I have princess things to do. You’ll just have to win without me.”
Sellers stepped back to take in my outfit. “I would definitely play better if you were there wearing my jersey.”
With a growl, Gavin pushed a laughing Sellers toward a group of sexy nurses beckoning him over. The move shifted him toward me, and his hand brushed mine. Tingles shot up my arm from the light touch, and I wondered how soon was too soon to beg for a ride home.
He leaned down, and his breath warmed my ear. “The only jersey you’re wearing is mine, Princess.”
I shivered at the possessive tone and steeled my resolve. “Not really a jersey type of girl.”
Gavin’s eyes narrowed at my response, but Reece yelled for him from the kitchen. He raised a brow, and after I nodded for him to go, I pulled out my phone to text Carl.You have a deal.
27
Something was going on with Eva. Since the Halloween party a couple of days ago, she’d been quieter than usual. She wasn’t pushing me away or icing me out, the opposite really, but something in her felt broken.
I’d hoped she’d come to me, talk to me, let me help, but Eva was as fiercely independent as always. Tonight would be the first Friday game she’d miss since we got together, and I wondered if it was connected.
Maybe Danny had done something. Or Juliet. Or her weird professor. I didn’t know because she wouldn’t talk to me. My money was on Danny since he’d been strangely absent the last few weeks.
Even stranger, after the econ test at the beginning of the semester, Danny hadn’t asked me to switch with him. Not for shifts at Wildcat and not for any of his classes. I was getting a little worried, so I detoured to Wildcat after my morning skate. He usually worked game days, and I could bring Eva her favorite coffee.
Danny wasn’t inside, and Patrick, one of the nicer guys who worked there and knew our secret, hadn’t seen him around. Hehooked me up with a rush order, and I texted Danny while I waited.
Me: Are you in jail?
Bro: Ha ha. [laughing emoji]
Me: Need to talk.
I didn’t get a response, but he’d read the message. Danny only ever did whathewanted to do, so I didn’t expect him to put any effort into communicating. I’d been thinking about our fucked-up situation since Eva had found out, and she was right. Doing the work for Danny wasn’t helping him. I was taking the easy route in a relationship I didn’t know how to handle.
If I was serious about being there for my brother, we needed to hash some shit out and try for real. Which meant no more stupid risks.
Patrick nodded at me and set my drink on the counter. Iced cold brew with four pumps of vanilla syrup and two sugars. Eva loved her milkshake coffee, and I loved making Eva happy. With the Danny problem temporarily tabled, my mind was split between the game tonight and whether I could convince Eva to be late to practice. I didn’t notice the guy walking behind me until he spoke.
“Danny King?”
At my brother’s name, I stopped and turned without saying anything. Silence was the best way to keep people guessing.
“Or should I call you Gavin?”
I bristled at his knowing tone. The guy was a couple of inches shorter than me, at least twenty years older if the silver hair at his temple was any indication, and rich. He wore his privilege like a good cologne. His suit looked expensive, and his watchdefinitely was. I had no idea what he wanted with me, or my brother, until I got a good look at his eyes.
Ice blue and filled with contempt. I knew that expression—Eva had worn it every time our paths crossed for the first two years we’d known each other.
“Mr. Adams,” I greeted him. No point in pretending I didn’t know who he was.
His mouth curved in a humorless smile. “I’d like a moment of your time.”
I was severely tempted to simply say no and keep walking. Somehow, I doubted he’d want to hear I was in a hurry because I wanted to fuck his daughter before she had to leave for practice.
Instead, I inclined my head toward Eva’s courtyard. He followed me, and I set the coffee down on the lip of the fountain. I liked to have my hands free when strange men surprised me. My eyes narrowed as I thought about it. How had he even known where I’d be?
Eva’s dad gave the space a quick, unimpressed glance then focused on me again. “I’ll cut to the chase. I want you to stay away from my daughter.”
My brows rose, and I had the crazy urge to laugh, followed by the even crazier urge to tell him to fuck off. He didn’t get to dictate who Eva dated. She’d probably castrate me if I told her father to fuck off though. Worse, any response I made confirming we had a relationship could hurt her. As much as it pained me, I feigned ignorance.
“We live in the same house, so I can’t do that.”
