Play Dirty (Make the Play #4) (4 page)

“Anna tells us you have a boyfriend,” Dad says to me at dinner.

Mom’s hand stills, hovering over her plate. Her head bounces to me. Anna stares at her lap, not daring to meet my gaze.

I grip my fork so tight that my knuckles turn white. Clearing my throat, I lift my head. “Um…yeah. I do.” It physically hurts to force the words from my throat.

“Go on,” Dad says.

Taking a deep breath, I say, “His name is Josh. He’s on the baseball team.” My fork slips from my fingers that are now slick with sweat. It clatters on the cherry wood table.

Dad’s eyebrows knit together as if he’s thinking. Anna is uncharacteristically quiet, but I guess that’s because she’s already run her mouth enough. Mom doesn’t chime in, but watches the exchange with rapt attention. That’s not uncommon. Dad is the rule-maker, the disciplinarian. Mom is the enforcer.

“Oh, yeah,” Dad speaks suddenly into the silence, causing me to flinch. “I remember him. Second baseman, right?”

I nod. Dad had gone to games with me sometimes when Palmer and I were dating. At the thought of Palmer, my heart pinches. It’s not the same sharp pang I feel when I think of Hayes. That’s fresher, like a new cut. With Palmer, it’s like a scar. There’s enough tissue to cover it, to keep it from opening back up and bleeding, but it’s there. I still feel it, and sometimes it’s painful.

Palmer was my first love. I’d had a crush on him since freshman year. The minute I saw him strutting around campus wearing that baseball cap low on his forehead, I was a goner. He was the best-looking guy I’d ever seen. I remember telling Ashley that he looked like a model. Like he belonged inside the pages of a magazine, not attending Prairie Creek High. But it wasn’t only his looks that attracted me. It was his charm. He was magnetic. Everyone was drawn to him.

Too bad that meant he had his pick of girls. All through my freshman and sophomore year, I watched him date a string of girls. Each of them more popular and pretty than the last one. It was during junior year that I finally found my opening. Palmer was single the night I accompanied Ashley to one of the baseball parties. We were the designated drivers for our friends, so we ended up hanging out most of the night talking. Before we left, Palmer asked for my number. He called the next day, and we went on our first date the following week.

My parents loved Palmer. Actually, they loved Hayes too. They’ve always made a point to get to know my boyfriends. It’s one of the main reasons I hate having to bring them into this whole charade with Josh.

“From what I remember, he was kind of a troublemaker. Is that right?” Mom finally chimes in.

“Um…” I nervously scratch at the tops of my arm. My plate is filled with food. I haven’t taken a bite, and honestly I’m not sure I could stomach anything now. “He’s had his issues. You know, because of his dad and Olivia and everything…” I let the words trail off. No sense in spelling it out. It’s a small town. Gossip spreads faster than pink eye at a preschool.

Dad’s mouth is full, but he nods.

“I’m sure that it’s been tough for him…and his mom,” My mom says.

“Yeah, it has been, but he’s working through it.” It’s a huge lie. Judging by how angry Josh was this afternoon, it’s clear that he’s not dealing well with it at all. Not that I blame him. I can’t even imagine how terrible it would be if my dad left our family for another woman. It was the reason I ultimately got back in Josh’s car. If he was being mean to me for the sake of being mean, that was one thing. If he was lashing out because of some deep hurt, that was something I could understand. I could relate to that.

“That’s good,” Mom answers.

“Invite him for dinner. We’d like to get to know him.” Dad says. I knew it was coming, but, still, it causes a chill to snake up my spine. Picturing Josh here at my house, sitting at this table and talking with my family, causes dread to sink into my gut. Once again, I regret the decision to go through with this. Even if it works, how will I explain it to my family? If I parade Josh in front of my family as my doting boyfriend and then suddenly we’re both dating other people, how will that look? My chest tightens, and I struggle to draw in a breath. Tugging on the collar of my shirt, I focus on pulling in air.

All of the awful things Josh has said to me fly through my mind. All the sarcastic remarks and rude behavior. Then it hits me. This will be simple. Most likely, my parents won’t like him. Dad definitely won’t.  Josh might be able to turn on the charm when he wants, but my dad’s astute. He’ll see right through him. So when Hayes decides he wants me back, I’ll tell my parents Josh hurt me and Hayes was there to save me. They already love Hayes, so they’ll buy it.

Buoyed by my new plan, I sit up straight. My stomach has settled a little, so I pick my fork back up and tuck into my food. My parents have moved on to interrogating Anna about her day at school. She still hasn’t looked at me, but that’s okay. I’ll deal with her later.

It’s a week into our plan, and it doesn’t seem to be working. Ashley barely gives me a second glance when I’m with Talia. And she and Hayes are as lovey-dovey as ever. I’m not sure how much longer I can keep this up. Patience has never been my strong suit.

“Has Hayes even said anything to you about me?” Talia asks for the umpteenth time. She’s given me the third degree every day.

But I get it. I had assumed Hayes would say something about me dating Talia right off the bat. The guy thinks I’m a jerk, and everyone knows he’s overprotective of women. Even though he and Talia broke up, if he still had any feelings for her at all he would’ve read me the riot act by now. I’m starting to think that maybe Talia is the reason the plan isn’t working. Hayes and Ashley don’t care about her anymore. She’s not the right girl for the job. A part of me wants to put a stop to this whole thing.

But I’ve never been a quitter.

I wasn’t very good at baseball when I first started playing. But I loved it, so I pushed myself to play better. Freshman year I barely made JV, but that didn’t stop me from eventually getting on the Varsity team. When I want something, I don’t back down until I get it.

“No, he hasn’t,” I finally answer her, and then ignore her dejected look. The guys’ laughter floats down the lunch table, and I glance over. I’d much rather be over there than sitting here with a mopey Talia. Besides, Hayes and Ashley don’t even notice that we’re together right now. They’re too busy making out in the quad. This entire thing would be easier if Hayes still sat at the baseball table with the rest of us. Talia suggested that we go out to the quad at one point, but there’s no way I’m going out there. This is my table. I’ve earned the right to sit here, and I’m not moving.

A chunk of hair falls in Talia’s eyes, and she brushes it back by sliding her fingers through it. When she does, her hair emits a soft, floral scent. Must be her shampoo. Talia’s hair is shiny and smooth. I know, because that night of the party I had my fingers tangled in it. Sighing, Talia glances at me, her eyelashes fluttering. She may not be the girl I want, but there’s no denying how hot she is. Swallowing thickly, I avert my gaze. I can’t afford to think like that right now. It’s not the time to get sidetracked.

“Oh,” she says, as if remembering something. Lifting her hand, she scratches the back of her neck. That’s when I know it’s not going to be something good. Talia always scratches her neck when she’s agitated. Weird how I’m already attuned to her body language. In previous relationships, it took me months to figure out how to read them. And sometimes I never figured it out. “My parents invited you to dinner.”

I almost spew out the water I just chugged from my water bottle. Thank god I hadn’t just taken a bite of my sandwich. It might have ended up all over Talia’s tight shirt. The one that shows off all her curves. The one I’ve had trouble not staring at all lunch. “That’s not happening.”

“Why not?” For not being my girlfriend, I sure had to put up with her attitude a lot. Actually, if she were my real girlfriend, this crap would never fly.

“There’s nothing in it for me,” I state simply. “Ashley and Hayes can’t see us at your parents’ house.”

“Yeah, but it’s important to my parents to meet my boyfriends.”

“Then bring Hayes over every single day when you get back together.” I lean in close and whisper, “But I’m not your boyfriend and I’m not going to your house for dinner.”

Drawing back, her face hardens. “You’re right.” Her lips curl upward in a smile I can’t read.
What’s going on now?
Man, this chick is seriously unpredictable
. “That’s why I don’t have to be stuck here with you like some kind of prisoner. Hayes and Ashley aren’t even in here.” Sliding off the bench, she snatches up her backpack angrily. “I’m going to sit with Heather and the girls. Let me know when I’m needed again.” Whirling around, she storms off.

Of course her tantrum would probably have been more effective if she wasn’t going to the other end of the same table I’m sitting at. But whatever. Honestly, it’s a relief to be free of her for a little while.

“What did you do to Talia?” Nolan swaggers over to me, taking the seat beside mine.

Chase follows him, plopping down across from us. “Yeah, she looked pretty pissed.”

I shake away their concern. “Oh, you know chicks. They’re so sensitive.”

“Damn straight,” Nolan replies.

The three of us glance over at where Talia and the girls are. Talia must feel us staring, because her head swivels in our direction. Then she glares hard.

“Yeah, you really pissed her off,” Nolan says, and he and I burst into laughter.

Talia’s glare deepens as she turns away from us.

“Seriously, Josh, you have a knack for upsetting the ladies,” Chase adds harshly, and the laughter dies on my lips.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I ask.

“Exactly what I said. C’mon, you know you don’t treat the ladies very well,” Chase continues. “I mean, look at your last two girlfriends. They both broke up with you for other guys.”

Nolan shifts uncomfortably on the bench, and it moans beneath us.

“Ashley didn’t break up with me for Hayes,” I hiss. “We broke up because I kissed Talia. She didn’t end up with Hayes until over a month later.”

“You just proved my point,” Chase says, leaving me dumbfounded. “You cheated on her.”

I narrow my eyes. “Where is this coming from, man?”

Chase shrugs. “I just think Talia deserves better.”

Ah, that’s right.
I forgot about Chase’s little crush. “And you think you’re the guy?”

“I think you’ll piss Talia off so much that she’ll come running to me, the same way that Emmy ran to Chris and Ashley ran to Hayes.”

“What about me?” Hayes’s voice startles me.

I glance over my shoulder. He hovers over my back, his shadow casting over my body. Ashley isn’t with him, sparking curiosity.

“Nothing. We were just discussing baseball,” I lie, shooting a warning look to Chase. He may be acting like a dick today, but we’re friends.

“Really? What about it?” He comes around the table sitting next to Chase. This is new. I wonder what he’s up to.

“We were rehashing the last practice, and you had a couple good hits.” I shrug. He doesn’t look convinced, and I’m worried he’ll continue to press me on it.

“Hey, babe.” Talia’s hand lights on my shoulder. She throws an apologetic look to Nolan. “Can I slide in here?”

Nolan, looking thoroughly confused, nods and scoots over. Talia plunks down beside me, her hands sliding down my arm. I bring up my fingers, threading them through hers.

“Sorry about that,” Talia says breathlessly. “I just needed to talk to the girls for a minute.” She smiles, and I realize it’s the first time I’ve seen her smile in days. This is what Hayes’s presence does to her, huh? He’s still sitting across from us, and Talia’s definitely putting on a show.

What kind of fake boyfriend would I be if I didn’t play along? “That’s okay, baby. Just don’t be gone so long next time.” I plant a kiss right on her mouth. She stiffens for a moment, but then quickly regains composure. Responding, she lifts her hands and her fingertips lightly brush my chin and neck. Then they travel up to my cheek. Her mouth moves deftly beneath mine.

“Where is your girl, Hayes?” Chase asks.

My mouth is still on Talia’s, but my mind is in the middle of Chase and Hayes’s conversation.

“Oh. She and Emmy are working on some school project together,” Hayes says.

It sounds legit, but I hope it’s not. Perhaps, our plan is working.

When our lips break apart, I give her a subtle nod to let her know I’m proud of her. She stepped up her game just like I knew she could. And she set aside our earlier fight to do it. That’s the sign of a winner, and it causes my opinion of Talia to elevate a few notches.

Nolan gives me a funny look as Chase and Hayes continue talking. I ignore him, focusing on Talia. This will only work if Hayes thinks we are totally into each other. He’s clearly over here for a reason.

The bell rings, and I groan. Talia’s face droops. We were both hoping for more time, but at least we had a few minutes to flaunt our relationship in front of Hayes. However, I am disappointed that Ashley wasn’t here. That would have been perfect.

“See ya after school,” Talia says playfully.

I stroke her cheek. “Can’t wait.”

She gives me a swift peck on the lips and then pulls away. I watch as she spins around and wanders off. Once she’s gone, I notice Hayes has already disappeared.

“See ya guys later.” Chase looks like a lost puppy as he walks away from the table. If only our display had affected Hayes as much as it had Chase.

“What the hell was that?” Nolan nudges me when Chase is out of earshot. “One minute Talia was livid with you, and the next minute she’s all over you.”

I shrug. “Girls and their mood swings. Am I right?”

“It seemed like more than that,” Nolan muses aloud. “Isn’t it a little suspicious that she only came over here when Hayes did?”

I hadn’t expected Nolan to pick up on that. Now that he had, it was imperative that I do damage control. “You know how girls are. Even when they’re over their ex, they still like making them jealous. Why do you think Ashley’s lips are permanently attached to Hayes’s at school? And why do you think Emmy was always going at it with Chris at the baseball games?”

Nolan chuckles. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.” Shaking his head, he adds, “But I gotta say, I don’t envy you with Talia. She’s nothing but drama.”

I nod. He’s right about that.