Page 5 of By His Play

It’s not that I don’t want to settle down one day. I’m sure it’ll be…lovely.

King and Kian are sure doing a good job of making a long-term relationship look kinda fun.

But I see enough of my teammates trying to juggle football and family life to know that I don’t want to deal with that anytime soon.

My focus needs to be football. I don’t want the distraction of a woman for more than a few hours at a time.

The ones I spend time with now know exactly what I’m willing to offer, and it’s never more than a fun night before I send them on their way.

Other than my mom and sisters, Effie has been the only woman who’s had a permanent place in my life, and I’m more than happy for that to continue.

“I’m glad you both had people looking out for you,” I say, my heart aching, knowing that it should have been me.

“Don’t give me that, young man,” Grams teases, making my brows pinch together.

“Here we go,” Effie announces, reappearing with a vase that’s almost bigger than her. Her blonde hair is pulled back into a tight ponytail and she’s wearing her thick-rimmed glasses. One look at her and I’m taken straight back to school.

Effie and I were—and still are—the most unlikely of friends. I was the bad boy player and she was the nerdy good girl.

I guess some things never change.

“Grams, I hope you’re behaving yourself,” she warns lightly, but there is a tightness to her expression I don’t like.

Grams lets out a full belly laugh. The sound of it lights me up inside, although not as much as hearing Effie laugh will.

She’s struggling. I don’t need to see the dark circles under her eyes and the worry lines etching her face to know that. I could hear it in her voice during our calls, sense it in her messages.

Picking up the flowers, I take them over and help her unwrap and arrange them.

I have no fucking clue what I’m doing, but I try to make myself useful by cutting stems and handing them over.

“They’re so beautiful,” Grams sighs when we place them on the dresser beside the television for her to enjoy. “Just like my Effie.”

“Grams,” Effie warns.

“What? It’s true. Isn’t it, Kieran? Our Effie is the most beautiful girl in the world.”

“Okay, that’s enough,” Effie states.

I glance over at my best friend to find her cheeks blazing pink as she stares down at her feet. She never has been very good with compliments, even if they are from her sweet grandmother.

“She’s right and you know it,” I say, returning to my seat on the coffee table so Effie can take the armchair.

“Sit here,” she argues, happily changing the subject.

I give her a hard glare, silently letting her know that her argument is futile. After a few seconds, she lowers herself to the chair.

I watch her for a moment longer, taking in the way she chews her nail, her body continuously moving.

She’s nervous.

“Eff, what’s?—"

“So, what have you been up to recently? You’ve been very quiet,” she blurts, unwilling to hear my question.

Grams watches us closely with a slight frown on her brow.

“Not much, really. It’s been pretty quiet.” It’s not a lie. Sure, there has been plenty going on, but I’ve excused myself from pretty much everything in favor of locking myself in my apartment.

---