Page 6 of By His Play

My brothers and my teammates have tried to pull me out of it and force me back into real life, but I’ve been too happy in my own miserable company.

Okay, “happy” might be the wrong word.

“I don’t believe that for a moment,” Effie laughs.

“He’s been busy, dear,” Grams pipes up. “Just look at all the gifts he brought you. He’s missed you as much as you’ve missed him.”

Effie’s eyes widen and her cheeks burn brightly all over again.

“Ah, Eff. You missing me?” I tease.

I know she has been; the words didn’t need saying. I’ve missed her too. But something feels off with Gram’s comment, add that to the shifty way that Effie is acting and my curiosity is piqued.

Silence hangs in the air between us. There’s noise from the corridor, but no one pops their head into our room, and the TV continues to play behind me.

“I love those flowers so much,” Grams finally says. “And those sunflowers. I really do think you should have a sunflower bouquet at the wedding, Effie. They’re your flowers. Don’t you think, Kieran?”

“U-uh,” I stutter, unsure what to say to that.

Effie, on the other hand, hops out of her chair like her ass is on fire.

“We should probably get going, let you have your afternoon nap.”

Grams’ face drops, but she quickly covers it.

“I guess you two don’t want to be spending your afternoon with me when you could be getting reacquainted.”

Grams wiggles her brows, her smile getting wider.

I frown. I know we haven’t seen each other as much as we usually would, but we’re not exactly long, lost friends.

When I glance back at Effie, I find her shaking her head at me, silently asking me just to go along with it all.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” Effie says to Grams before leaning down to kiss her cheek.

“Okay, sweetie. Enjoy him, and don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

What the?—

Before I have a chance to question Grams, Effie grabs my hand and attempts to drag me out of the room.

Seeing as she’s barely five foot and I’m six-four and well over two hundred pounds, she doesn’t stand a chance. That doesn’t stop her from trying, though.

“Rock her world, Kieran. She needs it,” Grams calls, despite the fact we’re now in the hallway.

“What the hell was that?”

“Nothing,” Effie says tightly, her little legs taking on a life of their own as she practically races for the exit.

“Eff, wait,” I demand, eating up the space between us in just a handful of easy strides, although I don’t stop her until we’re out of the building.

It’s a gorgeous, sunny day in St. Louis. The warmth of the sun wraps around me, but it doesn’t relax me in the way it usually would.

Finding her wrist, I pull her to a stop and step in front of her.

“What’s going on?”

Effie’s eyes fill with tears, and she looks away, trying to hide them.

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