Page 24 of Play Maker

My bestie was texting and calling me less frequently lately and I wondered what was up. Or maybe I was the problem. It didn’t seem like we were BFFs anymore. The longer Preston and I were apart, the less we had to say to each other. He was on the west coast, and I was on the east; he was focused on acting and me on hockey. We had no interests in common anymore. Not school or friends or anything really. Oddly enough, the only link we had was Jace.

Preston: How’s things in Sutton? Are you bored out of your freaking mind?

Bored? I wish.

Axel: No time for that. Just finished practice. Sore and tired as fuck.

Preston: And Jace? Is he still an asshole? Have you talked to him?

The times when Preston did text me, he always asked about Jace. He was weirded out that I was now on the same team as his ex. Not surprising, but there was nothing I could do about it.

Axel: Only when needed and when it relates to the game.

Preston: Really? He doesn’t talk about me?

Axel: I thought you were going to forget about him.

Preston: I have. I just don’t want him spreading rumors about me. If he claims that I hurt him, tell him to fuck off.

That reply made me pause. Preston was in California, why would he care what people here thought about him? And claims about hurting Jace? I thought Jace was the one who hurt him.

Preston: Don’t listen to anything he has to say. Jace is charming when he wants something, but he’s such a liar. He lies about everything.

I should’ve believed my friend, but something about his comments felt off. Everyone at Sutton loved Jace. Dane let it be known several times that there was no one he trusted more as a friend and a teammate, and Dane was, by all accounts, a stand-up guy. Jace, a liar? Given my family history, I had a great radar for bullshit and lies; secrets were our stock-in-trade. But the longer I played with the team and with Jace, the more confused I was about Preston’s history with him. My head told me to be wary of falling for Jace’s charm, but my instincts were starting to fight.

Axel: You need to forget about him. He’s not worth it.

Preston: You’re right. And not the reason I texted. I have BIG news. I know a guy who knows a guy and…he’s getting me a movie audition.

Axel: Holy shit, congrats!

Preston: If this works out, I’m quitting college.

Axel: What? Your parents will flip.

Preston: I don’t care. This is what I want. Nothing’s going to stop me.

Axel: I hope you know what you’re doing.

Preston: I’m going to be a megastar and fuck everyone else.

Axel: Good luck.

Preston: I don’t need it. Later.

Axel: TTYS

I was so busy texting that I wasn’t watching where I was walking and bumped into someone.

“Oof.”

“Sorry,” I replied and glanced up. “Oh, hey.”

Ethan grinned at me.

“Hey yourself, glad to see you’re in one piece. I thought for sure you and Jace would maul each other tonight.”

Mauling made me think of fucking, not fighting, and that train of thought was…disturbing to say the least. I swallowed hard as I remembered the way Jace and I collided on the ice, grappling like angry wrestlers, and of course, the taste of sweat and frustration. My stomach flipped over in the strangest way, and despite the bitter winter air, I was boiling hot again.

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