Page 26 of Fault Line

10

HOLDEN

After a grueling practice,followed by another pointless rehab session with Reynolds, I’m completely exhausted. Still, a sense of fulfillment settles inside me. There’s just something about pushing myself to the limit, stretching my body to its breaking point, that always makes me feel a little more alive.

I crave it, but I also need time to fully decompress afterward.

Once we’re back home, my roommates and I take quick showers, and then the four of us collapse onto the couch together. We crack open a few cold beers, tuning into some trashy reality TV. All of us are too exhausted to chat or care about what’s playing in front of us, so silence hangs heavy in the air.

Without warning, Rai glances up from his phone, sitting ramrod straight in his seat. “I have a thought,” he declares, his expression suddenly serious.

“Congratulations,” I toss back.

“Oh, shut up, Becks.” He gives me a playful glare. “Really, guys, I’m thinking we should head out to Amber Isle tonight. Bring a few beers. Start a fire. Blow off some steam before the game this weekend.”

It’s been a few weeks since our preseason party, and the idea of a night out together is more than tempting. “Yeah, let’s do it,” I say, raising my bottle, and the other two hooligans chime in with their agreement.

We collect some firewood, pack a cooler of beer, and hastily stuff ourselves into my car. As we make our way to the shoreline, the weight of this long, draining week finally lifts off my shoulders.

Rai was right. This is exactly what we needed.

Will immediately gets the fire started—our resident Boy Scout—as the rest of us kick back and relax. We’re laughing, cracking jokes, and drinking up some ice-cold Bud Light. Just one more for me since I’m the DD.

It’s a beautiful fucking night. The beach is alive with the soft, subtle sounds of waves crashing against the shore. The sand shimmers in the flickering light of our bonfire, and the sea breeze carries a salty smell mixed with the scent of burning wood.

It’s peaceful, calm, a welcome reprieve for my sore, aching muscles and my overworked brain.

Of course, it doesn’t take long for the guys to latch onto some nearby girls. Good ol’ Rai Rai’s making them all laugh, as per usual, but I actually think he’s more interested in Kaia’s roommate these days.

Before he invited her over on Saturday, he kept bugging me about “Kaia’s pretty little friend.” I told him to grow some balls and text the fucking girl. As for myself, I’m feeling the buzz, but I’m not really interested in chatting up strangers tonight.

I’m just here to have a good time with my boys.

After a few hours, we head to the Surfbreak Grill for some food. It’s a shitty, local hole-in-the-wall, but they have these amazing burgers. Plus, you can’t beat their view of the pier.

As we walk in, I’m taken aback by the sight of Kaia and Lizzie, who are already sitting inside at a booth, sipping on a couple of milkshakes. I train my gaze on Rai, who gives me the biggest shit-eating grin in the world.

Of course, this was his fucking plan all along, wasn’t it? It’s a classic Rai Rai move if I ever saw one. Some real-lifeParent Trapbullshit.

“Hey, boys!” Lizzie calls out, smiling as she waves us over.

We make our way to their booth, squeezing in next to them. The girls appear to be a little bit tipsy, but they seem happy enough to see us. Well, Lizzie does, at the very least.

Kaia, on the other hand, has that familiar fire in her eyes. Judging by the furrow in her brow and the slight frown on her full lips, she’s clearly unamused by the happenstance.

Her dark hair flows in perfect waves, one side carefully tucked behind her ear. She’s wearing this little white tank top, too, the tiny straps accentuating her golden skin.

I can’t resist the surge of attraction I feel toward her.

Sure, the girl barely tolerates me on a good day, but we’ve always had this undeniable spark. There’s no arguing the way our energy ignites when we’re together, and lately, it feels like there’s something different happening between us.

Hell, I straight up admitted that I missed her last week. That I want her in my life, despite our constant bickering. And maybe she feels the same spark that I do. Or maybe I’m inventing something more between us inside my head.

So yeah, she makes my dick hard.

But there’s something deeper here, too. I’m drawn to her ambition. Her intelligence. Kaia has always been driven and focused and dedicated, and I find all of those qualities incredibly fucking sexy.

“So, Holden,” Lizzie slurs, grinning over at me. “How come you keep messing with my girl?”

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