Page 46 of Game On
“I thought you weren’t going to open lift,” he says.
“I didn’t,” I say, dropping my keys on the small table by the door.
Levi sits up, scrutinizing me further. “So, what’s with your face?”
“My face?” I touch my cheek, self-conscious, feeling the residual heat of exertion from the gym.
“You’re all sweaty and gross, and you have this look that says you just had a major rush of adrenaline. So, either you’ve been pumping iron, or pumping something else,” he teases, waggling his eyebrows suggestively.
“Jesus Christ, are you thirteen years old?” I say, rolling my eyes.
“Twenty-two, last I checked.”
“I wasn’t pumping anything. I was … with Ella,” I admit, a bit too defensively.
He smirks. “Yeah, that’s not convincing.”
“We were at the all-star gym she’s been training at. I did a few stunts with her. That’s all.” My voice is flat, trying to sound nonchalant about something that, honestly, felt like rediscovering a part of myself I’d almost forgotten.
Levi’s expression shifts from teasing to genuinely interested. He’s one of the few people here at Whitland who knows I used to cheer, and surprisingly, he’s always respected it.
“Oh, sweet. How was it?”
I give a noncommittal shrug, my mind replaying the night—the challenge in nailing the grips and lifts, Ella’s focused expression, the sound of her laughter. “I liked it,” I say, more to myself than to him.
He chuckles, folding his arms behind his head. “Wow, high praise.”
“I think I’m gonna go again. Do some tumbling practice next time.”
“Huh.” He stares at me, a playful suspicion in his eyes.
“What?”
“Oh, you know, it’s just that you have so much ample free time,” he teases. “I’m not surprised in the slightest you would take up another extremely demanding hobby.”
I huff, annoyance flaring up. “I’m not committing to anything. It’s for fun, when and if I have the time for it.”
“I’m sure it helps that there’s a pretty girl there, too.”
“Yeah. Sammy’s easy on the eyes, now you mention it.”
“Watch your mouth,” he says quickly, a protective glare hardening his features.
I raise my brow. “Thought you two weren’t together.”
“We’re not,” he says. “But she’s mine to look at.”
“Pathetic, I’m telling you.” I shake my head, dismissing the conversation as I head toward my room. “Where’s Sour?”
“Not sure,” he says. “He was sleeping when I got home hours ago. He must be getting his beauty rest.”
“He didn’t even want to say hi to his dad?” I grumble, more to myself than to Levi. I head down the hall and push open my bedroom door.
There’s a lump in the middle of my bed, Sourdough curled up beneath the blankets like a warm cinnamon bun. He raises his head at my arrival, one paw releasing the blanket he’d been clutching in his sleep. With a soft, contentedsigh, he shifts until I can see those familiar blue eyes staring up at me.
“Hey, bud,” I murmur, setting my bag down before slowly approaching the bed. I stroke his soft fur, and he purrs his appreciation. “Missed you, too.”
My phone buzzes from where I’d discarded it on my bedside table, pulling me from our quiet moment. I sigh, but when I see Ella’s name flash on the screen, a corner of my mouth twitches; she’s sent a picture of me at the gym. In it, Ash and I attempt to push Luke into the air, one of his limbs kicking out and nearly hitting me in the face.
