Page 114 of Play Fake
I whistle in appreciation for what he did. “Damn, bro. I had no idea you signed the papers.”
“It’s still pretty recent, and he’s wrapping up his own loose ends.”
“So are you retiring at the end of this season to run Bradley?” I ask. It’s the question everyone is wondering the answer to.
“To be determined.”
“Well, good luck this season,” I say.
“Hey, you too. And good luck with what you’re there to do. We have to stop letting Dad fuck up our relationships.”
“Hopefully either way, we’ll end up the winners in the end.”
“Yeah,” he mutters. I hear Kennedy call his name. “I better go. Clean up after yourself, okay?”
I laugh at my brother’s compulsive ability to be a neat freak even from hundreds of miles away. “You got it, bro.”
I hang up just as my ride pulls up to the curb. I strap Jack, who’s still sleeping peacefully, into the car, and then the driver takes off for the destination I gave him.
I realize Ainsley and I have other problems, and I used the plane ride to think those things through. I reviewed the contract we signed. I came up with some revisions. I emailed my lawyer. And then I closed my eyes and visualized how my next conversation is going to go. I rehearsed my lines over and over.
And instead of going to Madden’s place in this Lyft, the driver navigates toward my parents’ mansion.
CHAPTER 49: Ainsley Bradley
Aligned
I feel strange going to Ivy’s house, but she assured me her parents are out at a dinner party. She thinks the reason I feel off about going to her house is because her parents are technically my in-laws.
I suppose that’s part of it.
I’ve never felt weird going to my best friend’s house before, but I’ve also never gone there when I was married to her brother and we just broke up.
I don’t want to go. I don’t want to see the photographs of a younger Dex on the walls. I don’t want the reminders of everything I just willingly gave up. But I don’t have much choice. Ivy was insistent, and she doesn’t know the truth.
I guess maybe tonight I’ll tell her. Does it really matter now that it’s over?
I pull up in front of the mansion in my little old Volkswagen Beetle. It’s the only car I’ve ever owned, and we got it for a good price a little over five years ago when my parents needed help toting my younger siblings around. It’s served me well, but itcertainly doesn’t drive as smoothly as the Mercedes back in Vegas.
Nothing here feels as smooth as life in Vegas does, and maybe that’s why I decided to tell Ivy the truth. Maybe she’ll be mad. Maybe she won’t care. Maybe we’ll talk about what it’s like to have sex since she’s still a virgin. Maybe we won’t since it involves her brother, and that could get awkward.
Maybe I’ll chicken out and not tell her the truth after all, but she’s my best friend. We tell each other everything, and it’s not like I can easily hide the heartbreak I’m feeling right now. I can see it on my own face when I look in the mirror, so surely she’ll be able to see it when she looks at me, too.
I ring the bell, and Ivy opens the door a moment later.
She looks all around me before her eyes meet mine, and her brows are pushed together. “Doesn’t Dex need help with the baby since he has a game this weekend?” Clearly she’s looking for her nephew. “Or is he with Everleigh?”
My brows dip together. “Everleigh?”
“Yeah, didn’t Dex tell you? She’s moving to Vegas. She might already be there.” She shrugs.
I shake my head, a little confused. Maybe Dex knew and didn’t tell me since we haven’t spoken. “No, I didn’t know that.” I hear the crack in my voice when I say the words, and I’m giving myself awaywaytoo early.
I had plans. I rehearsed what I was going to say.
But none of it matters now because tears are already falling down my cheeks, and I’m going to have to admit why to Ivy.
“Oh my God, Ains, what’s going on?” she asks as she ushers me in.
