Page 52 of Play For Me

“What’s wrong with my smile?”

“It’s all…soft. And knowing. Too sweet.”

She laughs and hits me with the pillow. “You’re a ridiculous human.”

I gesture around at the clothes. “Obviously.”

Vi rolls her eyes. “Not because you care about what you look like, weirdo. Everyone cares about what they look like when they’re going to see a crush.”

“He’s not my crush,” I say automatically.

Her lips twitch. “Fine. Everyone cares about what they look like when they’re going to see an objectively hot guy.”

“He’ssohot,” I groan, and then bury my face in the pillow once more as she laughs.

“That’s not a bad thing, Ceece.”

I pull the pillow away and glare at her. “Of course it’s a bad thing! I’m literally not allowed to be more than friends with this guy—it would get him in trouble with his clinicals. Not that Ithink he’d want to get involved anyhow.” I picture how serious Solomon always is, how professional and unaffected.

“His clinicals won’t last forever,” she points out. “I don’t see why you guys can’t get to know each other for a while and then later you could…” she shrugs. “See what happens.”

“I don’t do that, Vi. I don’t get to know guys. I hook up with them when I feel like it.”

“It’s okay to like someone, Ceece.” When I scowl, she rolls her eyes. “Did you honestly think you were going to go your entire life without a boyfriend?”

The word sends a jolt of something like panic through me. “I have no time for or interest in a boyfriend. This is the most important soccer season of my life.” My panic turns into a low ache deep in my belly. It feels like my last chance to catch the attention of the people in charge of the national team. Maybe that’s silly—I have another year of college play ahead of me—but after my injury and missing so much playing time, I can’t help but worry they’re already close to writing me off.

Violet must see something in my face because she sighs and climbs up on the bed next to me, laying down with her head on my shoulder. “I wish I could make you see how phenomenal you really are, CeCe.”

I shift next to her, uncomfortable. “I don’t think my problem has ever been lack of ego, Vi.”

She laughs softly. “You have plenty of ego when it comes to playing soccer and bossing everyone around,” she admits. “But you don’t seem to put as much stock in that huge, generous heart of yours.” She kisses the side of my face. “There’s a lot of room in that heart, babe. Enough for your family, soccer,anda boy—if that’s what you decide you want.”

A lump comes to my throat. I think about Solomon, so quiet and calm. Sure of himself. Helping the kids at camp. Getting me set up on a horse with quiet, steady efficiency. Before I lose mynerve, I open my mouth to whisper, “I can’t see him ever going for someone like me.”

Her voice gets a little harder, like she doesn’t like where this is going. “Someone like you?”

“You know. Loud. Over the top. Bossy. Annoying.”

“CeCe.” She’s quiet for a moment. “Your personality is a selling point. You know that, right?” When I don’t say anything, she lifts her head from my shoulder, balancing on her elbow to look down at me. “You say loud and over the top, I say full of life. And you’re not bossy, at least not in a negative way—you’re confident and capable. Not to mention driven. The most loyal human I’ve ever met. A fighter.” She shakes her head. “Need me to go on?”

The lump in my throat feels really big now. Aunt Daisy’s side of the family is really big on expressing feelings and shit. It can be a little overwhelming.

And really, really nice.

“I notice you didn’t correct my use of annoying,” I manage to say, and she grins.

“Oh, you’re annoying as hell.” Then she jumps off the bed and tugs on my arm. “I won’t torture you with yucky emotional stuff anymore. Come on—let’s get you dressed.”

FIFTEEN

CECELIA

I manage to put Solomon Barnes out of my mind for the entire first hour of the party. Cade sets up a game of Texas Hold ‘em and I decide to join him, since the group at the table appears to be in dire need of getting their asses kicked. And if I happen to arrange my seat so I can have a clear view of the guests still trickling through the front door, it doesn’t mean anything.

As it turns out, I didn’t need to bother. Their arrival is impossible to ignore when Jay barrels through the front door shouting, “I brought beer!” A cheer goes up from the guests and he raises the two twelve-packs of Budweiser in the air in victory.

“I’m out for this hand,” I tell Cade. He makes a kissy face at me so I flip him off as I get up from my chair and go to greet them.