Playing Hard to Get (The Players)

MY PARENTS’ flight arrives Thursday evening, and I pick up Blair after practice, so she can ride along with me to get them at the airport.

“Joanna didn’t want to come?” Blair asks when we hit the highway.

“She said she didn’t want to intrude on our first night together with Mom and Dad,” I tell her, my thoughts drifting, like they usually do, every time I think of her.

Joanna.

Jo Jo.

My girlfriend.

I’m smiling like an idiot, remembering how she squealed when I slapped her ass extra hard in the middle of sex last night. Her pussy clenched tightly around my dick when I did that, tumbling us both right over the edge, so I think she liked it.

As a matter of fact, I know she did.

My sister’s voice interrupting my thoughts ruins it for me.

“You are so gone for her.”

I cast a quick glare in her direction. “Am not.”

Blair is rolling her eyes. “You are. Quit denying it.”

“Fine. You’re right. I’m totally into her.” I tap my fingers on the steering wheel to the beat of the song playing on the radio. I haven’t felt this positive in a long-ass time. Our football season is going great. I’ve got a B average in every class I’m in—though English is more like a B-, Jo says that still counts as a B—and I’ve got a girlfriend.

What a great time to be alive.

“I think it’s sweet that you’ve finally fallen for someone.” Blair pauses, her voice hesitant when she asks, “What’s it like?”

“What’s what like?”

“Being in love.”

I sit up straighter, my fingers now gripping the steering wheel. Am I in love with Joanna? I care about her. A lot. I like that soft look she gets in her eyes right before I kiss her. The way she’ll call out my name when I make her come with my mouth. Or my fingers. Just thinking about the sound of her laughter makes me smile and that’s all I want to do for her.

Make her smile.

Make her want me as much as I want her. Which is all the time.

Shit.

I think I’m in love.

“Are you just now realizing you’re in love with her?” Blair asks, covering her laughter with her fingers when I send her an incredulous look. “Have you guys not said that to each other yet?”

“No, of course not. It’s only been a couple of months.”

“An intense couple of months.”

“Well, yeah. But still. I didn’t think…”

I didn’t put a name on what I was feeling for her because I was living in the moment. I think my sister is right though.

I’m totally in love with Joanna Sutton.

And I’m fairly certain she feels the same way about me.

“So what’s it like? Being in love? Knowing you’ve found your person?” Blair asks, like she’s digging for information.

“It’s great.” I clear my throat, trying to focus. “I mean, I don’t know. I still feel uncertain about things, you know? Not about her or anything, but the future. I don’t like thinking about it.”

Our paths could easily go in different directions. She’s a year younger than me. I’ll graduate and possibly get drafted and then what happens to us? Do we break up?

I absently rub at my chest, trying to ease the pain that forms there at the thought of losing her.

I don’t want to lose her.

“It’s scary,” she admits, and I glance over at her with a frown. “I mean, I’m sure it’s scary. The not knowing. The uncertainty of it all. Being in a relationship but unsure if it’s really going to work. Especially when things are going to change for you soon.”

“It’s going to work for Jo Jo and me, no matter what changes.” The words fall from my lips as if I have no control over myself.

“It’s the real deal, huh?”

“She is the real deal.” I remember what Cam said to me a while ago, when everything was first happening between us. He called her a good girl. The kind you marry.

That fucker was right. Joanna is a good girl.

She’s mine.

There’s no way in hell I’m going to let her go.

We arrive at the airport a little early and I park in the waiting lot, the car idling as both Blair and I get on our phones. I send Joanna a quick text because it’s like I can’t stop thinking about her.

Now it feels even more intense because I know I’m in love with her.

Me: You’re going to dinner with us tomorrow, right?

Joanna: Of course I am. I already said I would.

Joanna: Aren’t you with your parents? Why are you texting me?

Me: We’re at the airport. Their plane hasn’t landed yet.

Joanna: Oh. I didn’t want to take you away from your family.

Me: I wish you came with us.

Joanna: There would’ve been no room for me in your car.

Me: I would’ve shoved Blair in the back seat with Mom and Dad.

Joanna: It’s better that you’re just with your family tonight so you can all catch up.

Doesn’t she get that she’s become a part of my family too? I can’t wait for my parents to meet her. They’re going to love her, especially my mom.

They’ve come for a few games but it’s always a quick trip, with them flying in and out very quickly. They could drive but they claim they don’t have the time.

This is the first trip they’re making here where they’re actually hanging around and spending time with us beyond just going to the game. And while they’re here, I’m going to question them.

What have they been up to that they can’t tell us about? I don’t get it.

I need answers.

My phone and Blair’s ding at the same time, Dad having texted the family group chat that the plane just touched down and they should be in the terminal soon.

I send them a quick text that we’re already there waiting for them and resume texting with Joanna, deciding to be truthful.

Me: You’re like family to me. I miss you.

Joanna: Aww.

She sends me a couple of heart emojis.

Me: Maybe we could go have breakfast with my parents tomorrow.

Joanna: I don’t have to be at work until eleven.

Me: We should go then. What do you think?

Joanna: You’re sure I’m not intruding?

I scoff out loud. Please.

Me: No. I want you there.

Joanna: I’d love to go.

Me: It’s a date.

Blair’s phone rings and I can hear our mother’s voice, telling her they’re waiting for their luggage to show up.

“Have her text us when they’ve got their luggage and we’ll come get them,” I say to Blair, who repeats that back to Mom.

Minutes later, we’re pulling out of the airport, Mom and Blair talking a mile a minute in the back seat while Dad sits next to me. He may be an old man in his forties, but he could probably still take me out on the football field. He’s fit as hell and still has a full head of hair.

Aspirations I have for my forties, that’s for damn sure. I can’t even imagine being that old, all the kids out of the house. What the hell are they doing with all that free time on their hands?

“We have an announcement,” Dad says when we’re almost to their hotel, which is close to campus.

Mom and Blair immediately stop talking. This could be the answer to my questions.

“We wanted to tell you both in person. We’ve already let Ruby know when we visited her on campus last weekend,” Dad continues, his gaze going to Mom’s in the back seat. “We put the house up for sale. We’re moving.”

“Seriously?” Blair squeaks.

“Really?” I’m shocked. We grew up in that house. My room is exactly as I left it and everything there is a comfort. It feels like a home base. And now they’re selling it? “Where are you guys going?”

“And why are you selling the house?” Blair asks, sounding as distressed as I feel.

“We want a change,” Mom says. “We love that house, there are so many memories there, but now that it’s just the two of us, it feels so big. I swear I lose your father in there sometimes.”

Dad chuckles. “It’s true. I’ll hear her calling me, ‘Owen, where are you?’”

“We know it’s your home and we figured you two might be upset, but please understand we didn’t make this decision lightly,” Mom says.

Blair is sniffing like she might be crying.

“Are you buying something smaller then?” I ask.

“Definitely,” Dad says with a firm nod. “But here’s the exciting part—we’re moving to California.”

“What? Why would you do that?” Blair practically screams.

“To live by Drew and Fable. Now that all the kids have gone to college, we just want to be closer to them.”

My aunt and uncle do live in a nice area. A small town up in the mountains, right by a lake. Not too far from Yosemite. We would visit them a couple of times a year growing up, and always at Thanksgiving. I have a lot of great memories there.

“We’re finally going. We bought a piece of property there a couple of years ago,” Mom adds.

“A couple of years ago? Seriously? And you never told us?” Blair sounds furious.

“We didn’t tell you because we didn’t think it was a big deal at the time. We bought it as an investment piece. A little what if, kind of purchase. Maybe we would build a house. Maybe we would eventually sell the land. We weren’t sure.” Dad pauses, and I glance over at him real quick, noting his serious expression. “We had plans drawn up and the construction has already started.”

“Oh, that’s nice. I love how you put this entire plan into action and never once consulted any of us,” my sister says.

Ouch. She’s pissed. I can’t blame her, but damn. Way to take it out on our parents, when they’re just trying to live their lives.

“We didn’t do it to hurt you,” Mom says to Blair. “But you’re all out of the house, living your own lives. We decided to do something for just us. And for your dad. He loves and misses Fable. They only have each other, you know?”

I think about my sisters—living next to them. I already sort of do that with Blair and I could probably do without it, just saying. I love her, would do anything for her, but she can be a pain in the ass.

Yeah, I don’t really mean that but we come from a big, loving family that takes care of each other. My dad and Aunt Fable didn’t. They had different dads, who weren’t in their lives, and their mom was a drug addict who neglected them most of the time. Hell, my aunt and uncle took my dad in when he was still in high school and basically raised him themselves. Meaning they’re all extra close.

I get it. I do.

“I think it’s great,” I say, overriding Blair’s continuous complaints I can still hear her saying to Mom. “If moving to California and living by them makes you happy, then I’m all for it.”

“Suck up,” Blair mutters, but I ignore her.

“No, I’m just trying to be the mature one here,” I tell her as I turn into the hotel parking lot. “And not complaining constantly like you are.”

She glares at me in the rearview mirror and I glare right back.

“You two.” Mom sighs, and my gaze goes to her in the mirror. It hits me suddenly, how much Joanna resembles her. Mom was Dad’s tutor in college as well. I’m totally following in their footsteps and I didn’t even mean to. “Stop fighting.”

“I’m not fighting. Just stating facts,” I tell Mom.

“God Knox, you’re such an asshole.” This comes from Blair.

“Hey.” Dad’s voice is firm. “Be nice.”

Now I feel like we’re little kids again, getting in trouble.

“We shouldn’t even be fighting over this stuff.” I pull up to the front of the hotel and put the car in drive, turning so I can look at Mom and Blair in the back seat. “I’m sorry if I was a jerk, but you have to admit you’re being a jerk too, Blair.”

“You don’t understand.” She shakes her head and I swear to God, tears are forming in her eyes.

“We’re going to check in.” Dad opens the passenger side door and Mom opens her door as well. “Make up, you two. Our moving is going to be a good thing. You’ll see.”

The moment Mom and Dad are out of the car, I’m on my sister, giving her shit.

“You’re being ridiculous.”

“And you’re being an ass kisser,” she throws back at me, tears freely falling down her face now.

“Better than acting like a selfish brat. Come on, Blair. Not like you’re going back home to visit all the time. You used to say you couldn’t wait to get out of there,” I remind her.

“I don’t like how they’re just leaving and they didn’t tell us. They’ve been planning this for years, and keeping it a secret!” She crosses her arms in front of her, sniffing loudly. “I don’t like secrets.”

“Maybe it wasn’t your secret to know? Sometimes people make decisions that have nothing to do with you.”

“It’s our house too! You don’t get it.” She sulks, looking away from me. “I don’t like change.”

“Who does? It’s fucking scary, but our parents want to do something different with their lives. Who are we to stop them? I’d rather support them than fight about it.”

Blair says nothing. She’s always been the most stubborn out of the three of us. She knows how to hold a grudge, and she knows how to hold back her words.

Like she’s doing right now.

Frustrated, I turn around and face forward, drumming my fingers nervously on the steering wheel. Glad that Joanna didn’t come with us after all.

At least she didn’t have to witness this shitshow.