Page 101 of Anti Player

“I know, and it breaks my heart that his dad is a deadbeat. I want to be there for him. He deserves so much better,” I confess, my voice cracking as I remember Asher’s words when he found me in the park. At five, he found a way to console me in a way my grown mother never would.

“You want to be his dad,” Connor states, and I don’t know why but his words make me tear and it takes me a moment to get words out.

“I do,” I croak.

“Sounds like you have everything figured out, bro. You don’t need me.” He chuckles.

“Thanks, bro.”

“Stop wasting time on the phone with me and go get your girl,” he declares.

“Right.” We end the call and my heart is beating fast as nervous excitement pumps through my veins. I can’t just walk over to Brett’s apartment and tell Maddie I’m in love with her. I need to come up with a plan.

CHAPTER

TWENTY-SEVEN

Madison

“Thank you so much to Rebel for hosting this lovely party for us,” I say, seated on a chair around a table since all our friends have come to say goodbye to Asher and me. Rebel’s backyard is huge and landscaped with a gorgeous pool, where all the kids are currently swimming with trained lifeguards watching them.

“My pleasure.” Rebel grins, taking a sip of her mojito. “Even if we are all so sad you’re leaving us.”

Rebel invited all the women and children to her backyard. No one has ever done anything like this for me before. Asher is on cloud nine with the kids in the water, but he’s upset with me for taking him away from this place and these people. I can’t say I blame him.

Wolfe walks into the backyard. “Day drinking, wife?” He laughs and then he lays a hot kiss on her. Damn, she is lucky to have such a good man.

“Enjoy your day drinking,” Liam says to Skylar and he kisses the hell out of her. Apparently, those two also grew up as neighbors but with very different circumstances than mine and Kaleb’s.

“It’s getting hot out here,” I joke.

The guys leave, saying they are taking a boat somewhere for the day with the rest of the guys. I’m assuming Kaleb is included in those plans. We’ve barely spoken since we returned from Cliftwood. He’s barely stopped by my brother’s apartment. I assume it’s because my brother hasn’t left my side since I said I was leaving New York. He’s been helping me pack and taking Asher and me around the city exploring. Something tells me Brett is trying to entice me to stay. It would have maybe worked if I had gotten another offer from a culinary school. The guys leave and the ladies hang out. We eat snacks, drink, and laugh. I don’t remember ever having such a great time.

I get a notification that I have a new email. I open it. “Holy shit!” My jaw drops.

I don’t realize everyone has stopped what they are doing and are now staring at me. I get up from the table and read the email, pacing back and forth like a caged animal. What do I do? What do I do?

“You guys aren’t going to believe this,” I say to Rebel, Ellie, Skylar, Patty, and some new girls I am just meeting today. Their names are Eden, Rosie, and Amilia and they are old college friends of Patty and Skylar.

“What?” Rebel asks on edge.

“I was just given an admission offer for one of the top culinary schools here in New York,” I squeal.

Rebel bites her lip. “Congratulations, but are you going to give up your scholarship?”

“That’s a good question.” I begin to pace. “I don’t know what to do.” I place my phone on the table feeling antsy. “This is crazy. I’m supposed to be leaving for Texas tomorrow. I booked an Airbnb there, since the housing offered by the school isn’t ready because I haven’t replied to their offer. I was taking a chance and waiting until the deadline, which is tonight, because I was hoping for another offer.”

“Holy shit,” Rebel says.

“You have a decision to make,” Ellie says. “And by the sounds of it, you don’t have much time.”

“I know.” I palm my cheeks. Not answering the scholarship offer was like playing roulette, but something inside me wouldn’t allow me to send that acceptance email. My stomach turns and I rub it. I turn to watch my son in the water. He’s laughing his head off and enjoying himself. Our life is good here. Surely, I can suck it up with seeing Kaleb around. It won’t be my first broken heart, but it would hurt more than all the other times because Kaleb has always been special to me.

“I just need to process this,” I say to the ladies.

The conversation and attention move away from me, and I’m pleased about that. Ellie starts to tell the other girls about their trip to Florida. “You have to come next year,” Rebel insists.

“I hope so,” I add in. My life isn’t stable like theirs. I don’t know where I’ll land, but Florida does sound awesome.