Shutout (Rules of the Game, #2)(58)

We’re interrupted when the doorbell rings again. Unless Chloe is standing at my front door, I don’t have any friends left that it could be. Which is a little sad, upon further reflection.

This time, it is a delivery. The van roars away in the distance as I haul the oversized brown Amazon box inside, studying the label. It’s addressed to me, but I haven’t placed any orders there recently, let alone one for something this big.

Abby rushes up, peeking over my shoulder. “What is it?’

“No idea.”

She trails behind me as I bring the parcel into the kitchen. It isn’t very heavy, but there’s something reasonably large sliding around inside. Taking the kitchen scissors, I run them along the length of the packing tape to open the cardboard flaps. A flimsy white slip that looks like a receipt sits on of the top brown packing paper, face down. I turn it over and read the printed message, angling it away so Abby can’t see.

“A gift for you from: Hades.”





Blinking, I read it again to make sure I’m not hallucinating. What kind of gift? Hopefully not a dirty one with Abby standing right next to me watching my every move.

I shove the gift receipt in my pocket and lift the packing paper. A smile pulls at my lips when I spot a second, slightly smaller box. A coffee maker.

And it’s pink.

In addition to that, there’s a pound of organic decaffeinated coffee and a massive bag of pink Starburst. I’m shocked Tyler even remembered the last one. I’m fairly sure I only mentioned it to him once in passing.

My heart swells, and an unfamiliar feeling brews within me. One I can’t identify; one I’ve never felt.

“What’s this?” Abby pokes around in the packing box, sifting through the contents because she has zero concept of privacy. She pulls the appliance out with a smirk. “A pink coffee maker, Sera? That’s a little extra, even for you.”

“What’s wrong with being extra?” I snap, taking it from her hands. That’s it: I’m reclaiming the word “extra.” Everyone says it like it’s a bad thing, right up there with “basic.” Both terms get wielded against me by other people, and I’m tired of it.

“I like pink. It makes me happy. Why does everything have to hinge on what other people think? Yucking someone else’s yum is shitty.”

“Damn, girl. I was kidding. I meant that your brother and his friends might not want a bunch of pink stuff taking over the house.”

“I sincerely doubt they care.” Turning away, I set the box on the counter and take a deep breath, counting to five. Bailey and Siobhan invited me to watch the guys’ game with them on TV at their place, and their offer is looking better by the minute. So is staying home alone and eating pizza by myself. Or a million other things that don’t involve being trapped in a sweaty nightclub while Abby drags me around trying to get her attention fix.

“You know what?” I whirl around to face her. “I feel a headache coming on.”

She arches a brow, studying me skeptically. “A headache, huh? Seems awfully sudden.”

“Must be PMS. Could even turn into a migraine. I’d better nip it in the bud before it does.”

“You know, you’ve been super flaky lately.”

My body tenses like a steel trap, and it takes a significant restraint to keep my tone level. “You haven’t been so great yourself. I’m going through a lot right now, and it doesn’t seem like you even care.”

“Everyone has problems, Sera.”

Of course they do. Does that make mine less valid?

Tears spring to my eyes, and I grit my teeth to hold them back. “I think you should go.”

Abby storms out in a huff, and the aftermath of our confrontation leaves me spinning.

Our friendship is more on the rocks than ever. Does it even count as a friendship at this point? Do I care?

Once she’s gone, I unpack the coffee maker before putting the candy and coffee in the cupboard. Standing in the kitchen, I look at Tyler’s gift again, and some of the turmoil in me eases. My life feels like it’s going in ten drastically different directions. Some things are going better than I could’ve ever imagined, and others are going down in flames.

I grab my phone to send him a message, knowing he’ll be getting on the ice soon.

Tinker Bell: I got your present. Thank you. That was really sweet.





Hades: Any time, Tink. Now Ward can’t fuck up your decaf again.





Hades: Question 30: If you had a time machine, would you go back to the past or ahead to the future?





A heavy ache settles into the pit of my stomach because I’d give anything to see my dad again.

Tinker Bell: The past. You?





Hades: Neither. Too afraid of the butterfly effect.





Tinker Bell: Question 31: What’s something everyone else loves, but you find overrated?





Hades: This one might sound weird, but in the spirit of the game, I’ll be honest.





Tinker Bell: Well, now you have to spill.





Hades: Until I tried your Haagen Dazs, I would’ve said ice cream. Now I’m addicted, and that shit is expensive.