Play Along (Windy City, #4)

by Liz Tomforde

“Isaiah, please.” Those two little words stop me in my tracks. My name. She sounds good saying my name. She sounds good begging too.

Travis nudges my shoulder. “So, who is she?” On this day, where everything feels like a sign, I don’t hesitate when I say, “My future wife.”

“Kenny, are you okay?” “Yeah, it’s just kind of hot in here, I guess.” “And that’s why you’re trying to snuggle up to me in a night club right now? We can go back to my room if you’d like.” Leaning down, I whisper, “I’m a big fan of snuggling afterward.”

“As if you’re not going to go running to Cody, Travis, or Kai and tell them about this.” “Oh, I’m for sure telling those three.” “Isaiah Rhodes.” “Kennedy Rhodes,” I mimic.

“Does this mean the honeymoon phase is over already?” “I hate you!” “See you at home, wifey!”

“Please try to be serious for once in your life. If we do this, I’m basically using you.” “Sounds terrible. Please, Kennedy, use me all you want.”

“Just think of this as one big game.” His tone is low and deep when he leans down to my ear and whispers, “C’mon wife. Play along.”

So, when he needed a pick-me-up, I learned how to be the one to make him laugh. When we only had enough money to order one meal, I charmed the waitress into throwing in some extra fries for free. When we couldn’t afford to take the bus, I made friends with the driver on our route, and he constantly snuck us on board.

“You’re exhausting, Rhodes.” I have to bite my lip to hold back my smile. “There are other ways I know how to be exhausting. You just let me know when you need a good night of sleep and we can consummate this marriage, Ken.”

Kennedy hangs up the phone just as another flash of lightning illuminates the sky. It’s only then I realize that I kind of forgot about the storm for a bit.

“Which side do you prefer?” When I look over my shoulder for his answer, I find him already watching me intently. “I’ll take the floor.” “Isaiah—” “I don’t mind.” “You have a game tomorrow. You can’t sleep on the floor. It’s my literal job to make sure your body is ready to play.” That timely smirk is back. “Oh, baby, trust me. My body is ready to play.”

Yes, I’ve seen his body, but from a medical standpoint. I’ve never looked or touched for any reason other than science. But I’m looking now, and it most definitely isn’t for science.

His lip twitches in a smirk. “Jealous.” Finding a nearby shirt, he slips it on, followed by his hat. Backward, of course, because my body needed another reminder that it’s willing and able and very much not disgusted by my drunken choice of husband. “Ready?” Isaiah slips the room key into his back pocket. “Ready for what?” “To go to the store.” Confusion is written all over my face. “You’re going out with Travis and Cody.” “I was only going with them because I didn’t have any other plans. But now I have plans, so let’s go.” “A run to the drugstore doesn’t qualify as plans.” “It does to me.” He holds the door open for me. “C’mon, Kenny, let’s go be domestic.”

“Nothing else has ever been Kennedy Kay Auburn.” That’s not true in the slightest, but I’d be lying if my supposedly cold heart didn’t warm a bit at that.

Do I want to be touched? I’ve never been asked that before. My answer comes out in a whisper. “Yes.” “By me?” “Yes.” His smile is small but genuine. “Okay.” Isaiah immediately turns back to the wall of toothbrushes, as if I didn’t just tell him I’m an absolute freak.

“It’s kind of fucked up that you’d pick your brother over your husband.” “What can I say? We’ve got history.” “Yeah, well we’ve got history too, Kennedy. You just haven’t been paying attention.”

“Thanks for that, by the way,” she says. “That’s it? You’re not going to tell me what a good boy I am for not getting in a fist fight with your brother?” “You want me to call you a good boy?” “Mmm, yes, please. Preferably while we’re naked and you’re on top of me, but now would do too.” That smile I’m quickly becoming addicted to blooms. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

Suddenly, Rio’s dark hair and goofy grin take over my phone. “I thought this was girls’ night?” His eyes narrow in confusion. “It is.” “Where’s Zee?” Zanders, or Zee as we call him, is not only Rio’s teammate on the Raptors, but he’s also Stevie’s husband and therefore Ryan’s brother-in-law. It’s one big clusterfuck, I know. Rio’s confusion only deepens. “I just said it was girls’ night.”

“Excuse me?” I stand from my seat. “Watch your fucking words when you’re speaking to my wife.”

He scoffs. “Absolutely not. What do you think? That I’m made of money? You can order off the two-for-twenty menu, and if you’re a good girl and eat all your dinner, maybe I’ll splurge and get you a molten chocolate cake for dessert.”

“Lesson number one, Kennedy. You can’t pencil affection into your little planner, so stop overthinking it.” He finishes that with a chaste kiss on the pounding pulse point under my ear, and I’m left panting for this man.

“Eyes are up here, wifey.” “I’m a doctor, Rhodes. Aced anatomy, in fact. I know where your eyes are located. I just don’t care right now.”

Max will one day learn that Miller is not his birth mom. But he’ll also learn that though his biological mom didn’t want to be a mother, Miller couldn’t live her life without him.

“I like kissing you.” “Mmm, how did those words feel coming off your tongue?” She smiles against my lips. “Like acid.” I’m so fucked.

Our wedding song is on full blast as Isaiah makes his way to the plate, but before he gets there, he turns back in my direction. With the entire stadium singing the song I walked down the aisle to, Isaiah extends his bat, points at me, and winks. He fucking winks. It’s the moment reality hits me… Miller was right. I think I might have a crush on my husband.

She drops the bowl to her lap, a grin gracing her lips. It’s not a pitying smile, it’s a genuine one. “How lucky is she to have two boys who love her as much as you and your brother do. And how lucky are you,” Kennedy continues, her knee nudging mine, “to have a mom you love so much you still miss her all these years later.”

“I know. I see you, Kenny, even if you haven’t been looking at me.”

Miller shoots me a knowing look because the two of us should win an award for our talents of teaming up against my brother.

“Oh, now you want to talk to me, huh? First you steal my girl and now you want my help to get out of bath time?” I laugh incredulously. “I don’t think so, little man. You’re on my sh…poop list.” Max’s head falls back in a fit of giggles at the word. “Poop,” he repeats. “Amazing.” Kai’s tone is all sarcasm. “Exactly the word I was hoping you’d add to your vocabulary. Your uncle is about to be on my poop list for that. Say good night to the boys, Bug.”

“Rhodes,” he says. “Her last name is Rhodes. Now get your fucking hands off my wife.”

“I’m going to ruin your makeup.” There’s no warning in his tone. It’s simply a statement. “Then I’m going to ruin you for anyone else. You got it?” I eagerly nod in agreement. “Use your words.” “Yes,” I exhale.

I nod eagerly, in my fancy gown on the floor of the bathroom with mascara running down my cheeks and spit gathering around the corner of my lips. Like the classy lady I was raised to be.

I chuckle below him. “I would really love it if we stopped talking altogether and you got to work. Show me what you’ve got, Rhodes.”

“Go in, show off that big brain of yours, and be yourself. There’s no way they’re not going to love you the way that I l—” He stops himself. My eyes go wide and his mirror them. “Llllive, laugh, love you,” he finishes. “The way I live, laugh, love you.” He says it so confidently the second time, but it still makes no fucking sense. Regardless, I can’t help but burst a laugh. “You live, laugh, love me?” “God, so fucking much.”

“Did you fucking drive here?” I continue. She shakes her head no, and that settles me for only a moment before she admits, “I ran here.” “That’s eight fucking blocks, Kennedy.” “Yeah. I’m aware.”

“Perfect.” He gives it a squeeze. “I like holding your hand in public.” He doesn’t even try to lower his voice when he adds, “And I like holding your throat in private.”

“You look happy.” Miller nudges her foot to mine, stealing my attention. I give her a small nod in agreement. “I am.” “So when did you and your husband start fucking?” Indy blurts out. My mouth drops open as I turn to Miller. She holds her hands up in defense. “I didn’t say a word.”