Play Along (Windy City, #4)

by Liz Tomforde

“That’s not me being cocky. That’s me telling you how it’s going to be. I’ll let you be a brat about a lot of things, but you’re not allowed to be a brat about this.”

He’s strikingly handsome when he smiles, but then again, Isaiah Rhodes is always smiling, even when he doesn’t want to.

“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.”

WIFE!!!!

My future sister-in-law is like me in a lot of ways, so when Kai told me I had to be the one to break the news to her, I didn’t exactly expect this reaction. Was hoping for a nice work, or thanks for marrying my friend so we get to be related. Aiming too high on that, I suppose.

Evan Zanders, a defenseman for the Raptors, Chicago’s NHL team, sits on the couch next to my brother, holding his daughter in his lap. Now that he’s a dad too, he and his wife have been spending more time at my brother’s place, letting Max and Taylor entertain each other.

“Miller, don’t be mad at me,” I plead. “I’m only going along with this so she can keep her job. Aren’t I such a great guy for doing that?” She laughs. “BS. You’re obsessed with the girl. This is as much for you as it is for her.”

A flash of our wedding song pops into my head. I still remember how fucking funny I realized Kennedy was as I watched her walk down the aisle with full confidence to Mariah Carey’s “Obsessed.” “Stop smiling to yourself.” Miller swats me in the arm with her son on her hip.

Emmett Montgomery, Miller’s dad, is not only the field manager, which is essentially our head coach, but he’s also the closest thing I have to a father figure outside of Kai. He gives me shit and I give it right back. That’s how we communicate. You might not realize it if you were an outsider looking in, but Monty and I have a lot of love for each other.

My sometimes-grumpy brother hides his half smile behind the bottle, taking another sip.

Life came at him a lot quicker than it should’ve for any fifteen-year-old and the responsibility of taking care not only of himself but also me was an obvious burden. So, when he needed a pick-me-up, I learned how to be the one to make him laugh.

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.

I may not be the responsible brother, but I know how to use my strengths to my advantage. People like me. I know how to make others smile. So yeah, sometimes I joke around, but I keep a positive attitude towards life, and things have always found their way of working out.

In theory, I understand his concern. Kennedy might have an expiration date on this marriage, but all I’ve heard is that I got six long months to get my wife to fall for me.

“Pretty amazing that Max was born on the same date that we lost Mom, huh? It’s almost as if she sent him here for us.” “Yeah,” Kai breathes. “That’s how I’ve always thought about it too.” “I met Kennedy on that same date three years ago. I don’t know if I’ve ever told you that.” “You didn’t.”

It might not be the healthiest of things, but when I can’t calm my own intrusive thoughts, I do so by checking in on everyone I care about.

I’ve talked myself out of it, remembering that outside of work, she isn’t obligated to deal with me. Now though…now she’s legally obligated.

“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.”

Ahhhhhhhhhh

At the minimum I get to spend time with her if she agrees, and that’s all I really want anyway.

Maybe if I wasn’t such a goddamn hopeless romantic, her insistence would hurt a bit more, but all I keep hearing are the words six months. I have six months to change her mind about me.

She laughs again and it’s then I realize I don’t hear that sound often. I’ll have to work on that.

“What are you drinking?” The question sounds a whole lot like “what are you wearing,” which is also something I’d love to know. “Tequila.”

My grin takes over my entire face. “Dangerous. I’ve heard people make drunken mistakes on tequila.” “I’ve also heard them referred to as happy accidents.”

“Are you still mad at me?” Hesitating, I think it over. “Kind of hard to be mad at you when you just agreed to be my wife.”

His baseball cap is turned backward, but his too-perfect hair is still making its appearance around the edges. He’s tall. Ungodly tall. Then there’s his clothes. Khaki pants that hug his thick thighs perfectly and an olive-green bomber jacket laid over a crisp white T-shirt, showing off the muscles in his chest. His sneakers are a fresh white, with socks too low to tell if they match today or not.

“Hey.” Mouth full of mints, he finds me standing by the door and that signature smile blooms. “Hi, wifey.”

Understanding dawns on him and the typically happy-go-lucky guy seems pissed. “Have you eaten?” “I’ll be okay.” “Have you eaten, Kennedy?”

“I have something for you.” He reaches into his pocket. “It’s not as flashy as the last one you had.” “I hated the last one I had.” A mischievous smile lifts at his lips. “So did I.” Isaiah holds the delicate ring out between his index finger and thumb.

Taking it from him, I let the light shine off the center stone. It’s a stunning purple. Amethyst, I’d assume. Small diamonds create a halo around it, and the band is a patinated gold.

From the little I know, Isaiah was only thirteen and Kai fifteen when their mother tragically passed. Miller has mentioned that Kai sings her praises when he speaks of her, so much so that when Miller was featured in Food & Wine Magazine last fall, she named a dessert after the woman she never got to meet.

“When my mom died, this is the only thing I asked for,” he says, looking at it between his fingers. “I’m not sure why. I probably wasn’t thinking straight at the time. I should’ve asked for some of her clothes or her favorite books, but I just wanted this ring because I remember how pretty the color looked on her skin. I’ve always planned on giving it to the girl I marry, and whether this marriage is simply for convenience, you are the girl I married, Kennedy.” He takes my hand in his and I don’t even flinch as he runs the pad of his thumb over my currently bare ring finger.

“Shouldn’t you be getting on one knee or something?” I shoot him a look. “Take the goddamn rings before I change my mind.” His smile grows. “Did you get me both a metal and a rubber ring so I could wear something during my games?”

He slips the silicone band onto his left ring finger. “I was just going to get your name tattooed there since I couldn’t wear a ring while I was playing, but this will do.” He unlocks the door, holds it open, and says, “You better get back to work, Doc.”

I drop his hand, finally looking up. Yes, up because even though he’s sitting and I’m standing, the Rhodes boys are ridiculously tall.

“I’m basically using your brother.” “He doesn’t seem to mind. I’m fairly certain he’d volunteer for the job if given the opportunity.”

A paper plate with a homemade sandwich drops onto the training table next to Kai. “Eat,” Isaiah says, directed at me. I look up at the other overly tall Rhodes. “I told you I’m fine⁠—” “Eat the damn sandwich, Kenny. You look like you’re going to pass out.”

“You heard him. I’m not going to be the reason my sister-in-law passes out.” “You did not just call me that.” His mischievous grin looks a whole lot like his brother’s.

She’s beautiful. Mid-thirties if I had to guess. Short blonde hair, full body, and dressed to the nines. Bombshell in every sense of the word. But more importantly, she’s a woman. A woman is about to run this entire organization. Another woman in a male-dominated field.

Hold up. Traveling with us? I find Isaiah again, expecting to catch a look of horror on his face to match mine, but he’s just standing there, hands in his pockets and a shit-eating grin on his face. He knows as well as I do that simply saying we’re married isn’t going to be enough.

Watching Kennedy scarf down the sandwich I made her gave me an instant hard-on.

Springtime screams baseball to me and I’m lucky enough to spend my life playing a game I love. Even better, I get to do it on the same field as my brother and my two best friends. How could someone in my position not be absolutely stoked to go to work? It doesn’t hurt that I get to see the stunning redhead I married while I’m here either.

“Why?” The question comes out of my mouth before I can stop it. Fredrick turns in my direction, confused. “What?” “Why is Kennedy on hydration?”

He says the word wife in the most demeaning way, as if she’s my property and not a human being.

I hear her, I do, but she’s been busting her ass all day, all week in fact, and I couldn’t help myself from stepping in like a fucking caveman. I also heard her call me her husband.

He hasn’t once publicly hit on me the way he had for the past three years. I kind of miss it.

I wheel my luggage towards him. “My key is miss⁠—” Isaiah holds up a single room key with “I. Rhodes & K. Rhodes” clearly printed on the sleeve.

Isaiah chuckles. “I’m a cuddler, Ken. Are you a snorer? I hope not, but then again, I’ll probably snuggle you so hard you won’t be able to breathe anyway.”

“You’re not cute when you’re gloating.” “Only cute the rest of the time. Got it.”

“Nice shoes, by the way. Great taste, whoever picked them out.” My cheeks warm when I look down at my platform Vans, more commonly referred to as my wedding shoes—the ones he picked out. “Gloating.”

How very inconvenient that my temporary husband has to be so attractive.

There’s only one bed. Of course there’s only one bed.