Teardrop Shot(111)

He’d been there for me.

He made me want to live again.

It was my turn now.

“Yeah. That makes sense.”

Trent was standing, almost hovering over us. I tipped my head back. “Have the others texted during the game?”

He was reading his phone again. It wouldn’t stop buzzing now. A deep frown pulled at his mouth, and he itched an idle hand over his forehead. “Shit.” Soft, under his breath. He raised wary eyes to me. “Janet’s husband was watching. He saw your picture.”

So she knew.

I lifted up a shoulder. My feelings had thawed toward her since she’d been there for me that day.

He kept reading more texts as they were coming in. A grunt, then a grin. “Most are just the gang, expressing concern for how you’re doing, how Reese is doing.”

Dwayne’s head jerked around. “Forster?” He belched, a hand pressing to his chest. “Oh. Sorry.” His cheeks pinked. “I think I’m fairly drunk.”

Marie laughed. Even Stan grinned at that.

I eyed Dwayne. “Fairly?”

His eyes were almost swimming around from all the booze.

An embarrassed grin appeared. “By fairly, I mean that I am very intoxicated. I should get a cab for the hotel.”

Trent shot him a look, putting his phone away. “Nah, man. I’ll take you. My car is here anyways.”

Dwayne stood up, then began to fall again. Trent grabbed his arm, steadying him up. That grin turned grateful and he patted Trent on the arm. “Thanks. You’re a good friend.”

Trent asked me, “Are you—I mean—do you need anything? I could—”

Stan finished up on his phone at that moment, a look of finality settling down over his face, and he stood from his seat. “It’s time.” He gave Trent a firm nod. “I got her.”

Marie was waiting for Stan and asked now, “Cars are here?”

He glanced down to her. “Yes. Reese is almost ready to leave.” He turned his robot-like face toward me. “We can go now, and we should if you want to get ahead of any press. I believe there’s a sports reality show filming in the arena. You might want to avoid them now.”

That was enough for me.

Dwayne looked confused again, tipping his head up to the side. His eyes skirting from me to Stan, or trying. They kept getting distracted by Marie in the middle. He paused, squinted, and he leaned forward now. “You’re a player’s girlfriend, aren’t you?”

Marie snorted, standing up with me. “You’re just now piecing it together about me?”

He was totally lost now. “Huh?”

She laughed shortly, holding her hand out. “I’m Juan Cartion’s girlfriend.”

His eyes bulged out. “You don’t say?” He almost stumbled as he jerked forward to shake her hand, pumping it up and down. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. I figured you belonged to someone, but I wasn’t sure.” His grin diminished to a shy one. “Took me all game to get my courage up to ask. I was hoping you weren’t.”

Marie barked out another laugh, pulling her hand free. “Yeah.” She sidled up next to me. “Okay. We’ll leave it at that.”

He chuckled to himself.

Trent shook his head. “Okay. That’s really our cue to go. He’s forgetting he has a girlfriend.” His eyes found me. “Call me. Text me. Let me know if you need anything. Are you…” His gaze went to Stan, then back to me. “Are you going to remain here—”

“I’ve chartered a plane. We’re going straight to the airport after this.” He turned to me. “Do you have everything you need?”

“It’s that bag I gave you in the SUV.”

He nodded. “Then we’re good to go.”

My phone buzzed in that moment.

Reese: You’re with Stan? Are you in the SUV?

Me: We’re going now.

Reese: I got questions about you, just to warn you.

My throat swelled up. There he was, thinking about me when a part of his world crumbled today.

Me: Don’t worry about me. How bad are you?

Reese: Getting through it. See you soon.

Reese: Love you.

Fuck the throat. A tear escaped my eyelid. I flicked it away.

Me: Love you back.

Reese: Feels good to type that.

Me: Yes, it does.

He didn’t text again. Putting my phone away, all eyes were on me.

A sad smile stretched over Marie’s face. “How’s he doing?”

I lifted a shoulder up. “Said he got questions about me.”

Stan swore under his breath. “I was hoping they’d hold off considering he lost his brother. Okay. That’s it then. We need to go.”

Hugs were done at the door. I hugged Trent, even Dwayne.

Trent murmured in my ear before letting me go, “Please reach out if you need anything. I travel a lot for my job. It’s very easy for me to book a gig in Washington, just saying.”

I stepped back, flicking him on the shoulder. “Go back and be with your woman. I like Lauren.”

“She likes you too. And maybe I will.”

He took Dwayne then, a hand on his arm as the guy was weaving all around people. With another wave over his shoulder, Trent and Dwayne went around the corner. We went the other way, and like before, I just followed Stan where he was going. It was a myriad of cement steps and back doors. Marie went with us, all the way to the parking area.