Teardrop Shot(64)

Touch and go. That’s what we were.

But it’d been two weeks of that: texting, phone calls, pictures, jokes, memes, crude gifs.

Until today. Today was game day. The Seattle Thunder was in town to play the Coyotes for the regular season.

Trent was flying in, and he’d said he was bringing a date with him. Owen and Hadley had already arrived, and we were in the car to go pick them up.

When it had slipped at Janet’s two weeks ago that they were coming back for the game, she and her husband mentioned they were going to try to get tickets. I’d looked down at my lap because I knew a few pointed looks were likely coming my way, but nope—I wasn’t interested in assisting with that in any way. Janet had never made my life any easier, and she hadn’t kept in contact with me. She’d been the easiest to stop talking to because we’d never really talked in the first place. So no, I wasn’t going to ask Reese for another set of tickets. It burned my ego to allow the ones he had offered up in the first place. I kept wanting to pay him back, but he hadn’t paid for them. He said each player had a few they could use each game, but he never used them so he had a surplus.

We were all supposed to do dinner together later tonight, though, and I wasn’t sure how I’d handle that situation.

Reese had to travel back with the team, but they weren’t flying back till the morning. That was also a touchy subject I was putting off until later. Trent and his date were going to sleep at my place. Grant, Sophia, Owen, and Hadley were all staying at Janet’s.

Where I was sleeping, I wasn’t sure yet.

“What’s holding you back?” Grant asked as we pulled up to Arrivals.

He meant what was holding me back from taking the job offer at the camp. Lack of money was one, but also, I wasn’t sure I wanted to upend everything and move there. The only place to live near camp was a small town. It was a whole different culture.

I could’ve said all those words, but there was another reason. Damian.

Fuck it. What’d it matter if I told them the truth?

“Damian is here.”

Cue the nerves now.

But the car went quiet.

Finally, Grant cleared his throat. “We don’t know what to say to you. It’s obvious you don’t want to talk about him. We get that, but we have no clue how to handle this. Do we ask questions? Do we not? What do we say to make you feel like we’re here for you, but not pry because we know it’s a touchy subject. You loved the guy, and his mind was slipping, but we have no clue what even transpired. So…”

“Grant,” Sophia warned.

“You have to take the lead when you bring him up,” he said, sounding strained. “We don’t know.”

Hadley leaned forward, her hand touching my arm. “But we love you, and we’re here for you.”

Grant coughed from the driver’s seat, pulling forward into a line moving at a slow pace. “Yeah. That sentiment.” He frowned, ducking his head to see the passengers lined up on the curb. “Trent flew Delta, right? This is the right baggage claim?”

Just then, Trent and a woman came out, both pulling suitcases.

He saw us at the same time we saw them, and the entire group started laughing at his immediate frown.

We pulled up, and I opened the side door, but he just shook his head.

“Are you guys serious? The camp van?”

Hadley and I were laughing as we jumped out to hug Trent, and then hug the girl.

“Oh.” She blinked, and her arms jerked up. “Hi there.”

But our hugs were quick. We were already done and climbing into the farthest back seat.

Sophia got out and was a more gracious hostess. She hugged Trent first, then greeted the girl. Grant came around to hug Trent and shake the girl’s hand as Owen collected their suitcases, putting them in the back.

Trent was still scowling at the van, rolling his eyes.

“Stow it,” Grant said. “We figure it’s good marketing, and we all came down together anyway.”

“Right.” Trent poked his head in, glaring at me. “You could’ve warned me I was getting the camp van greeting at the airport.”

I shrugged. “It’s how we roll. You should know that.”

He grunted in response, but his scowl faded. “It’s good to see you guys.” His hand came to his date’s back. “Guys, this is Lauren. Lauren, the official camp greeting. All except Charlie, in the Thunder jersey.”

“Hi.” She smiled as she climbed in and took the middle seat. “Hi, everyone.” A pause. “What are your names again?”

We went around, but her dazed look never diminished. She was a deer in headlights.

Grant pulled the van back into the driving lane. “We all work at camp.”

“Still?” Her hand came to rest on Trent’s arm. “Or you used to work with Trenton?”

Trenton?

Hadley and I shared a look of delight.

Trent noticed, turning back to us. “Not a word.”

Hadley squeaked.

I scooted down in my seat, whispering under my breath, “Trenton. I love it.”

Trenton was in love. I could tell.

Lauren was exquisite—long, flowing black hair, lips like a doll’s, and dark almond eyes. I was tempted to ask if she was a model, but decided to wait until Sophia had warmed her up, which she was doing.