Game (Gentry Boys, #3)(3)
“Don’t even think about it,” Truly warned as she sat down next to me. She gave me a winning smile. Her thick black hair was glamorously teased and surrounded her heart-shaped face like a cloud. The dark green dress she wore was another of her homemade creations; she’d worked on it for a week. Truly was the kind of drop dead gorgeous men fell off their chairs for.
“You’re not leaving,” she told me flatly as she grabbed a dinner roll.
“The NLCS is on,” I argued. “Besides, I need to get out of this dress.”
“Why?”
I sarcastically shifted the fabric of the bodice again. “It’s uncomfortably tight.”
Truly pursed her lips. She’d been my roommate for nearly a year but we’d only recently become close. The only other people I knew these days were acquaintances or business associates. For a long time that was how I wanted it. The friends I’d grown up with, the extended family who wanted nothing to do with me, were all left behind and I didn’t think about them. I’d only chosen Arizona because it had nothing to do with New York. I figured out here it might be easier to escape the shadow of being Nick Bransky’s daughter. But starting over is never easy. Starting over without money is nearly impossible. School was expensive and there was nothing left from my privileged upbringing. Everything my parents had was eaten up by federal fines, lawyer fees and medical bills. When tuition bills started piling up I turned to some old connections and started being a sub-bookie. Since I couldn’t very well carry on the business in the crowded residence halls of Arizona State University I found an apartment, figuring I could squeak by if I had a two bedroom place with a roommate willing to split costs and keep out of my way. That was how I’d come across Truly and her cat.
“You’re not even tryin’ to have fun,” she scolded, nudging my shoulder.
“I am too. I just don’t do ‘fun’ quite like everyone else.”
“I know that. But Steph, you don’t need to look like you’re sucking on sour lemons.”
“Oh,” I grimaced. “Do I really look bad?”
Truly smiled. “Chase doesn’t think so.”
“You’re full of it. He didn’t tell you that.”
“The boy didn’t need to. He’s been giving you the eye every chance he gets. You should have seen how crestfallen he was when you didn’t come out for dinner last night.”
“I was tired.”
“Bullshit.”
I glanced slyly over at Chase Gentry. He was telling a lively story to Cord’s friends and gesturing in such a way that I figured the subject had to be dirty. It usually was with Chase. His mind was slightly filthier than your average cesspool. Truly always liked to tell me how underneath that lecherous exterior, Chase was just an intelligent, sweet guy. Sometimes Truly was too optimistic.
“You think Saylor will mind if I duck out?”
Truly sighed. “No, but I wish you wouldn’t.”
I appreciated her Help Stephanie Be Normal project. I really did. I understood that since Truly had fallen in love with Creed Gentry her world was full of rainbows and fairy dust. Now she wanted to inflict happiness on everyone around her. Plus, I knew she worried about me after I’d had a weak moment and vaguely confessed what Xavier had done. I hadn’t given her details but I was a mess and Truly knew it.
“I f*cking own you, bitch.”
“What’s wrong now?” Truly asked. “You sit on a tack or what?”
“No,” I grumbled, trying to relax my face. My expression must have grown pretty homicidal over the brief thought of Xavier and his disgusting pack of hoods. Truly was staring at me with alarm. I didn’t like thinking about that night. I would happily stick a dozen straight pins under each of my fingernails if I could eviscerate the memory. For the last month I’d lived with the fear it would come back to haunt me. But the threats, the catcalls, and the pure shame never really disappeared from my mind. They were always there.
“I am kind of tired though,” I finally said.
Truly knew I was lying. She also knew when to back away and leave me alone. It was a big reason we got along so well.
“All right,” she sighed as I stood up.
“Hey, I told you I switched to the early flight, didn’t I?” I would need to leave the hotel by seven to make my eight am departure time. It had cost me fifty bucks to change the ticket but I didn’t want to fly back with the group.
Truly nodded. “Yes ma’am. So I guess I’ll see you back in Tempe?”
“I guess so,” I muttered, looking around for the bride and groom so I could choke out congratulations before retreating. Saylor was sitting all alone, her elbows up on the table. She looked strangely grim and I didn’t want to bug her. Cord was laughing with Creed and some of his buddies. I didn’t know him well enough to interrupt. I did wave to Brayden and Millie. They were very polite and said they hoped to see me again soon.
As soon as I was out of the small reception room I felt better. I paused by the bar and squinted at the television. It was the seventh inning stretch and the Dodgers were up eight to two.
“Shit sucks,” slurred a disheveled man in a suit. He appeared ready to topple right off his bar stool.
“Only if you’re a Cubs fan,” I said and he didn’t seem to like that answer. He winced and swiveled in the other direction. I shook my head and walked away, wondering how it was possible to get so emotionally invested in watching other people play a game.