“Yes,” came a set of voices behind him. Obi flipped them the finger.
“He’s right. It is nice,” Rome said. “Plus, you don’t have to say you were thinking about her body or anything. It’s vague and that makes it kinda mysterious and hot.”
“I used to just pester Jessie when I was on the road and wanted her to pay attention to me,” Mikey said with a shrug and a clap on my shoulder. “Tell her you got five hundo and that she should be proud of you. Tell her it’s customary to get a hot pic when you hit 500.”
Stelle rubbed his forehead, like Mikey was giving him a headache just by existing. Which, kinda, yeah. “Don’t do that,” Stelle said.
“I can ask Gabriela,” Koretsov piped up, smirking down at his phone. “She can give a woman’s opinion.”
“Are you dating her already?” I asked. “That was fast.”
He grinned. “She didn’t go on that date with that other guy.”
“You dawg,” Mikey said, shoving his shoulder from the seat behind him.
“Did she say Mara said anything about me?” I asked a little too eagerly.
Romey whistled. “You’re down bad, brethren.”
I scrubbed a hand over my face. “I’m not. I just haven’t had to do this for a long time.”
“Leroy’s in looo-ove,” Mikey sang.
“Am not!” I said. “I’m never doing that shit again.”
“Never doing what?” Rome asked.
“The whole love thing.”
“So, what’s the goal here?” Obi asked, looking genuinely confused.
“Just . . . a companion. Somebody to hang out with who isn’t you dickheads. And to develop companionship,” I drew out the word, “I think you have to talk to someone regularly.”
Rome looked deep in thought. “Our kids had hockey tonight. You could see how it went.”
I snapped my fingers and pointed at him. “Yes. That.”
Tuning everyone else out, I picked up my phone. It was after midnight where we were, so just before her bedtime back home.
Hey. How’d the gang do at practice?
MARA O’CONNELL
The black thingie went in the net a bunch of times :)
So pretty good I think
You do know what it’s actually called right?
No. I need a big strong smart man to explain it to me.
I’m just a girl. (bow emoji)
I just have boobs. No brain.
My face flashed hot as I held back a laugh. Mara was funny. Like the kind of funny that actually made me laugh. But now what should I say?
Brat
