“You okay?” The irony of me asking Kirby if he’s okay isn’t lost on me. Kirby’s the one who’s always offering advice and lecturing us on the power of positivity. It’s time I gave some of his advice back to him.
“We had that one, and I let the team down.”
He didn’t let the team down. We all let one another down. After all, we are a team. We led two to zero three minutes into the third quarter and Colorado caught us slacking off. They came back with three unanswered points. The last one happened to be on Kirby’s watch, but the rest of us fucked up too and contributed.
“It was a team effort. We’re all responsible for that loss. We’ll get them tonight.”
“Yeah, we will.” He doesn’t sound convinced.
“File that one away as history. Can’t change the outcome, but we can affect our next game. We just have to believe and not play the blame game.”
“You’re throwing my words back at me.”
“Damn straight.” My answer draws a chuckle from Kirby.
We’re both quiet for a long moment. Kirby gives me one of those appraising looks that make me nervous. “I heard you and Aria made out in the hallway at the Pizza Zone a few nights ago.”
“We didn’t make out.” I’m going to strangle Banger for spreading a rumor like that.
“Then what do you call it when your tongues are down each other’s throats?”
“Hey, you know me. I’m a horndog. She’s an attractive woman. Since when don’t I jump on an opportunity when it’s presented to me?”
He’s thoughtful for a moment before he shakes his head. “It’s more than that. You’ve developed an interest in her nephew.”
“I’ve helped out kids before. Nothing unusual.”
“Not like this. You have a personal interest. That’s not normal behavior for you.”
“You’ve only known me two years. How do you know what’s normal?”
Kirby sits back and rubs his chin, something he does when he’s carefully considering what words to use. “I see things.”
“I know,” I say wryly, and resist the urge to roll my eyes.
“There’s a connection between you and the boy that goes beyond your normal interactions with others, especially kids.”
“How so?” I’m intrigued to hear his response because I can’t explain what’s going on in my head. Maybe someone on the outside looking in sees things more clearly.
“You never let your guard down. Never open yourself up to getting close. Yet you’re doing both with that boy and his aunt.”
“I am not.”
“Oh, you are. Trust me, you are.” Kirby snorts. His accusation crawls under my skin and festers like an infected wound. I’m torn because on some level I know he’s right. I’m showing an unusual interest in those two, especially considering all Aria has done to me. I should wash my hands of them both, but I can’t. If anything, I’m finding excuses to be around them.
“I feel sorry for a kid without parents. I know what that feels like.”
“And what does that feel like?” Kirby presses, well aware I don’t talk about my private life. I’m a mystery when it comes to my life beyond this country.
“My entire family was wiped out when our house was bombed in the Ukrainian war. My parents, grandparents, and sister—all gone.”
Kirby stares in utter shock. For all his perceptive abilities, he doesn’t expect this. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know. You hide your grief well.”
“Yeah, sometimes too well.”
He scrutinizes me in that way only he has. “I didn’t pick up on it.” I suspect he’s disturbed by his lack of perception when it comes to my family. “How long ago?”
“A few years.”
