Bruno is still there. I think about taking her home.
I don’t, but I spend a lot of time with her.
Since it’s our bye week, I don’t even get to play in a game. If we did, though, I’d have already turned back into the cold quarterback who doesn’t celebrate well-executed plays but instead returns to the sidelines with a vicious comment about how we could have done it better.
Even if we win by a good margin, it’s still not a reason to celebrate. We always make mistakes, and you know what I’m really fucking tired of?
Mistakes.
Stupid or otherwise.
Jack hasn’t been my shadow the way Everleigh was, but heismaking suresomeoneis checking on me every day.
Apparently because we live in the same building, today is Dex Bradley’s turn.
Just the person Idon’twant to see.
I’ve been avoiding him this week, a fairly easy thing to do on our bye week, but today, I can’t avoid him. He knocks on my door, and the last time I opened it to him, he blabbered on about how relationships are two-way streets and I should do something to get Ev back.
“Jack sent you today?” I guess when I open the door.
Yesterday it was a defensive lineman who lives in my building. The day before, it was Lily. Must be nice running your own empire and sending your minions to do your dirty work.
“Yeah,” he admits. He stands in my doorway and shuffles on his feet a little. “You okay?” he asks.
I turn away from the door and walk into my condo without inviting him in nor declining his entry. “I’m not going to any underground casinos, if that’s what you’re asking. Are you supposed to check to make sure I’m home, or is this more of a welfare check?”
He pulls out his phone and pretends to snap a photo of me. “Proof of life.”
I roll my eyes as I plop back onto my couch. I stretch my legs out and cross them at the ankles, and Dex sinks down into the recliner.
“It almost felt like you were starting to warm up to being here, and now it seems like you hate everyone again. What happened? Is it Ev? Because I can call her and fix this.”
I hold up a hand. “Stop. It’s not Ev,” I lie.
He shoots me ayeah, okaylook that’s absolutely brimming with sarcasm.
I blow out a breath. “Fine. It’s Ev.”
“Knew it,” he says, pumping a fist into the air.
“She took off, man. She’s done with Vegas, done with me, done with all of it.”
“Yeah, because Jackfiredher because she couldn’t get you under control,” he says.
My jaw slackens before I clench it tight again, my teeth grinding at his words. “That’s not what happened,” I hiss.
“You don’t think so?” he bites out. “Everybody knows it, Maverick. Everybody. So don’t sit here whining like a little bitch when we both know why she’s gone.”
“Ah, so you’re going the route of tough love. Let’s see, we’ve had sympathy, humor, and logic.” I tick each one off on my fingers as I name the approaches that have been taken with me thus far. “Seems like the right time for tough love, and it’s on brand for you.”
He huffs out a sigh. “Yeah, maybe. I’ve got more skin in the game than the others, though. She’s my sister, and I know that’s why you’re acting out.”
“I’m not acting out,” I say with a bit more defensiveness than I should. “I’m sitting right fucking here in front of you. I’m not even drinking tonight since we have a game in twodays. I’m not at a club. In fact, I’m being so good that I’m not even watching porn. You can report that back to Jack.”
Dex stands and wanders over to my windows. “I spend a lot of time in my own place looking out over the view as I contemplate my decisions. My life. But honestly, since my kid came into my life and I got married, I haven’t done it as much. Less to contemplate when you’re happy, I guess.”
“Rub it in a little more.”
