“I just heard you’d sneaked in. Everyone,” the man pointed to Rafe, “we have a special guest tonight. This is Rafe Davis, one of the creators of REKD.”
“Is the game really your initials?” one of the pro team members asked.
“It sure is. Rafe, Ezreal, Kayn, and Darius,” Rafe said as everyone gathered around him. “It’s also a play on the gaming termrekt.”
“Kayn, like a cane you walk with?” Another pro member asked with a chuckle. “All this time I’ve been pronouncing it cayenne.”
Ahri covered her mouth to keep from laughing. Her brother always hated it when people mispronounced his name. She stepped back, and Bill moved to her side, keeping an eye on the small crowd.
Rafe did a good job of answering questions. Finally, he looked back at her.
“We’ve been invited to play. Are you interested?”
“I’m only Ruby 5, so I’m not that highly ranked,” she said.
“It’s just in fun,” Rafe said.
“I’ll play,” she said, glancing at the pro team members, “but go easy on us, okay?”
“No way.” Rafe frowned. “If we win, I don’t want anyone to say they threw the game for us.”
“Fine. I call support.” Ahri glanced at the team stations. “Where do I sit?”
She was surprised when Bill took up one of the seats. He took the jungle role which seemed to suit him. The five-member team was filled out by two people from the audience.
Ahri had never played with Rafe before. He was really good. One of the things she loved about the support role was watching out for her team members. In the game it was easy for her to forget her problems and do something she could control. She andRafe partnered well on the bottom battle lane. Their team put up a good fight, but in the end, they were spanked.
“That was fun.” She shook everyone’s hands, surprised to find how much more relaxed she was.
Rafe talked with Mr. Nasus for a few minutes while the players queued up for another game.
“Do you have to stand around being bored stupid very often?” she asked Bill.
“It’s never boring to watch a game.” Bill nodded toward Rafe who was approaching them.
“You ready to go?” he asked.
“If you are,” she said. “Thanks for letting me come.”
Rafe tookhis seat beside Ahri, surprised at how much he’d enjoyed the evening. She looked better than she had when they’d left the hotel, so it’d been a good break for her. He was glad.
With Kayn so busy the next couple of weeks, Rafe wondered if Ahri would receive the kind of support she’d need. The idea that she’d be better off at his mother’s bed-and-breakfast kept coming to mind. With two young children and a garden to help tend, there’d be plenty to keep her distracted.
“It’s probably too soon to ask about your plans,” Rafe began and immediately wished he hadn’t spoken.
“Plans. I wish I knew what to do.” Ahri looked away from him, out the window. “Leaving my job here with a day’s notice has burned that bridge. It might be hard to get another job.”
“I meant your plans for Zed.”
She turned to face Rafe, and their gazes met. “You mean besides divorce him?”
“I’ve assumed you’d do that, since it seems the only sensible thing to do. Are you still in love with him?” He groaned. “Sorry. Sometimes my brain rattles around like a BB in a boxcar.”
“What?” She stared at him in confusion.
“It’s an expression that means I’m stupid. I shouldn’t have asked you such a personal question.”
“It’s okay. I haven’t loved him in . . . I don’t know. A long time. He’s not the man I married.” She made that motion again, rubbing her chest, like her heart hurt. “I just don’t understand where we went wrong. I think that hurts the most. I feel like such a failure.”
