She narrows her eyes at me and shakes her head.
“I slept the best I have in the past week.”
Her brows shoot up, like she doesn’t believe me. It’s not a lie, though.
I’ve slept like shit ever since the night Coach pulled me into his office. She just doesn’t know all the details. Having her in my arms, knowing she was safe, was the most at ease I’ve felt since.
I might not have slept long, but the few hours I did counted for something.
“What time do you play tomorrow?”
“Seven.”
She nods. “I’ll be watching and cheering you on, even if you’re not playing this time.”
She drags her lip between her teeth. I can see the lingering question on her face, so I change the subject.
“Why aren’t you working? Don’t you normally work on Mondays?”
“I got it off,” she says. “We got a new bartender. Her name is Evelyn. She picked up my shift. I have some assignments I need to get caught up on.”
She glances down at the book in her lap, like she’s expecting me to ask for proof.
“How’s your shoulder?” she asks, changing the subject.
It’s casual, but I know she’s been worried about it since I was benched.
“It’s fine.”
She tilts her head slightly. “Just fine?”
“I mean, there’s some soreness, but it’s not anything I can’t push through. I’ll be good for the game.”
“Are they trying to be careful then?”
“Yeah.”
I avoid looking at the screen because the lie tastes like shit on my tongue. I end up glancing at her after the silence gets to be too much.
“I don’t really want to get into it right now, though.”
She doesn’t push me and instead only nods. “Okay.”
My phone vibrates with a notification from the group chat with the guys. I don’t bother reading it as I swipe it away.
Brinley tucks her hair behind her ear and moves her book away from her, pulling her knees up to balance the phone on. The sleeves of the hoodie she’s wearing nearly cover her hands.
“Are you just hanging out in your room?”
“Owen and I are rooming together. He went to grab dinner with some of the guys.”
“You didn’t go eat with them?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Didn’t feel like it.”
