When the game is over, we move to his bedroom. We prepare for bed, and Florian does my laundry, unzipping my suitcase and separating light-colored and dark-colored clothes. After each cycle finishes, he folds my sweatpants and t-shirts with a care I’ve never shown them.
We shower together, lathering each other’s limbs with his designer body wash, the kind that is not sold in the stores I shop in. Finally, Florian turns off the water, and we step out of the shower.
Florian opens the cabinet where the towels are kept, then he pauses.
I follow his gaze.
The enema kit is there.
“You know,” I say. “We could…”
“You would want to do that?” he asks.
“Of course I would want to do that. I love kissing you, Florian. I love spending time with you. And I would love?—”
“Yes,” he says. “Not today, but perhaps tomorrow?”
“That sounds really nice, Florian.”
Florian
Tonight Mateo will be inside me.
I’ve already researched what to do. Tonight it will happen.
I drive us to the arena. Mateo’s phone pings, andhe grins at it.
“Gina wants to have dinner with us tonight,” Mateo says.
“Okay. Something not too... Because… you know.”
Mateo grins. “Okay. I’ll tell her to come to your apartment. We can make something bland.”
His fingers fly over his phone’s keypad, and I smile as I pull into the arena. I am still smiling as we walk inside.
Mateo goes to the massage therapy room, and I go to work out. I go on the treadmill until a buzzing sounds.
I check my phone.
My agent is calling me.
I don’t know him well, and something tightens in my stomach. Maybe he’s just being nice. Americans are very friendly.
“Hi, Florian!” Chase’s voice is filled with American enthusiasm, and my shoulders lower.
Maybe this is fine.
I wasn’t expecting to hear from him in the middle of the season, but maybe…
“I, uh, have news,” Chase says. “You might not like it. Or you might. Depending on how into vitamin D you are. And all of us should be into vitamin D.”
“Chase, please share your bad news.”
He sighs. “You’re being traded to Nashville. Effective immediately.”
CHAPTER
THIRTY-FIVE
