“In that case, I’m okay where I am,” I say, hoping he knows I’m teasing. Thankfully, he laughs.
“I’m not poaching you from Kayla without talking to her, but I want you to think about it. If you’re interested, talk to her. Have her call me.”
He pulls up to the covered porte cochere in front of the hotel entrance, and I smile. “Thanks, Doug. I’ll think about it.”
I’m opening the door when he says, “Oh, and between you and me, Fischer’s all but a sure thing.”
Excitement spills out of me. “Which Fischer?”
He chuckles. “Good point: Lucas. I don’t have a spot for Logan right now, but I hope to. If he’s still performing, you can expect to see both your boys on the roster when the season starts.”
I give him a real smile. “I’m so happy to hear that. Good night, Doug.”
“Night, Scottie.”
I walk through the quiet lobby, take the elevator upstairs, and kick my shoes off the second I get to my room. I flick on the bathroom light and see my red shoulders laughing at me, mocking me like I’m a generic pale blonde woman who was too busy crushing on a player to remember sunscreen.
I wash my face quickly and change into my pajamas, not even pretending I’m going to pull out my laptop and get more work done. I slide under the sheets and lie there for a moment in thedark, thinking about what Doug said about having a spot for Lucas and hopefully Logan.
Having a spot forme.
My teenage neighbor sent me a thumbs-up that Pinto’s doing okay along with a blurry picture of him running toward her when she opened the door.
Kayla has sent me a message ripping Jake to shreds along with a photo someone already posted of us tonight when I stormed off.
It’s clear that we were fighting.
Kayla’s message is anatta girlthat I don’t have the heart to reply to. I can’t vent about him right now, because if I vent, I’ll feel guilty, remembering everything I know about his growing up … and worse, everything I don’t.
But no matter how hard I try, I can’t stop looking at the blue dot next to my family’s unopened text thread.
When Lucas texts me right at ten p.m., it’s not the relief it should be.
Lucas
How are you?
I start typing.Did you see Jake’s interview?
But then I delete it. I don’t want to do this right now, especially not over text. Besides, if he didn’t see it, I don’t want to ruin his night.
Scottie
I’m tired. Jake trying to kiss me pushed me over the edge.
Did you and Logan get to talk?
Lucas
No, he’s reading with headphones on. That’s Logan for “Don’t talk to me.”
Scottie
I’m sorry.
Lucas
What’s the latest from your family?
