“The elevator got stuck,” I tell her, hoping it explains away my awkwardness.
“Oh no. And you got stuck with August.” Cassie comes over to join our conversation.
“I sure did,” I confirm.
“And you let him live. That’s got to be progress,” Cassie says, grinning at me.
I shake my head, fighting the urge to smack her shoulder in disgust. She winks a blue eye at me before running her hands through her shoulder-length brown hair. “I’m only teasing.”
I nod. They all know how angry August still makes me after all these years. The only good thing to come of it was when Mackenzie (Mac) Dixon, our team captain, used the situation as leverage after he fired Cassie Monroe for dating Jase, August agreed to allow her back on the team. I think Mac used the leverage that he owed me to get back at him. Either way, it worked. And Mac and Jase became privy to the story of how August and I dated in college while I was at UNC. But his father didn’t like that very much. He wanted his son in an Ivy League school, so he swooped August up and made him enroll in Brown. August told me an ultimatum was thrown down but Ithinkhis father just came to get August and he agreed to leave me.
All alone. And in love with him.
I shake my head, wishing the memories would dissipate. Being trapped in such a small space with him tonight didn’t help. I’m the last of my friend group who is left single, as is August. Mac is dating Danny, the reporter who did a story on her. The first one in our Blaze team to mix business with pleasure and get Danny fired. Now he coaches the swim team at Tampa University. Cassie has Jase. And now Amelia is dating Dex, who August conveniently appointed as her roommate in her three-bedroom apartment in team housing when he showed up without a place to stay. Now they are dating. Although, I’m pretty sure they’ll be living together much like Cassie and Mac do with their guys. Team housing is only a place they stay some of the time.
The thought makes my chest tighten. It used to be Amelia and me hanging out before Dex. Mac and Cassie would be off with their guys, and I had her for movie nights or talks. Now, I’ll be all alone over there. Not entirely, the whole team is there in team housing, but it’s the not the same. These are the girls I’m closest with. And now they all went and found someone.
“You okay?” Mac asks, doing her best with her smaller frame to pull me into her side.
I nod. “Yeah, just a weird day, you know.”
She nods back at me and says, “I do.”
I look over at her and see she’s watching August, who has his eyes on me. I flip him off. He just shakes his head, heading in the direction of Dex, Danny and Jase, who are putting together Dex’s TV stand.
I see Amelia where she’s sprawled out on his couch, watching the men work. When she notices me watching, she motions for us to join her.
We all make our way over.
“Dex sure furnished this place fast,” I remark. Looking around I can see that he has a small table near the kitchen, thecouch that Amelia is lying on, a love seat and another oversized chair.
“Yeah, we went furniture shopping, and he just kept on picking things out,” she says with a shrug.
“None of this was waiting in storage?” Cassie asks her.
I’ll admit I’m surprised too. He just got the green light on this place two weeks ago.
“Nope,” Amelia tells us. “Remember, his divorce didn’t leave him with any furniture.”
I nod, remembering that now. When Dex left New England to come down here to Tampa to be our trainer, he only brought his clothing and a few possessions. His ex-wife got their brownstone and the dog.Which explains why this place is so sparsely decorated, I think to myself as I look around.
“Anyone hungry?” Dex asks, standing up and looking to us girls. “I can order some food.”
The TV stand looks like it’s finished and August and I had the last load, so everything is all moved in.
“I think we are just going to let you both enjoy this apartment together,” Danny says, getting up and pulling Mac to his side.
Everyone else agrees. Any hope I had of getting some time with my friends dies in my chest. I have to head on home. Back to the housing alone while my friends spend time with their boyfriends.
“Okay, if you’re sure. Thank you all for your help. We really appreciate it.” Dex comes over and places a hand on Amelia’s shoulder, giving it a squeeze.
There is a string of you’re welcomes and byes said before we’re all heading out the door to our cars.
“Hendrix, you want to come up for a drink?” August asks.
My head snaps in his direction. “Fuck no.”
He nods and grins. “I guess our civility was only for a brief moment.”
