“Enjoy it,” she says. “The rest of the team is sharing.”
Right.
I picture the Giants piled into rooms down the hall - Mercer and Russo arguing about who gets which bed, someone blasting music, the team wandering in and out of each others’ rooms.
Very different atmosphere.
I glance back at the quiet space around me. “Feels a little unfair.”
“You’ll appreciate it by tomorrow,” Tara says. “Also, separate floor.”
I nod.
The real reason for the room.
“You won’t accidentally run into teammates in the hallway at midnight,” she continues. “It’s not perfect, but it gives you some breathing room. Order room service if you need to. But try to stay out of the common areas.”
“I know the drill.”
I step toward the window and look out. The arena rises just across the street, its glass front reflecting the afternoon light. Even from here I can see people already moving around outside -fans arriving early, staff setting up.
It suddenly feels very real.
I turn back to the room.
The space that I don’t have to share with anyone.
It feels almost luxurious.
Then Tara glances at her watch.
“The first game is in two hours. You’ll want to rest a little before it.” She squeezes my arm once. “You’ve got this.”
Once she leaves, I sit down on the edge of the bed and run a hand through my hair.
For the next few days, this room is the only place I get to be myself.
ZANE
Showcase weekend officially begins with forty-five minutes of the team arguing over the music playlist on the bus ride down.
Russo insists on something aggressively motivating. Chen sits quietly with his headphones on, clearly having solved the problem in the only sensible way.
I slide into a seat near the back and stretch my legs into the empty space across from me.
“Alright,” Mercer says loudly from two rows ahead, “million-dollar question. Where the fuck is Shaw?”
“Traveling with Tara,” someone answers from the back.
“The guy can’t get on a bus?”
“Medical thing,” Chen says without looking up.
Mercer snorts. “Yeah, yeah. Medical thing. So people keep saying.” He turns halfway around in his seat, scanning the bus like Shaw might suddenly appear. “I’m just saying. I’venever seen someone with a medical condition that requires this much absence. It’s suspicious.”
“It’s not suspicious,” Chen says calmly. “It’s just private.”
Mercer raises his eyebrows. “Oh, I respect privacy. But I’m also curious.”
