We’re running short of time.I pull up my phone and find a livestream.Sure enough, the press conference is still going on.Reporters are interviewing Jay, who’s sitting in front of a mic.
“Clay Wade had a double-double tonight, almost a triple-double with nine assists on top of thirty-two points.How much does this alleviate the team’s fears about losing Kyle in the next round?”
“This is only the second series,” Jay says.“There are two more rounds.But we have confidence going forward.”
“Nova,” Brooke starts, wary.“Is that live or recorded?”
Dammit.
Voices sound outside our room.Brooke and I scramble, setting Michael inside the bathroom door so Clay will see him the moment he comes in.Then we dive into the closet.
The door clicks, and immediately after, I hear his voice.“Yeah, it was a good?—”
He’s on his phone.With whom?
Brooke grabs my arm, and I grab her back in the dark.
“You still there?”Kat’s voice, I realize when it comes over the speakerphone.
“Yeah.”The door clicks closed and Clay moves around the room.“I’m going to let you go.Thanks for the call.”
A low chuckle.“Alright.Talk soon.”
Brooke and I hold our breath.Is he not going to respond to Michael?
I hear the bed creak, then rustling.
A heavy exhale.
Then a groan.
Another.
I grab the door handle and burst out.“STOP!”
Brooke’s at my side.
Clay’s sitting on the bed, feet extended, fully clothed and idly thumbing through a magazine.“Got you.”
“Dammit!”Brooke bellows.
A knock comes at the door.I let in Jay and Miles, followed by Rookie.
“What am I missing?”Miles bursts in Kool-Aid Man-style.“Hey, Mikey B,” he adds, high-fiving the cutout.
“Clay was jerking off,” Brooke says, folding her arms.
“In front of both of you?”Jay frowns.
Miles grabs Brooke from behind, covering her face with both hands.“Aww, your poor virgin eyes.”
She screeches, prying at his massive fingers.“Stop it, asshole!”
Chloe laughs.“We’re going out to celebrate.”
“Where?”I ask.“This town is not going to be pro-Denver.”
“I rented us an entire club that belongs to a friend.Come on.”
