“That bad, huh?”
I shrug, closing the door behind me. “Well, it wasn’tgreat.”
“Is he cutting back on your playing time more?”
I shake my head. “No, thankfully. He just wanted to grill me about how I’m feeling. Apparently, I can’t be trusted to make my own decisions.”
“Jack.” Her lips turn down in a frown. “I don’t think it’s like that at all,” she tells me. “I think he cares for you, and he’s worried about you. That’s all.”
Deep down, I know she’s right, but it still stings to be questioned like some sort of toddler about whether or not I can make the necessary decisions about my own future.
“It barely even hurts lately,” I mumble.
Her brow furrows. “You’ve also been playing a little lighter, though, right?”
I sigh, nodding. Abby is too perceptive for her own good, and she hasn’t even come to a game in a while.
“We’re so close to the second round,” I say, plopping down next to her on the couch.
She immediately makes room for me, untucking her legs and letting me curl into her a bit as her fingers card through my hair.The gesture is so easy and comforting that I let my eyes close, laying my head on her shoulder. The fact that she lets me is a testament to all that we’ve been doing this last week—which has been a lot of kissing and touching and all sorts of other things that make me want to scoop her up into my arms right now, just for the way I know it’ll make me feel better.
As weird as it may seem, given how she barely tolerated me a few weeks ago…Abby is the one thing in my life right now that actuallydoesmake me feel better.
“I’m sorry,” she says. “I know this is difficult for you.”
“It shouldn’t be, you know? It’s my decision. I shouldn’t have to keep fighting for it.”
“There are a lot of people who care about you,” she points out. “They just want to make sure you’re doing what’s best for you. Not just what you think is best for the team.”
My nose wrinkles. “What does that mean?”
“I just mean that you seem to feel a heavy obligation to people,” she says thoughtfully. “The team, your coach, your sister…You spread yourself too thin sometimes, I think. Sometimes it feels like you don’t stop and think about what might actually be best foryou.”
“Is this shrink Abby talking?”
She thumps me on the head, making me wince as I mutter anow. “This is your friend and sometimes bed buddy talking.”
“Sometimes bed buddy?”
“I don’t know what else to call it.”
“Face it, babe,” I say with a chuckle. “We’re lovers.”
She makes anacksound. “Don’t call us that.”
“Lovers,” I repeat, drawing out theoand leaning into her while I make kissy faces.
She shoves me off her. “You are impossible.”
“I think you like it though,” I tease. “I think you need a little silly in your life.”
“Hm.” She regards me with a thoughtful look, her expression softening. “Maybe I do.”
I sigh, draping myself over her lithe form until she’s squirming beneath me. “Ugh. What a day.”
I tip my head back to look at her, noticing that her lips are pursed in thought and her brow is knitted together.
“We could…go do something.”
