“Ha,” Luca coos. “I've been there. Boys, let’s have some respect for Dutton and hisfriend.What do you call her again?”
I glare at him as he snaps his fingers.
“That’s right, that’s right, you call her Books.”
“How the fuck do you know that?” I ask.
He shakes his head. “Brooke definitely didn’t tell my wife, who definitely didn’t tell me.”
Linc stops mid-shot. “You have nicknames for each other?”
I roll my eyes and steal the ball from him because he’s fully distracted.
“Let’s just play ball and stop talking.”
“And there’s the Dutton I know,” Preston says on a laugh before guarding me and failing to stop me from shooting a three.
“Dibs on Dutton!” Luca calls out.
“You always call dibs on him,” Linc points out.
“Yeah, because I like a challenge.”
“How do you know I'm not a challenge?” Preston asks.
Luca looks around at us, then gives Preston a shrug. “No offense, but your hair is gelled and your basketball shorts have a line down the front. Those who have ironing creases in their athletic shorts probably don’t … play that often.”
Preston looks down at his outfit and then tosses his head back with a chuckle.
“So what if I have someone who does my laundry for me? That doesn't mean I can’t play ball.”
“Why don’t you two shoot for it?” I suggest, and Linc offers me knuckles. We love to get a rise out of Luca. It’s fucking easy.
“Done,” Luca says and then sinks his first basket.
Preston follows, and ten shots later I say, “Clearly you're both top players, which is surprising coming from Luca.”
“Hey!”
“I’ll take Luca, and Linc can have Preston.”
“That was how I said it from the start,” Luca says.
“I know. Let’s play.”
Thirty minutes later and the score is tied.
“Fuck,” Preston says, leaning forward and resting his hands on his thighs. “You guys really give it your all, don’t you?”
“Yep,” Luca says, pausing to stand next to him. “Seeing as we all sucked a year or so ago, this is a compliment for us.”
Preston chuckles, but I notice his smile drop instantly.
I follow his gaze to see my sister, Sadie, and Brooke walking toward the treadmills.
“She said she was busy all afternoon.” Preston is clearly frustrated, but my attention is on Brooke.
She’s wearing her standard leggings and a crop top, but it’s the book in her hand that really steals my focus.
