Page 98 of Rush

I’m still going to AA regularly. I still see Luke.

But I haven’t had to call him since that one episode in the bar.

The urge to drink will always be there.

But, now, I have more in my life to lose, and it makes me work harder to never drink again.

That is why I feel confident, going alone to this silent charity auction, which my dad asked me to attend on his behalf because the team is at an away game—meaning Ares is away. If I wasn’t here, I’d only be sitting at home, missing him. At least this keeps me busy and kills the hours until he’s home tomorrow.

The auction is to help raise money for a children’s cancer charity. The team has donated a bunch of signed memorabilia, and my dad has also asked me to make a purchase on his behalf. Mary usually comes to these things for my dad, but she couldn’t make it tonight, so he asked me, and it felt good that he believed I could come here alone, where alcohol would be served.

It’s a good test for me, too.

Only thing is, I haven’t managed to make it to the bar yet.

It’s not that I think I’m going to go over there and buy all the alcohol.

But it’s just been so long since I walked up to a bar, and it just feels weird.

“Hey, Arianna.”

I turn and see Leo Parsons, the sports journalist.

“Hi…Leo,” I say, surprised to see him.

The last time I saw him was, well, a tad awkward and also the night when Ares and I had that huge fight, which resulted in him walking out on me.

Not that it was any of Leo’s fault, of course. I just feel a bit weird because I told Leo that Ares and I weren’t together. And, now, everyone knows Ares and I are dating. There’ve been the news stories about Ares dating me, the coach’s bad-girl daughter. How my dad has a big problem with us dating, which he doesn’t. All the speculating that the media likes to do. But, overall, it’s not been too awful. And, after the initial interest in Ares’s and my private life, it has died down.

Leaving Ares and me to get on with our relationship, which couldn’t be better.

“How are you?” I ask.

“Good. You here representing?” he asks.

“Yeah, my dad asked me to come on his behalf. What about you?”

“It’s filled to the rafters with sports personalities. ASN wanted me to come cover it—see who bids on what and how much.”

“Sounds…newsworthy.”

He shrugs. “It’s the kind of shit people want to know. How much a celebrity is willing to bid for charity. Gossip sells. Even in sports.”

“True.” I sigh.

“I saw the stories about you and Kincaid…”

“Yeah…I’m sorry I wasn’t honest that night. It was just…my dad didn’t know, and—”

“You don’t have to explain it to me.” He kindly waves me off.

I smile. A beat of silence passes between us.

“Do you want a drink?” He nods at my empty hands. “I was just on my way to the bar.”

“Um…”

“Nonalcoholic. I’m the same as you, remember?”