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“Doesn’t the league shuttle you all around?” Kendra asked and took a sip from her cup.

“Sometimes. They use hotel shuttles, mostly, because it’s cheaper than getting their own, but it depends on where we are and what’s available. I liked having my own car.”

“Why?”

“In case I wanted to go anywhere. Obviously, I can get a shared ride, but I have to wait on those, and sometimes, we’re in busy places where it can take a while.”

“Where exactly are you going? I got the impression players mostly just go back to their rooms and ice their whole bodies.”

“That is true most of the time. But, sometimes, I need to let off some steam. I don’t do it much these days, but I used to go out when we didn’t play the following morning. I’d mostly just dance, have the one drink I’d allow myself, dance some more, eat something, make sure I was sober, and head back to the hotel for sleep.”

“Mostly?” Kendra asked curiously as she took another sip of her coffee.

“Sometimes, I’d do other things, yeah. Not so much these days, though, like I said. It’s too important now. I’m trying to make the Olympics. I need to be focused.”

“Other things?”

Aspen picked up her cup and took a sip herself.

“Sex.”

Kendra had just been about to take another drink and promptly lowered her cup back to the table.

“Oh.”

“Yeah. I’d go out, and if I met someone and we both wanted that, we’d hook up. I haven’t done that in a few years, though.”

“Right,” Kendra said.

“Anyway, I do not know how we got on this topic.” Aspen laughed nervously because she hadn’t planned on talking to Kendra Bowie about her sex life. “And I hope that is off-the-record.”

“This whole conversation has been off-the-record, Aspen,” Kendra told her. “How are you feeling about the next match?”

“Is that off-the-record?”

“Yes.” Kendra chuckled.

“So, you’re asking me as a neighbor right now and not a reporter?”

“Do you see a microphone in my hand and a fake smile plastered on my face for a camera?”

Aspen nodded, liking that response.

“We’re feeling good about it. Assuming the weather doesn’t hate us, we should be fine.”

“Happy to hear it,” Kendra said.

“Aspen!”

Aspen turned and saw her mother standing in her backyard.

“Oh, shit. That’s my mom. I forgot she was coming over to drop off some of my old stuff tonight. I have to go.”

“That’s okay. It was good catching up.”

“Yeah, it was,” Aspen said and stood.

CHAPTER 6