Page 52 of Catch Me (Becoming Us #4)

Travis

Roman stared up at me, and I stared back. He was still petting Tessa, and she was keeping her paws on his legs. When she saw something more exciting, she’d run off again.

I took a long drink of my champagne. Something about it snapped him out of whatever was in his head. He got to his feet and grabbed his own glass from the counter.

“Hey,” he said.

I clenched my teeth, then forced myself to stop. “Hi.”

His eyes fell to the floor only briefly. When they returned to me, he was closed off, similar to how he’d looked the whole first week he’d stayed here in December. Some things didn’t change, I guess.

It would’ve been nice if Sen told me he was coming, but it wasn’t that big of a deal. I wouldn’t have done anything different.

With him standing in front of me, I felt conflicted.

I had no desire to converse with him or reminisce about the past—what little we had.

He could stay or he could go, but I hated that both felt wrong.

I didn’t know what emotions I’d expected to surface.

I’d hoped none would, but I wasn’t so lucky.

He brought out the one I hated most: anger.

It wasn’t even directed at him or what had happened.

It was just there, simmering with no purpose.

I’d never known what to expect with Roman, so when he offered me a tight-lipped smile and walked away, I wasn’t all that surprised.

“I’m so sorry,” Sen said from behind me. “I didn’t know he was coming until this morning.”

I drained my glass and turned around. “Don’t be sorry, man. I told you I don’t care if he comes.”

The way he looked at me was annoying, mainly because it wasn’t the first time. He’d asked about the situation a couple of times, and he never seemed to believe me when I said I’d moved past it.

Grabbing two glasses, I offered one to him. “Don’t start this again.”

“Not starting anything.”

“Good. Let’s go outside and party like it’s 1999.”

“We weren’t born yet.”

I laughed and put a hand on his back to guide him outside.

Having this many people at my house wasn’t something I’d ever done, and honestly, I probably wouldn’t do it again.

It was a special occasion, though, and it deserved a celebration.

Once we started the games, there’d be no more champagne or late nights. The only option was to be on our shit.

“How’s the fiancé?” I asked.

“Both insane and loveable, as always.”

“I assumed as much. I’ve never heard you complain about him in any serious way. That’s true love for you, I guess.”

“Speak of the devil,” he muttered.

Kai leapt onto the deck instead of using the stairs a few feet away. He grinned as he took Sen’s glass and drained it.

“Come on,” Sen exclaimed. “I was just saying you were loveable.”

“And insane,” I reminded him.

Kai kissed his hand and winked. “There are more. Wanna grab me one?”

Sen scoffed. “You grab them.”

“Do I have to do everything?”

“Fine. Fuck.”

Kai watched him march away with a smirk on his face. After a second, he turned to me. “How’s life, Travis? ”

“Can’t complain.”

“You never do.”

I smiled around my champagne glass. “You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

He shrugged. “You’ve gotta have a complaint once in a while.”

“We have to make the most out of life. If I have something to complain about, that means I need to change something. Complacency breeds unhappiness.”

“Hm. I like that. Might coin it as my own phrase.”

“Kai’s thing is Disney quotes,” Sen announced as he came back with three glasses. “Even though he tries to claim they’re original.”

Kai kissed his forehead as he took the champagne from him. “Prove me wrong.”

“I have.”

“Okay, here’s one. If you can name the movie without Google , I’ll be your slave for a day.”

I laughed. “You’re always his slave.”

“Shush, Travis. No relationship, no opinion.”

Sen narrowed his eyes at him, then smoothed his expression. “And if we don’t guess it?”

Kai looked at me. “I get to pick an activity for each of you tomorrow.”

“An activity? That’s weird.”

He just took a long drink, still watching me. I shrugged and waited for Sen to make a decision. When he nodded, Kai smiled.

“‘To face the future with another, who means more than any other, is to be loved.’”

“That’s cute,” Sen crooned.

“I think so. No matter what the future holds, it’s me and you. Isn’t that cute, Travis?”

“Sure,” I replied.

“Any guesses?”

I’d never heard the quote in my life. For all I knew, he could’ve made it up.

“Peter Pan,” Sen guessed with a grimace.

“Wrong. Travis?”

“A Bug’s Life.”

“Isn’t that Pixar? Or is Pixar Disney?”

“I don’t fucking know. ”

Kai looked extremely smug about the whole thing. I was going to ask him what it was from, but he rose on his toes.

“Hey, man. I have a question.”

I looked over and saw Roman coming out of the house. He joined us and stared at Kai expectantly. I noticed his tablet tucked under his arm and couldn’t help but wonder if he’d been drawing something.

“You’ll know this,” Kai said. “We just watched this movie.”

“You watched a Disney movie?” Sen asked. “With Roman?”

“Yeah. It was me, Roman, and Linc. We’re all emotionally mature adults.”

I snorted, then took a drink of my champagne to hide my expression. I needed a filter, but since I’d been saying that since I was a teenager, I didn’t have high hopes.

Sen breathed a laugh. “Are you gonna make the same bet?”

“No, Roman already lost one earlier. ‘To face the future with another, who means more than any other, is to be loved.’”

“The Rescuers,” Roman answered immediately. “They didn’t get that? Sorry, Sen. Kai needs to leave you for someone more cultured.”

“Okay,” Sen drawled. “I wasn’t aware that you guys had movie nights that you’d turn against us.”

“Things work out in Disney movies.” Kai shrugged. “I think we all can agree that’s something we need more of in the real world.”

“I have to play host,” I said. “What’s this activity you have planned for me and Sen tomorrow?”

“An escape room.”

“Huh. I expected it to be something bad.”

As I moved past Roman, his eyes narrowed at Kai. Deciding to ignore him, I made my way onto the lawn where some of the other players were talking.

Mikey saw me and held out his hand. I took it, and he pulled me into his chest with a grin. “You look like a grump tonight. We’re supposed to be pumped. You most of all.”

“Why me?”

“You’re the one with all the energy. The guys bounce off of you.”

I brought my drink to my lips and drained it. “Maybe the stress is getting to me. ”

“Well, cut it out. That Kai kid told me that we have to celebrate the wins and let the losses go. I think that’s a good way to look at it.”

Finally, I was able to smile. “Kai’s figured out the secret to life.”

“Too bad he’s taken, huh?” He nudged me with his elbow a couple of times while he smirked.

“Right,” I said, chuckling. “Too young for me anyway. If I ever dated again, he’d need to be at the same place in life.”

“Ready to settle down and be a dog dad?”

“Exactly.” I went to take another drink, then remembered that my glass was empty. “I’ll be back. Want me to grab you one?”

He nodded before he returned to the conversation with the other guys.

I passed a group of women, some of whom were married to the players.

I’d never really understood the way some people went their separate ways like that.

Kai was practically glued to Sen most of the time, and the same went for the others.

Maybe that was codependent. If they were happy with it, I thought that was the better option.

As I set my empty glass on the counter, I felt the weight of it all for a moment.

Loneliness, maybe. When it was just me and Tessa, it didn’t feel this oppressive.

If it ever creeped in, I just hopped in the Jeep or took off into the woods with her.

It didn’t really make any sense that it was worse now, when I was surrounded by my team and my friends.

“Why so down, kid?”

I looked up and broke into a smile. My dad came around the counter and threw his arms around me with a laugh.

“You didn’t tell me you landed.”

“I don’t need you to babysit me. I’m not quite that old yet, y’know.”

“Yeah, sure. I think it’s about time I put you in a home, actually.”

“If you’re paying and the food is good, maybe I wouldn’t mind. Now, tell me why you’re not celebrating right now. You alright?”

I was really tired of people asking at this point. God forbid I wasn’t always a bundle of joy.

“I’m good,” I assured him. “Literally making history over here, so give me a break. ”

“You’re right, you’re right. You gonna introduce me to your friends or what? You talk about ’em enough, I feel like I already know them.”

I looked through the window behind me. West and Linc were wrestling in the grass like a couple of teenagers. Brooks and Tilian were walking in the distance, almost too far for me to see them. Probably smoking. Sen and Kai were dancing, which was too adorable to interrupt.

“Actually,” I said, turning back to my dad. “I’ve got two gloves and a ball if you’re not too tired.”

He smiled softly, and there was something in his eyes that told me he understood exactly what I needed. Clapping me on the shoulder, he squeezed it tightly. “I’m never too tired. You’d have never gotten so good at the game if I was.”

“You’re a machine,” I agreed. “When people ask me how I stay so busy, I’ll have to start blaming you.”

I swiped the gloves from the laundry room and led him out the front so that nobody would bother us. He threw the ball, and as soon as it thudded into my hand, I felt the weight fall away.