Page 19 of Definitely Not a Thing

“You think you could help with my do?—”

I closed my damn door.

Before I said something stupid.

Didsomething stupid.

Like fucking that man.

It was tempting.

Quite.

For myriad reasons.

Distraction, as he’d mentioned.

Loneliness.

Sadness.

Spite.

And if I was even the tiniest bit more inclined toward theEqual Opportunity Whoredomwe’d bandied about, I just might be opening my door to catch him before he got inside.

As it stood… there was too much happening in my head now, all on top of the fact that I was supposed to be getting back into work for the afternoon.

Which, the chances of now were pretty low.

Like,zerolow.

Instead, I went to my bedroom to inspect Calvin’s job putting together the bedframe – it was more sturdy than I’d ever been able to get it, even with Hunter’s help, actually. Despite the mattress not being fully inflated yet, I dragged it to the bed, put fresh sheets on it, and curled up in the covers.

Maybe my luck at life would be better tomorrow.

5/

calvin

“Damn,you really gone leave thathorseon one leg, ain’t it?!”

I closed my eyes – partially to keep the sweat out, partially to take a moment to not curse Arthur’s ass out.

I hadn’t asked for spectators – Ineverdid – and yet, somehow, he found himself out here offering commentary on my daily drills.

At this point, I chose to think of his bullshit as part of the training – hecklers never shut the fuck up either.

I used the least-soaked hem of my shirt to make a marginal difference in the sweat pouring down my forehead into my eyes, and then lined up my shot. I didn’t let myself overthink it, just sent it gliding off my fingertips, through the hoop.

“There it is!” Arthur whooped from the concrete bench where he’d made himself – too – comfortable. “Keep that up they might take you back!”

My steps faltered as I headed for my rebound, stopping to shoot him a look Ihopedwould let him know I wasn’t trying to be on that this morning.

At all.

I’d tuned out a lot, focusing on the beat in my headphones instead of his amateur commentating, but my absence from my team was still a little too much of a sore subject.

One moment.