Page 58 of Definitely Not a Thing

Not that I hadn’t fully enjoyed myself, but it was crazy that ol’ boy had crashed out so hard over me fucking his ex wife when it waspurelythat.

Crazy ass chain of events, period.

And now here I was, feeling the effects of my own poor decision making with my appendages – I’d promised myself since then to be a little more careful.

Promised mymotherI’d be a little more careful.

A loudthumpfrom next door pulled my attention away from the calendar I’d been reviewing on my laptop to my shared wall with Amelia.

What the hell is she doing over there?

I shook my head.

Nope.

Whatever her fine ass had going on over there was not my business – I wasnotsupposed to be seeking interaction.

We were neighbors.

Friendly neighbors.

Friends.

That’s it.

All itneededto be, for both of our sakes to be honest.

I shifted my attention back to my screen.

Training camp in a week.

The RSM mixer in a few days.

Training camp was going to be my first time with a ball in my hand in an official capacity in months, but the mixer… that was work, too.

It wasn’t an official team event, but many of my teammates would be there, because they were signed to Richardson Sports Management as well. They always held it at this time of year, right in this little pocket where most major sports were in a quiet period, which meant they could have their big party with all their athletes, their spouses, and plenty of others adjacent to the professional sports industry.

Deals got made at this party.

Connections got made at this party.

Relationships – the romantic type -- got made at this party.

Thatwas the part I was feeling kinda iffy about, honestly speaking. It was always teeming with fine ass single women, which wasn’t the worst thing to happen to a man, but damn.

It was never on any quick-hit, groupie type shit either.

They were trying to get locked down, trying to make a ring-worthy first impression they could cash in on later. And while I respected the hustle, I simply wasn’t on that type of time, so I wasn’t interested in the whole,come meet this friendset up.

Jordan and Cole – the Richardson-Johnson’s of theRin RSM – might not like it, but I was strongly considering simply skipping it, to avoid dealing with that shit all night.

But how would that reflect in other areas?

I was mulling that over when another, louder thump came from next door, paired with an unmistakable, feminine “ouch!”

I was on my feet before I could even stop myself.

Seconds later, I was knocking on Amelia’s door, and getting worried when I didn’t get an immediate answer. I knocked again, fully prepared to force my way in when the door finally cracked open, and Amelia peeked out.