Page 8 of Fast Break

Eight

Charlie

"Why are you so happy?" my brother grumbles when I stride into the kitchen whistling. His black hair standing up on one side, he shovels a spoonful of Captain Crunch into his mouth and mumbles something.

"Chew, swallow, talk, dude,"I scold, pouring myself a glass of orange juice."Come on, we learned that in Kindergarten."

Mattfinishes his bite of cereal and tries again."I asked if you got laid last night."

"Nope."I let my lips pop on that syllable.

"Then why the whistling?"Mattacts offended by my cheerful disposition, so I dial it up. I blast him with my sunniest smile.

"I'm happy. The Battle won their firstgameyesterday."I take adrinkof juice and scroll through my phone, acting nonchalant.

"Yeah, I saw the post on Insta."Matttakes another bite of cereal and slits his eyes at me while he chews."Also saw your girl had a hell of astart."

My lips split into another smile, this one involuntary and genuine.Mattnotices. He smirks, pointing at me with his spoon."You're so whipped and she's not even your girlfriend."

"I'm whipped?"I bark out alaugh."Rich coming from the man who canceled his annual boys' trip to Vegas so he could take his girlfriend to see N'Sync."

"It was BTS, and when you're in a relationship with someone, you make compromises. You're not in a relationship with this girl."

"Not yet,"I say, not looking up from my phone.

"I thought she already had aboyfriend."

" Had being the operative word."I glance up at him."They broke up."

Mattstabs at the cereal."Nice. Rebounds are the best. No one has any expectations. Maybe you can finally get her out of your system and not have to worry about her getting too attached."

I sigh and take a seat at the table,puttingmy phone down."What if I want her to get attached?"

My brother chews slowly and swallows."Do you?"

I nod."Yeah. Yeah, I think I do."

The spoon clatters in his bowl.Mattsitsback and folds his arms."Shit. After Angela, I thought you wrote all women off."

Hearing my ex's name is a cold, soggy sponge to my head, but I shake it off and picture Palmer's eyes."I thought I did, too. I told you, man, there's something aboutPalmerI can't explain. She lights me up."

"Dude,"Mattlaughs. He picks up his bowl and carries it to the sink."You're pussy whipped already and you haven't even gotten into–"

"Don't.Fucking. Say. It,"I growl, clenching my fist.

"All right, no need to punch me. Again."He rubs the bridge of his nose."So you gonna ask her out or what?"

"We're going outtonight."

"Thought you didn't want to be a rebound?"

Is that what I am? No, not really. A sliver of doubt creeps in, but I brush it aside."It's not like that. All right, look–I shouldn't tell you this, so swear you won't open your big mouth."

"Who am I gonna tell?"Mattrolls his eyes at my glare."Fine. I swear."

"I'm not looking to be her rebound, but we do have sort of a thing.

Her ex is a total piece ofshitand he's completely wrecked her confidence.

"I tell him what happened with the douche and Palmer's cousin, and how it's made her rethink her whole dating philosophy.

"So now, she thinks she needs to learn how to have a casual fling so she won't keep falling in love with douchebags.

She knows I— date —around, we're friends, she trusts me, so she asked me to help her out. "

"Wait, wait,"Mattcloses his eyes andholdsup a finger."Let me get this straight. Shewantsyou to teach hersextricks?"

I grimace."More that shewantsto see what it's like to screw around, have a bit of casualfunoutside of a serious relationship. Do something a little crazy."

"But you just said you want an attachment."

"Yeah, I know."Iruna hand through my hair, pushing it back off my forehead."A minor obstacle."

Mattchuckles."Shewantsto get her freak on, then move on. You want the total opposite. How is that minor?"

"She thinks I'm a big player–"

"You are."

"Ok, yeah, I am. But I'm going toshowhere there's more to me.

I'm going toshowher how she deserves to be treated and that I'm the man who will treat her that way.

"I blow out a breath."I've got theseasonto convince her.

You were as bad as me until you metBianca. You managed to win her over."

"Yeah, but I'm me and you're you."

I flip him the bird and he laughs."Seriously, bro. How do youplanto do it?"

"Romance her, for starters,"I say."Make her feel like the goddess she is. Cheer her on, listen to her. Make her feel so good she won't be able to imagine ever sleeping with anyone else again."

"What if it doesn't work?"Mattshrugs."What if you do all those things and then at the end of theseason, she says, 'It's beenfun.Thanksfor the memories'?"

The sliver of doubt returns. I try to swallow it, but it cuts on its way down."Not gonna happen."

"But what if it does?"Mattpresses."Come on, Carlito . As your older brother and the one who had a front-row seat to the Angela disaster, the last thing I want is for you spiral out again. You remember how it was."

Mattwas the one who was there topickup my pieces in the aftermath of walking in on Angela and Peter.

In one horrifying minute, just months before graduating from college, I lost the girl I was ready to marry and my best friend since childhood.

It wasMattwho drove down to the Eastern Shore to take me home.

Helped me find a place to live while I finished off the term and made sure I graduated.

For the past decade, I've done my best to avoid running into either of them.

No small feat considering Pete's folks still lived next door tomine.

It was one of the reasons I jumped at thechanceto move from the offices at the Annapolis stadium toBaltimore.

I flex my jaw. "There's nochanceofPalmerfuckingmy best friend, since I don't have one anymore. She's not like that, anyway.

"Besides,"I continue."Weren't you the one telling me I shouldn't let what happened define the rest of my life? That I shouldn't give up on someday finding the right woman? Well... I think I have."

Mattsighs."I don't want youhurtagain."

"I know. I appreciate it. But trust me, I know what I'm doing."

"I hope so, man. I sure hope so."

I'm too busy at work to look forPalmer.

I spend most of the day in the office, cutting B-roll and creating evergreen content for our social media.

I can't stop my thoughts from oscillating betweenPalmerand what my brother said.

She's a beast in the goal, butPalmeris the sweetest person off thefield.

She's also been betrayed by someone who was supposed to love her.

I can't imagine she could or would do that to another person.

I'm focused on my screen and startle whenLibertysuddenly perches herself on my desk.

She laughs."Am I that scary?"

You can be . I give her a tight smile."Surprised me is all."

She crosses her legs, the hem of the suede skirt she wears riding up to reveal a smooth, pale thigh. I swivel in my chair andslideback a few inches to make sure there's no accidental touching.

I lean back."What can I do for you,Liberty?"

She smoothes the sides of her sleek auburn coiff."What's going on between you andPalmerYork?"

I fold my hands and rest them against mystomach."What do you mean?"

She scoffs."Oh, come on. The other night, you could barely keep yourtonguein your mouth. And since when are players ever invited to our happy hours?"

"Since I happened to see her. Why shouldn't we invite players or any of our other colleagues to our post-work happy hours?"I ignore her comment about mytonguebecause it's probably true. But it's none of her business.

"It just seems like an odd choice,"Libertysays drily, inspecting her dark crimson talons.

"What's an odd choice? Inviting a friend to hang out?"

"Deny all you want. You were trying to get her into bed, if you haven't already.

"She cocks her head and lower her voice.

"I'm just saying. You're a big guy, butPalmeris a big girl.

I can't imagine you can do the things to her that you used to do to me.

Pickme up and take me against the wall. That thing we did in the shower–"

"Enough,"I snap. I straighten in my chair and brush the hair off my face.

"Look,Liberty. I have apologized for hurting your feelings.

Ihave done everything I can to try to make it up to you.

You can hate me all you want; I can't stop you.

You can forgive me, and we can move on. Or you don't, and I move on.

Either way, I'm notplayingthisgamewith you anymore.

If you'll excuse me, I have to finish this. "

I gesture at the screens she's partially blocking. She draws in a breath and hops off the desk. I scoot back into place and put my hands on the mouse, ready to continue. ButLibertystill stands there.

"I don't hate you,"she says quietly."I wish I did."

She walks away before I can respond, stiff spined but graceful, and for the hundredth time I castigate myself for being a complete dick. I scrub a hand over my face and go back to work.