Page 139 of Never Stop

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

Easton

Brooke was totally high. She might not have said a word about it nor did we ask, we just knew. Her laughing at Steve Harvey for over an hour was a dead giveaway, and I hadn’t heard her laugh in months.

Every day seemed like the same for me; I’d wake up, go to work, come home, try to force Brooke to eat and then I’d watch TV while she slept on the couch until I told her it was time for bed. Since it was the summer, Cheyenne was staying a lot at Courtney’s which was good.

I knew Brooke was in a lot of pain and I couldn’t imagine having Cheyenne yelling and screaming while she was trying to rest. I just wished things were different. Brooke didn’t deserve to go through the pain and trauma she was living in. I guess no one deserved it. I just wished it wasn’t my wife—again.

“You. Me. Hoops after work.”

I looked up from my desk to see Avery walk in. “Can’t. I need to cook dinner for Brooke and stuff.”

Avery took a seat on the couch, his arms resting wide along the back. “A few hours won’t hurt.”

“You don’t know what it’s like. I feel helpless, so I want to be there in case she needs anything. Why do you think I only work a few hours a day?”

“I know, man, but you need time to regroup yourself.”

“I’ll do it when it’s all over.”

Avery chuckled.

“What’s so funny?”

“You never wanted to be home when you were married to Dana. Now that’s the only place you want to be.”

I glared at him. “We don’t need to compare them. My life has changed.I’vechanged. You want to give me shit for wanting to take care of the woman I love?”

He leaned forward and rested his hands on his knees. “I know, which is good. I just know you, andyouneed time to let loose. I don’t want you to get burned out.”

I knew he was right. Even if Brooke weren’t going through her ordeal, I’d still need time to myself. Everyone did. Avery and I usually went to the gym most mornings because working out was a way to blow off steam. I hadn’t been to the gym in weeks.

“But what about Brooke? She’s home alone most of the day. I can’t leave her all night.”

“Who said anything about all night? We’ll go for a few hours.”

“Why don’t you have Nicole go over and spend time with Brooke?” I suggested.

Avery nodded. “Yeah, I bet they’d both like that.”

Our sneakers squeaked along the waxed floor as sweat rolled down my face. Signaling for Avery to pass me the ball, I raised my arms above my head. He looked at me and threw the ball as I ran down the opposite end of the court. When I was close to the basket, no other guy around, I tossed it underhand with one arm and into the net.

“Fuck,” our opponents groaned.

“That’s game, boys,” Avery stated from half court.

We walked off the court and stood off to the side each running a white gym towel on our sweaty heads. It felt good to sweat again—to hang with my friends and loosen up a bit. Avery was right, I needed to regroup.

“Now you two can go celebrate with those broads over there.”

I looked to where Charles pointed. “Nah, we’re good. You two go tell them you want them to lick your wounds.”

“I’ll give them something to lick.” Steven smiled.

“Yeah, loser dick.” Avery chuckled. The four of us laughed. It felt good to banter with my friends again, even if I’d only seen these guys at the gym.

“Go to our bar and tell them we said we’d buy you pussies a drink.”