Page 96 of Who's Loving You

Me: Yeah, like…big problem

My phone rings with an incoming FaceTime and I clumsily set my phone in the holder near my dash and click accept.

“You cannot just text something like that you jackass. What did you do now? Did Valentina kick your ass to the curb or something?” Soba looks annoyed but in about ten seconds he’s going to be irate.

I rake my hand over my face and try desperately not to wreck as a result of my panicked mind.

“Nah man, this might be worse. Val I can deal with… for the most part. But this,fuck! This shit show might get really bad. Likerealbad.” I take a deep breath and decide to lay it all out there. “Nik, this doesn’t affect you, but Soba… fuck man, I’m so sorry. You might get hit with some of the shrapnel from this.”

I’m thankful for the traffic that surrounds me because I don’t think I can look either of them in the eye, right now.

“When I got to Houston, I joined a club…a special one. One that only people who live a high profile life would want to be a part of. It’s called Lascivious. Saint, hold onto your holy hat because what I’m about to tell you is going to be a shock.

“Lascivious is a sex club. With elite clients and highmembership fees to ensure the protection of those who join. After all that shit before the season started which subsequently brought Val into my life, I knew I would have to keep my nose clean if I wanted even a small shot at keeping my starting position that I knew was mine. With Ruggles still on the IR, I was the next and best option at tight end. So I said goodbye to all of the fun girls and public show of my ass, and stuck to visits to Lascivious where people don’t talk.

“It started fine, just like Wanton, but as Val got into my head more I couldn’t shake it. Every time I saw her sent me into an intense need. I didn’t ever think I had a chance with her, even though I was trying like hell, so it didn’t seem like all that much harm in keeping it to club visits. “

The lunchtime traffic is bumper to bumper and it allows me to take a quick look at the guys. Saint is sitting there like I just told him I have a tail, and Diva’s face is red, anticipating what may come next.

“My cravings were bad. One girl, two girls, three girls. Whatever I could get to temper the urge, but they never quite filled the hole. Soon, the club manager Sonja was joining in. Every time I visited it was always Sonja and another woman. And a couple times…” My hands are dripping with sweat from how tightly they grip the steering wheel. “A couple times she brought in some guys.”

Diva and Saint just stare, silent and completely shook. They don’t even know what to say. I don’t blame them. How does one respond to their best friend telling them he’s a bit of a sex addict.

“I’m not gay. I just…it was things but not, you know…that. When Val and I became official, I quit the club. Diva, you know that. I went straight to Lasciviousafter talking with you and handed in my key. Sonja insisted I stay but I told her I was done. She didn’t like that.

“She began texting me constantly. I’d block her number, delete everything she would send, but she’d still find a way to get to me. The night of Thanksgiving, after we dipped early to see my family, Sonja sent an anonymous text saying something like I miss you and your girl can’t give you what you need. Val saw it and it turned into a huge argument on the side of the road.

“I was able to explain it away as some old shit and I was not and would not cheat on her.Ever. Things were cool until about fifteen minutes ago when I got a text from an unknown number with a link to an article.

“I can’t prove it, but I’m certain Sonja leaked my name to some gossip site. Some fucking asshole made a goddamn nursery rhyme out of the intel they were fed. It’s all there on the internet for everyone to see. And now she’s threatening to give the thumbs up to publish if I don’t come back to the club. She’s full on psycho.

“I’m so sorry, Nick. I never thought that me trying to let this chick down would end with this fucking clusterfuck of a situation. I had thought those NDAs would protect us. And Ineverexpected for them to dig so far back, digging up shit all the way from Arkansas and getting intel from Club Wanton. But that’s where, apparently, they found your name.”

Both Diva and Saint stay mouth zipped tight, either processing the fucked up story I just told them, or these are motionless still frames and they’re both headed my way to beat the shit out of me. When I see Saint blink, I breathe a small sigh of relief that they’re alive and, thankfully, not freaking out.

“As messed up as this whole fucking thing is, I have toadmit that I feel so much better now –getting that off my chest and coming clean to you guys. I’ve been dealing with this, and I hated keeping this from you guys. I’ve never kept a secret from either of you and this was literally killing me. Now my biggest problem is going to be putting out the fire before it spreads to Valentina.”

I’ve never heard silence so loud, but the two of them just continue to stare, words completely lost. Saint flops back in his chair and Diva’s eyes grow tense.

“I’ve been keeping something from you guys too.” Diva looks ashamed and I can’t believe that this shit storm is getting worse. “I’m so fucking sorry you guys.”

I thought my story was going to be the downfall of our friendship, but what Soba tells us about fixing the draft so that he could go to New York to chase a girl, feels like a dagger straight to my heart. Here we were thinking San Fran passed on us, all the while Diva had a hand in the destruction of our plan.

He played with our futures. What would have happened if Saint or I didn’t get drafted? Our teams could have easily passed us up and we’d be watching Sunday football from our parents home.

This conversation started with me carrying a ton of guilt on my shoulders, worried about my friend and if I messed anything up for him and his girl. And now I’m realizing that I’m not the one to be worrying about the cards I’ve just dealt my friends. Diva’s cards come from a stacked deck, and I’ve been shafted.

“But it’s fine! Guys, it’s fine,” he goes on to say. “I’ve got Scottie now and I talked to San Fran last week, they’re still interested in trading for us in the spring.Especiallywith how all three of us have been playing!”

He didn’t give one single fuck about his two best friends, and now he thinks that he can just say sorry andwe’ll just pack up our lives to fulfill a dream that no longer exists? I would’ve gone to the stake for this guy, but what he has done isn’t something I can just get past. This is more than just a little disagreement.

Soba has put a woman ahead of his best friends so maybe it’s time I do the same.

“Fuck you, Soba. I’d rather quit professional football than to ever play with you again. We’re done here.” I end the call without another thought about him and focus on me, like I should’ve done from the beginning.

I don’t know what’s going to happen to our friendship. This may be something Papas and I can’t get over. But at least we’ll still have each other.

And my girl. If I still have one after I drop this bomb on her.