Page 120 of Empty Net

Play until the final buzzer. And even if you have to, play some more. The real thing is worth it.

Mama is right. The real thing is worth it, and I believe what we have is real, so I’m going to keep playing. I’m going to wait. I’m going to give Lilah all the time in the world. Whatever she needs.

I’m playing until the final buzzer.

CHAPTER 22

LILAH

“I’ll have a large butter pecan latte, extra hot, please.”

“Of course,” the barista says. “Anything else?”

“A blueberry scone. Oh, and an old-fashioned donut.”

“Make that two donuts, avocado toast, and a small decaf honey oat milk latte.”

“You got it.” The barista punches our order into the tablet. “That’ll be thirty seventy-eight.”

Auden hip-checks me out of the way, placing her black card against the reader.

“Auden! You aren’t buying my breakfast for me.”

She ignores me, and I shake my head at her as I follow her toward the back of The Coffee Spot, a local shop we’ve taken to meeting up at over the last year. She sets her oversized tote on the floor—never mind it costs as much as some people’s rent—then pulls out her laptop, setting it between us.

“What’s this?” I ask.

“It’s nothing. Something I want to talk about later. First, I want to know howyou’redoing.”

Auden watches me carefully, gauging my reaction. I don’t give her one, careful to keep my face neutral. While I have anidea I knowwhyshe’s asking after me, I am not giving anything away, hoping maybe if I don’t, she’ll move on.

The last thing I want to do is sit here and discuss Fox. In fact, for the first time in months, I don’t want to think about Fox at all. His parents are still here, so I’m staying at his place, and it’s slowly killing me because he’s walking around like nothing has changed. Hell, just this morning before he left for practice, he kissed the hell out of me until I thought I was going to fall over right there in his entryway.

We still haven’t talked about what happened in that supply closet. He’s just continued on like we’ve spent every other day together—full of laughs and fun and really, really,reallygreat sex. He’s not outright saidI love yousince, but he’s said it in so many other ways. My coffee made just right every morning. A mug of ice cream brought to me late at night after he hears my stomach rumble. Every kiss, every simple touch. The way he looks at me like he’s never seen a more beautiful person.

And I have no damn clue what to make of any of it.

I am in love with you, Lilah Jane, and I refuse to apologize for it.

“What do you mean?” I ask Auden, pushing Fox’s voice out of my head.

She arches a brow. “I mean, you and Fox disappeared at your engagement party, and Hutch said he saw you crying afterward. And even though you look well fucked right now, you still look frazzled. So, something is clearly up. I’m just curious what it is.”

The barista stumbles, nearly dropping our beloved pastries to the floor before setting them on the table with a clatter.

“I, uh, sorry. I’ll be right back with your avocado toast and drinks.”

Auden flashes them a smile like she didn’t just openly discuss my sex life in front of a virtual stranger.

“What is wrong with you?” I practically hiss.

“What?” She tears off a piece of her donut, popping it into her mouth. “It’s totally what happened, isn’t it?”

“Yes, but did you have to broadcast it all over the coffee shop?”

“Uh, in case you haven’t noticed, we’re the only ones in here.”

I roll my eyes, but she’s right. Aside from the baristas, it’s just us, and I assume they’ve heard way worse. People will talk about anything in a coffee shop, even things they shouldn’t.

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