Page 32 of Let It Be Me

Alli’s. I wonder if she did it on purpose to keep me thinking about her. If so, her panties would have done the job a lot more effectively. “Definitely not what it looks like.”

“It looks like a girl’s been here.”

“Alli stopped by. Nothing interesting happened,” I report flatly.

He drops the headband. “Did you shut her down?”

“Yeah ... and then I fucked up and told her maybe I’d come to her show.”

“Really drawing it out there, aren’t you, man?”

“I spelled it out for her—not interested in a relationship. But I’m fucking cooped up and miserable and she comes in without warning? It’s not easy to tell her I don’t ever want to see her again. I can’t handle the crying tonight.”

“Not your problem if she’s sad. You didn’t do anything wrong.” He flips the TV to a baseball game.

I peel myself off the floor and open a beer. “So what’s your story?” I point the beer at his ankle before handing it to him.

“Okay, have you ever seen those pictures where the dude jumps on a broom and someone takes a picture just at the right time so it looks like the guy’s a witch flying his broom?”

“You had to get on a roof to do that?”

“With a pool underneath. It looks so fucking cool, dude. You jump off the roof with the broom, someone snaps a pic, and you land in the pool.”

“Are you aware of the existence of photo-editing apps?”

He gives me a look like I’m a disappointment.

“Okay, so what went wrong?”

“Steep roof, man. Very steep.”

“And you were shit-faced.”

“Right.”

“Man, you need to quit fucking around like that.”

“I’ve heard it all,” Cash says in a warning tone. “I don’t need it from you.”

“I’m sorry, but look at me.” I gesture to my shoulder. “I’m at a total standstill here, no clue if I’m ever going to play at a top level again. Or play at all.”

“I get it, Lor. Fucking sucks. But I partied a little too hard, like we all do, and something went wrong. Can’t be helped. In two days I won’t even feel it. The worst part is I lost one of my earrings.” He touches one ear, which is missing its usual gaudy stud.

I bite my lip and look at the TV. I know he gets it, but I’m a fucking grouch and, well, what if he doesn’t actually get it? Because if he did, he wouldn’t be partying that hard in the first place. “Fine. Just stop being stupid and we won’t have to have this conversation again.”

Cash snorts. “You know what? Fuck off.” He stands and grabs his phone off the couch. “Sorry you’re laid up, but?—”

“That’s not why—” I say quickly, but he cuts me off just as quick.

“And sorry about your cousin. I get you have a fucking sob story, Lorenzo, but we’re all sick of hearing you tell us what to do.”

I swallow, watching him hobble toward the door.We?So my friends have been talking about this when I’m not around? “What, you’re out?”

“Yeah, I think I am.”

“Come on, Cash. Hey, I wasn’t calling you stupid. I just got worked up.”

“It’s fine. I’m gonna go meet this girl for a while. I’ll come back in a few hours.”

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