Page 46 of Scoring the Player

---

“Your foot’s good?”

“Yeah,” I reply. “It was nothing.”

“Y’all flying out tonight?” he asks.

“Nah, in the morning.”

A hand clasps my shoulder, and I turn and dap Johan.

“Come thru tonight,” Nick continues. “I’ll order some grub. Invite your boys.”

“Aight, bet.”

“Jones.”

I turn and dap Sid. “What’s good?”

“We missed you at the Olympics. How’s the foot?”

“Eh, still kickin’. Congrats on winning gold. Nick just invited us thru. You free?”

“Yep. I’ll stop by.”

We track a camera crew moving in to interview him. “Man, that cake…”

I grin. “Yeah?”

“Best I’ve ever had. You need investors for your bakery, I’m in.”

I chuckle. “Good lookin’.”

My smile falters as I spot Blue in the corner, expression tense like he’d rather go another four quarters than deal with the mic in his face.

“Hey,” Sid says, gaze pinging between us. “Some of us need to take the long way home to get clear in here.” He pats his chest. “He’s one of ’em.”

My eyebrows lift, but before I can respond that I’m a patient man, he’s circled by a camera crew.

I quit staring once Blue’s head turns in my direction, then I retreat into the tunnel.

CHAPTER 12

ARNAZ

“Only for a Night”

Spoils from life’s war, dare drink from my cup.

Sustenance for the night, poisonous by sunup.

“Pizzas and wings are here,” Cam, Nick’s girlfriend, announces, Nick trailing behind her with a half dozen boxes piled high in his arms. Sid walks over and takes the bags from Cam. “The salmon’s in that one,” she tells him.

He eats clean all season. Claims he’s less restrictive in the offseason, but I haven’t seen it.

The doorbell rings.

Swigging the last of my beer, I rub my palms against my stomach.

I hear Cillian’s voice first and then a husky laugh.

---