Page 54 of Biggest Player
Yes. Where in Scottsdale are you?
Margot:
I’d say it’s closer to the outskirts, in the older part. You?
Dex:
Oh. Definitely the part they refer to as Snottsdale. Ha. It’s like we’re neighbors.
Margot:
Er, not even a little ...
Dex:
But this is the city, so everyone is nearby.
Dex:
I can come and look at your shit, it’s not a big deal. I have some time, preseason isn’t until August.
Margot:
Is that why you have all this free time to date?
Dex:
Yeah, pretty much.
Margot:
K. If you think you can fix my problem, have at it ...
Chapter 11
Dex
I’m not a plumber, but I can damn well pretend to be one.
I hoist the toolbox out of my sports car, the toolbox I borrowed from a buddy’s buddy who is a plumber. It was a massive pain in the ass to meet him, pick up the tools, explain the situation, and then listen to his insistence that he could easily drop in himself as a favor.
Should I have let him? Sure.
Would it have saved me a shit ton of time and a headache?
Absolutely.
But I didn’t, because I never listen. Not even to my own inner voice, which honestly wasn’t talking that loud. Besides, I don’t need some other dude, down on his knees, eyeballing Margot’s leaky plumbing.
I give the door of her condo a few quick knocks, ignoring the doorbell that’s glowing at me—something about ringing anactualdoorbell gives me anxiety. Like, it’s such an aggressive way to announce your arrival, and I don’t see a camera, so I can’t make a face at one.
I step back, waiting.
Nothing.
“Is she leaving me out here on purpose? She’s expecting me,” I grumble, knowingfull wellthat Margot could in fact be purposelyleaving me on her porch to suffer. I don’t know her well, but this seems like something she would do to get a rise out of me.
Minutes later, the door opens and she stands there, somewhat out of breath as she regards me through the crack as if she weren’t expecting me.
