Page 111 of Your Biggest Downfall
I didn’t want company. I wanted to drown my sorrows alone.
“Luna and Nova have plans tonight. You sure?” Jeremy pressed.
“I know where my wife is,” I snapped, though the truth was, I didn’t care.
I didn’t care where Nova was or what she was doing. All I wanted was to shut everything out, to push everyone and everything far away, and focus on one thing: getting wasted.
“Alright, dude,” Jeremy replied, raising his hands in surrender. “See you at practice Monday.”
“Yup,” I said, popping thepsharply before shoving my way out of the locker room.
I’d managed to dodge the press tonight, letting the captain handle the questions and the blame. I didn’t have it in me to face anyone, least of all myself.
Out in the players’ lot, I pulled out my phone and shot a quick text to Nova.
Me: Have fun with Luna. I’ll be at home. Love you.
I didn’t even wait for her to respond before slipping into the driver’s seat. My mind was already on one thing—where could I get liquor and not be recognized? I needed to drink, to feel that familiar burn in my throat, to lose myself in it before Nova had a chance to see what I was about to do.
48
nova
“That was a crappy loss,” Luna said as she shrugged off her jacket. She’d taken the night off to come watch “her boys” play their first home game of the season. We’d already made plans earlier in the day to hang out after the game, and we were currently driving to a fancy Italian restaurant in the heart of the city. Luna had gotten a reservation and asked if I wanted to join her after the game.
Since the day I’d called her in a panic, things between us had gotten better. Were we back to how we used to be? No. But it felt like we were on the right track, slowly rebuilding. With everything going on—the budget stress, the new equipment rollout, turning down new work opportunities, and Austin’s sour mood—it felt good to have a girls’ night lined up. I needed it more than I realized.
Truthfully, I was grateful I’d said yes, because being home with Austin after the loss wasn’t exactly where I wanted to be. He’d be in his head and disappointed. There was a part of me that felt guilty. I should be there for him, but his text alleviated any anxiety I had.
“It definitely was,” I agreed, smiling. “At least two of us will be celebrating tonight.” I gave her a playful nudge, my way ofletting her know I appreciated her making the effort to go out with me.
We pulled up to a sleek, modern restaurant, the kind of place with floor-to-ceiling windows that glowed softly in the night. It was one of those new spots everyone had been talking about, a little too trendy for my usual taste, but tonight felt like the perfect occasion to try something new.
Luna stood out, wearing a bright pink minidress with a pair of white stilettos. Meanwhile, I’d opted for a pair of wide-legged jeans and a black baby doll blouse. We both looked fucking good, and the Nova-and-Luna duo was back.
The moment we stepped out of the car, the excitement bubbled up inside me. I was ready to let loose, forget about the stress of the week, and enjoy a night out with my friend.
Luna was already chatting excitedly about the menu as we walked toward the entrance, her energy contagious. I smiled, genuinely happy to be spending time with her, feeling lighter than I had in days.
But as we reached the door, my phone buzzed in my bag. I ignored it at first, too caught up in the moment. Then it buzzed again. And again.
Something told me to check, so I pulled it out, and my heart sank. Aunt Mae’s name lit up on the screen. My stomach flipped, and I stopped dead in my tracks.
I hesitated before looking at Luna and then asking her for a minute.
“Hey, Aunt Mae,” I said when I answered the phone.
“S—S—Sweetie?”
I closed my eyes and tried to brace myself. This was it. This was the one call I knew I would get one day but wished I never would.
“What’s wrong?” I asked hurriedly.
“Your mom... She passed away a few minutes ago.”
I closed my eyes. “What happened? I was just there.”
“I took her in because of her port line and then... I don’t know.”
