Page 98 of Play Fake
I sleep like shit ahead of a rare day off, and I’m not really sure what to do with myself once I wake up. Dex is already at practice, and Jack is still with Desi and Jake. I take a long shower, make myself some breakfast, watch some trash television, and call Ivy to check in. I text each of my parents since they’re teaching right now. It’s not even eleven, and I’m actually sort of bored.
I wonder what sorts of things I could do out here in my spare time. Maybe volunteer at a school or something. I think about all the money being thrown around last night. I wonder what sorts of local charities might benefit from that money. Schools come to mind again. Funds to treat overworked teachers with care packages or gift cards or classroom supplies so they don’t have to spend their own money on it.
I decide to take a quick drive to the Strip. For as long as I’ve been here in Vegas, I haven’t really spent any time exploring. Maybe today’s my day.
I park at the MGM Grand near the south end of the Strip, and I start walking. I stop in shops, wander through casinos, and quietly enjoy my alone time.
I stop in a cute little bakery for a late lunch, where I order a chicken salad sandwich. I study the cookies in the display, and some are little football cookies, while others have the Vegas Aces logo on them. I grab a dozen to bring home to Dex even though I’m still mad at him after last night. Maybe I’ll throw them at him.
It’s not terribly crowded in here since it’s a little after two o’clock now, and a woman walks by and asks me if I’d like a free cookie for dessert.
I nod way too enthusiastically. “I’d love one.”
She grabs one with some tongs and sets it on my tray. “Are you local?” She nods to the Vegas Aces box of cookies I bought.
I lift a shoulder. “Sort of. I recently moved here and actually just got married.” I laugh a little at how ridiculous it sounds, but it’s my truth.
“Congratulations! That’s so exciting!”
“And my husband is actually a player on the Aces, so I had to get him these cook—”
“Oh. My. God! My husband used to play for the Aces, too!” She turns toward the counter. “Grayson!” she yells.
A minute later, Grayson Nash appears from the back room. He walks to the woman and leans down to press a kiss to her cheek, and I remember meeting him chatting with Dex at that first charity event we attended together.
“Yes, Cookie?”
Cookie, the woman who gave me the cookie—is that her real name?—grins up at Grayson. “She said she’s married to a player!”
“Who?” he asks.
“Dex Bradley.”
Grayson’s jaw drops. “Dex Bradley gotmarried?”
I hold up my hand with my giant rock on it. “To me.”
“Congratulations!” the woman says again. “I’m Ava, by the way. This is my bakery, and this is probably too aggressive, but if you need a local friend who knows what it’s like to be a football wife, you can hit me up anytime.”
“I’d love a local friend,” I say. “I actually started as Dex’s nanny, and now we’re married, and I feel like I’m home taking care of the baby all day. I love it, but it would be nice to have some adult conversations once in a while that didn’t involve Bluey.”
“Wait. Dex has a kid?” Grayson asks.
I nod. “An eight-month-old named Jack. Oh my God, I just realized—he’s actually at your brother’s house right now!”
“Lincoln?” Grayson asks.
I shake my head. “Asher. Desi’s taking care of him today since Dex and I went out last night.”
“What a small world!” he says.
“That will grow by one in about five months,” Ava says, and she rubs her stomach. She’s wearing an apron, so I can’t see a baby bump, but she’s got that glow about her.
“Oh wow! Congratulations!”
Ava and I exchange numbers, and it feels good. It feels like I’m finding my way. Like eventually I may even fit in here.
It changes my entire mood.
