Page 79 of The Fadeaway
From the moment I pushed into Katrina’s life, I’ve done things that surprise me. I’ve taken the hard road. Okay, harder than usual but to be fair, I’ve enjoyed every moment of it so not exactly a burden. I’ve changed since I’ve met her and it may have started out as a game to win her over, but it stopped being about that a long time ago.
“Think I’m gonna stick around another year,” I say, and the words feel right. Finish my degree, keep putting in the work, and go pro when it’s my time.
“Doesn’t Katrina have another year too?” he asks, smiling so big his teeth make an appearance.
It’s not about her, though, at least not entirely. He’s got my defenses up and I reach for the first response that comes to me. “That gives me another year before I gotta worry about the serious jersey chasers. Then again, I’ve never discriminated against the girls that are only interested in me because of ball.”
He grins, and I laugh, but it feels all wrong as it shakes my chest. The words are true. I’ve never cared if a girl was only after me because of who I am and what it means for their sexual bucket list. It didn’t matter because I was using them the same way. Easy, uncomplicated, and meaningless. But now… it doesn’t have the same appeal as it did before.
32
Katrina
Gabby’s placeis close to campus in a cute new townhome development. Blair and Vanessa are planning on moving in with her at the end of the semester, so the three-bedroom home looks empty with only Gabby’s odds and ends.
The guys are moving the heavy stuff and the four of us are pretending to put away kitchen goods.
Vanessa pours wine into four plastic Valley cups. “We need wine glasses.”
“Nope.” Blair shakes her head. “I’ve got those and some margarita glasses. They’re at my parents’ house, but I’ll bring them up next time I visit them.”
I look up in time to see Joel and Z coming through the door with a large round chair that is big enough to curl up in and sleep. The strain of the weight forces Joel’s muscles to bulge around the sleeve of his bicep.
“Gotta little drool.” Vanessa nudges me and wipes at the corner of her mouth.
“Shut up.”
When the moving truck is empty, we push the guys out the door. Wes gives Blair big puppy dog eyes when she tells him she’s staying with Gabby tonight.
“What about you? Can I convince you to sneak away later?” Joel whispers in my ear.
“I’ll text you in a bit.”
He brushes his lips over mine. “Mmm. You taste like wine and bad decisions.”
“Someone once told me wine makes people emotional,” I tease and try to calm the banging of my heart. My emotions were already in overdrive before I took a sip.
With a slow nod and smile, he pulls back. “Sweet. I’ll be expecting you to spill all your deepest secrets later then.”
I know he’s joking, but I’m tempted to hold him captive and force the wine down his throat.
“I’ll show you mine if you show me yours.”
His gaze rakes over me and my body tingles. “Later, Kitty.”
Turns out it only takes one hour for the wine to have its desired effect. I’m tipsy and suddenly all I want to do is talk to Joel and tell him I’m falling for him so hard.
Gabby pulls her hair into a messy bun on top of her head as we listen to Vanessa tell stories about Mario and his giant dick. Blair’s expression is one of shock so I’m confident this hasn’t been something Vanessa has shared before tonight. Damn, wine really is good at drawing out secrets.
“Seriously, he has to have athletic cups custom made to protect all that.” She motions toward her crotch and then moves her hand down her thigh and stops a good foot down as if to give us a visual of how low her boyfriend’s penis hangs.
“I can’t hear anymore,” Blair says and covers her ears. “I’ll never be able to look him in the eye again.”
I’m listening but still caught up watching Gabby. All that blonde hair piled up above her small face makes her look younger. She catches me staring and dips her head like she thinks I’m staring at her scars.
“Your hair is gorgeous,” I say. “You should wear it up more though. You look like Tinkerbell.”
She scoffs. “More like Two-Face from Batman but thank you.”
