Page 20 of The Tip-Off
He hesitates, stares at the cigarette between his fingers and then me before shaking his head and handing it over. “Don’t inhale.”
“Isn’t that the point?” I ask before disregarding his advice and taking a long drag. When the smoke burns down my chest, I cough and sputter for several long minutes while Nathan laughs at me. When I can speak, I say, “Well, that’s one item I can cross off the list for good.”
We sit in a comfortable silence until I ask, “What do you have going on today?”
“Whole lot of nothing. Some of the guys who stayed in Valley this week were thinking of going to Prickly Pear tonight. You interested?”
“I’ve gotta work, remember?” I bump his shoulder with mine.
“We probably won’t even go until eleven or so. You can meet us there.”
* * *
I catch a ride from a coworker to the Prickly Pear. It’s a hole in the wall bar that is more popular with the Valley townies than college students, or so I’m told.
“You sure you don’t want to come in for a drink?” I ask Savannah. She’s a great work friend, but so far, we haven’t hung outside of The Hideout. She’s dating a guy on the Valley hockey team and her nights off seem to revolve around whatever he has planned.
“Wish I could. I promised Smith I’d help him meal prep and watch game footage. He’s obsessed with making the most of his offseason.” She parks the car in front of the bar. “Are you sure they’re here? The place looks pretty dead.”
I glance down at my phone and then scan the parking lot. I texted Nathan an hour ago and still haven’t heard back from him. “That must be them.” I point to an SUV with a Valley basketball license plate. I take a breath and open the door. “Thanks for the ride.”
Loud, country music greets me as I enter the bar. I hover in the entrance glancing around the place until I find the table of Valley basketball players, but no Nathan. I walk toward them with all the confidence I can muster. Tanner Shaw greets me with his easy smile. “Hey, Gabby.”
“Hey, guys.” I wave as everyone at the table stares at me. “Have you seen Nathan?”
The guy sitting next to Shaw speaks after chuckling softly. “Last I saw him he was passed out on the floor.”
“At The White House?”
“Nah, baseball house.”
Guess that explains why he hasn’t texted. “Okay, thanks.”
I take a step back feeling all sorts of awkward for coming here only to be stood up, but Shaw stands and says, “Have a seat. I’ll get another chair.”
I hold up my phone and motion to the door. “I’m just gonna check on Nathan.”
He waves me off. “He’s fine, just got started too early today. The guy was doing shots before lunch.”
I find myself seated at the table and introductions are made. The group of freshman and sophomore basketball players are nice. One of them grabs another glass and fills it with beer from the pitcher on the table. I shoot off a quick text to check on Nathan. Shaw and the others are playing it off like it’s totally fine, but shots at noon and passing out early? That doesn’t sound fine.
Me: Did Nathan make it back to the house?
Zeke: No, I haven’t seen him all day.
Me: Could you walk over to the baseball house and check on him? He was supposed to meet me at Prickly Pear, but the guys said he was passed out on the floor over there. I’m worried about him. Is that normal for him?
Five minutes later, Zeke sends a text to let me know he found Nathan and got him back to The White House, he ignores my last question.
Shaw pours me a second beer, which I drink more freely now that I know Nathan is okay. Nothing seems to be going according to plan lately but making the most of it seems to be the new theme of my life.
* * *
Zeke
Gabby: The young guys are more fun than you.
A second later, a picture comes through. Her and Shaw are holding their beers up high and cheesing for the camera.
