Page 33 of The Tip-Off
Wes even comes in for a hug. “You coming with us on the next trip?”
Blair pulls back. “Oh right, I forgot to tell you. We’re driving up to the lake next weekend. Are you in?”
“You’ve been back in Valley for less than two hours and you’ve already planned another trip?”
“It’s a yearly trip,” Wes says. “The entire basketball team goes and usually some guys from the baseball team, too. Last trip before graduation. Not even Z can get out of this one.”
“So… you’ll come, right?”
“I’m probably on the schedule at work,” I remind her. I’m seriously starting to regret taking a job that requires me to work weekends.
* * *
The next week things start to fall into a routine. I spend my days on campus exploring or holed up in the library to work on my online classes, which Blair finds hilarious because according to her, the perk of online classes is that you don’t have to go to campus, but I love it here. The Valley University campus is beautiful and everything I dreamed it would be.
My nights are spent either hanging with Blair or at The Hideaway.
On Thursday, I’m rolling silverware and exchanging funny memes with Nathan via text when Brady approaches. He doesn’t look up from his tablet as he says, “Savannah is taking your shifts this weekend.”
My stomach knots. “Did I do something wrong? Please don’t fire me. I need this job. I like this job.” Both statements are true. My parents were supportive of my moving to Valley, but they made it clear they wouldn’t be covering my rent.
He looks up after a beat. “You’re not fired. You put in a late request to have the weekend off and I’m honoring it. In the future, though, I’d appreciate at least two weeks’ notice.”
“Yes, of course.”
I call Blair as soon as I get home. “What time are we leaving tomorrow?” I ask, pulling out my bag and then scanning my closet for outfits.
“We’re leaving as soon as Wes gets done with his one o’clock class.”
“Wait. Why don’t you sound more surprised that I’m suddenly free? What do you know?”
“You didn’t think I was going to let you miss out on this weekend, did you?”
“But how?” I drop to my bed and cross my legs underneath me.
“Zeke talked to Brady. I dunno, I didn’t get the details, it doesn’t matter. We’re going to the lake!”
I put Blair on speaker as she goes on about all the things she wants to do while we’re there.
Me: You talked Brady into letting me off this weekend?!
Zeke: If I have to go, you have to go. Besides, we have unfinished business.
Me: ?
Zeke: Skinny dipping of course.
The next day nearly all the basketball team, their girlfriends, and even a few baseball guys pile into five vehicles, with another group coming later. It’s a short drive from Valley to the lake, but the outstretch of water makes it feel like a million miles away from the desert landscape of Valley.
“Where’s Nathan?” I ask as we split up and claim our rooms in the cabin. There are three cabins in total and each one overlooks the lake. Joel’s family owns the one we’re staying in and rents the other two for the yearly team gathering.
“He’s coming up later,” Wes answers as he and Blair put their bags into one of the four rooms upstairs. Joel and Katrina are in the master, Nathan and Zeke are sharing, and I get a room all to myself, though I’m sandwiched between the two couples so I’m not sure I should celebrate my good fortune just yet.
We head out for a quick spin on the boat so Joel can show us all the hot spots and then everyone comes over to our cabin. Joel’s got the grill going and the guys hang around helping, but mostly just talking smack, while the girlfriends and I huddle around the outdoor bar talking about them.
The rest of the girls are commiserating over travel schedules and long practices that keep their boyfriends occupied. I know from Blair that dating an athlete means they’re gone or practicing a lot, but it seems like the moments Blair and Wes do have together they more than make up for his absence. I could get on board with that.
I stop listening but give the appropriate head nods and “mhmms” with the rest of the group. Across the deck, Zeke stands just on the outside of the guys’ circle looking as bored with the conversation as me.
