Page 44 of The Tip-Off
Appetizers and entrees are piled in front of us. Joel ordered damn near one of everything on the menu, most of which is strictly off-limits until I drop another two pounds. I stick to water and salad, which makes the guys snicker. Whatever, they can laugh all they want, but I know they’d do exactly the same thing if they were in my shoes.
“I grabbed this in case you were still hungry.” Gabby sets a bowl of steamed vegetables in front of me and my mouth waters.
“You’re an angel.”
“And what better to chase carrots than Jager.” Joel passes out shots and then raises his in the air and looks at Wes. Wes and Nathan raise their shots. It’s not like I can say no when it’s in honor of Wes’ job, so I lift mine too. “To Coach Dubya.”
It’s the first of many shots, and as it turns out, Blair and Katrina don’t show up but I kind of wish they had when the guys are all sloppy drunk and it’s just me with enough wherewithal to get us home.
“Hey, Gabby. What time do you get off?”
“Ten minutes.”
“Think you could drive us back to the house? We forgot to make sure we had a sober driver. I could call one of the guys, but since you’re here.”
“Oh, um, I don’t have a car here.”
I frown. “Okay, well, you can drive mine. That’s no problem.”
She shifts uncomfortably, eyes on her shoes.
“Gabby?”
“I don’t drive.”
“What do you mean you don’t drive? How do you get around?”
“Blair, Uber, walk.” Her cheeks pink. “I could call Blair. She was trying to stay away so you guys could have a proper guys’ night, but I’m pretty sure she’s waiting by the phone for Wes to call so she can run over and see him.”
I glance back at Wes. His eyes are half-closed. “Don’t think he’s gonna be awake that long. Wait, how are you going to get home?”
She flushes again. “Uber.”
Brady calls for her and she offers a meek wave as she walks away. I text Mario for backup and round up the guys.
“Alright, buddy, time to get out of here,” I say to Wes and help him to his feet.
“Blair here?”
“Nope, just us guys.”
“Fuck, I miss her. Is that weird?” he asks, words slurred. “I don’t care. I love that girl.”
I say nothing, just hold him steady as we move to the door. I’m about to write off his sentiments as drunken babble when he looks me dead in the eye and says, “Don’t be such a hard ass all the time. You’re focused, I dig it, and you’re about to get everything you ever wanted, but it won’t be enough if you’re all alone. Ball won’t be enough.”
* * *
Gabby
I hide in the back until Mario shows up to drive the guys home. Every humiliating moment of the past two weeks and Zeke has to be present for all of them. Why couldn’t I just lie and tell him my license was expired or something not as embarrassing as the fact I haven’t been able to get back behind the wheel since my car accident?
I see Zeke look around for me, but eventually he ducks out too and I slump against the counter and breathe a sigh of relief. I’m already off the clock, so I grab my stuff and head out to wait for my Uber.
When I push out the front door, Zeke steps away from the building.
“What are you doing here? I thought you guys left.”
“They did,” he says. “I wanted to make sure you got home okay.”
