Page 17 of Shape Of My Heart
“A drink here and there and a good woman is noproblem.”
“What the hell do you mean by a good woman? They’re all good.” That philosophy was one he always had. He knew what Corey meant, but Josh loved women too much to be with just one. He didn’t understand why anyone would do that and preferred the freedom to be with anyone he chose, one or two atatime.
“Josh, things have to change.” Corey glossed over the question because he knew the debate that wouldfollow.
“Things are fine the waytheyare.”
“Do you want to play footballagain,Josh?”
That was the question of the hour, of the day, of his life right now. Hadn’t he always wanted to play football? He dropped the stress ball and watched it roll across the woodenfloor.
“Josh.” Corey said his name moreinsistently.
Josh looked up at him at the same time that he heard thedooropen.
Again, that could only be one person. Only one person had the keys to his house. His blonde-haired and green-eyed PA walked in carrying a big bag. She came into the room, cut a quick glance at Corey, then stood in front of Josh eyeing him with some seriousdaggers.
“Here is your order, sir.” She reached into the bag and, to his surprise, pulled out all the condoms that were attached together and dropped them into his lap. There were at least a hundred. One hundredextra-smallcondoms. He didn’t even know they made them thatsmall.
Then she took out a bottle of hot sauce and said, “Lubricant,” and followed it up with a multipack of root beer with cartoon characters all over thepackage.
He opened his mouth to say something, but she stormed out of the room and made her way to the office. Corey burst out laughing, and laughed even harder when he saw everything properly. The extra-small condoms, the hot sauce, and the damn kidsdrink.
“Jesus H,” Joshcursed.
“Oh Lord. Who was that?” Corey asked, his Texan accent became more pronounced when he gotexcited.
“This isn’t funny, Corey. Why are you even laughing? This is what Zeldasentme.”
“That’s yournewPA?”
Josh rolled his eyes. “Looks that way.” So shewasback.
“She’shot.”
“I noticed. It’s a trick of that damn Zelda. She thinks if I have a beautiful PA it’ll make me do what shewants.”
“Is itworking?”
He gave Corey an askance look. “Working?Please.”
“You should give her a chance.” The seriousness returned to Corey’s face. Josh pushed the condoms off him and sat upproperly.
“A chance for what? I can manage to do what I needmyself.”
Corey shook his head. “No, none of us can do everything ourselves. That’s why we each have PAs, and you need yours more than the rest of us. You should be grateful that you got thebeautifulone.”
Josh sighed with frustration. “I don’t need anybody. I just…” He looked away and gazed at the display of seashells over in the corner on the shelf. Clarissa gave him those when she was about five. He’d taken care of them over the years and planned to have one of them polished and made into a necklace for her. He’d never get the chancetonow.
“Josh.” Corey’s voice returned his focus to him. “This is me. I’m you’re oldest friend. We grew up together, bro, and we’ve been through life together. Talktome.”
Josh didn’t know if he could talk to anyone. He didn’t know if it was wise tostart.
“I don’t know if I can play football anymore,” he told him, and just saying the words pained him to his soul. Surely if it felt that bad, it meant not playing wasn’t the answereither.
“Is that what you want? To not play anymore?” Concern filledCorey’seyes.
“No.” That was the truth. “I just don’t know if I can. It’s hard to go back out there knowing that…” He closed his eyes andsighed.
