Where are you?

U okay?

Holy fuck, gnat.

Text me.

Why do I care? I care. Fuck’s sake. Answer me.

Dude.

There was a whole list of them, all from the same number, and I had a feeling I now knew Reese’s phone number.

I pulled up the last one and texted back.

Me: I’m here. Turned phone off last night.

My phone rang, vibrating alive in my hand within seconds.

“Don’t tell me you were concerned about me?” I said in greeting. “How’d you get my number?”

He snorted. “Snagged it one night and I was bored. You’re supposed to entertain me. You’re slacking, Direction Girl.”

Ah. I’d been demoted.

I lie back on the bed. My bladder was not happy with that decision, but who knew the next time a pro basketball player would be on the phone with me? Saying I was supposed to entertain him? My bladder could wait.

“Tell the truth. You’d rather I was your roommate than Juan.”

He laughed. “Yeah. Maybe. He snores. You don’t.”

“Says you. Maybe I wait till you fall asleep and then zonk out, and I always wake up before you.”

“You don’t snore. I’m a light sleeper. I’d know.”

“Yeah, yeah. Maybe I sneak over and put earplugs in your ears.”

“I’d definitely wake up for that.” He waited a beat, dropping his voice low. “For real, though. Are you okay?”

“Yeah.” This was feelings territory. I liked Jokingland. Let’s go back there. “You gonna replace me with a new ball girl? One that’s a real ball girl?”

Another short laugh from him. “Nah. That’s not the term I use for those girls.”

“Right. Groupie.”

“That or a one-use girl.”

My eyes widened. “A one-use girl? Really? That’s crass.”

“So’s fucking.”

I could hear his smirk over the phone. Someone said his name in the background, and he responded, “Yeah. Be right there.” A door closed, and he came back on the phone. “I gotta go. You’re going to watch later?”

“Yep. A whole bunch of us are going to Grant and Sophia’s.”

“That’s the good friend of yours, right?”

“Right.”

He paused another beat. “Tell me straight. You okay or not?”

I had to smile. “Why? You worried about your gnat?”

“Maybe I’m a little concerned for my friend.”

See! We were friends. “I’ve been promoted. Direction Girl, Gnat. Now Friend, but not your ball girl.” And definitely not a one-use girl. Hell to the nah. I had more respect.

Maybe.

Well…

Okay, enough with that thinking. We were friends. Platonic, no fucking. But, “Hey, Reese?”

“Yeah?” He sounded distracted.

“Are you going to use a one-use girl tonight?”

There was silence on his end.

I shouldn’t have asked, but I did, so I waited, my chest tight. I sat up, pressing the phone tightly against my ear.

“I was more hoping to call a certain gnat tonight.”

My chest felt lighter. “Really?”

“Really.”

He hung up after saying goodbye, and I sat there a full minute afterward, just holding the phone.

? ? ?

I took my phone out later on when I was waiting for Owen and Hadley to pick me up for dinner.

Me: Why is it llama and not lama?

Another one.

Me: Have you ever been propositioned by an ex’s grandmother?

Me: Rate your teammates as shades, curtains, drapes, or blinds.

Me: Would you consider yourself a camel, a lama, or an alpaca? Or a goat? Goats are options too. Not sheep.

I was thinking of more when my phone buzzed.

Reese: What the fuck are you smoking?

I grinned.

Me: Boredom and emotional numbness.

Reese: You’re not high?

Me: emoticon sad face, followed by emoticon thumbs-down Reese: You didn’t have to type that out. Could just do the actual emojis.

Me: But what’s the fun there?

Reese: I gotta go. We’re warming up.

Me: During your winning interview, give me an Easter egg.

Reese: I like your cockiness. And what do you want?

Me: Flick your ear, from behind.

Reese: Okay. Ur with good friends tonight, right?

Me: You’re starting to more than care for me. Watch yourself, son.

Reese: Serious.

I sobered, because damn, the knot in my gut started to thaw.

Me: This was supposed to be an entertaining relationship. I entertain you. I am the gnat. You’re not supposed to care about the gnat.

Reese: I do what I want. And I’m being serious. If you’re drinking tonight, you’ll be safe right?

Me: That’s not proper grammar.

Reese: This is texting. I don’t give a shit. Answer me.

I sighed as I heard the sound of tires covering gravel from behind me.

Me: I’ll be fine. Probably be bored even. Gotta go. My Uber just got here.

Hadley rolled her window down. She was on the passenger side, a bright smile on her face. “Hey! Ready for some margaritas?”