11. APRIL
APRIL
Nervously, I crept around the locker room.
It had thinned out postgame. Night three and the last in Boston, before we headed home.
We lost tonight and it was never good after.
My sister had called on top of it and all it did was fill me with dread and desperation.
I had been dumped and stood up in the past few weeks.
It wasn’t looking well, and the more I thought about it, I had to concede that Nora might have been onto something.
A fake boyfriend might have to be the answer.
There were no expectations and no let down.
We would both know what we needed and they would be the only person that would be reliable, because that was the beauty of an arrangement.
The question I had was, who could I potentially ask to be my stand-in boyfriend?
Nate was married. Johnny had a scary baby mama, so there was no way I was asking him.
Zeke barely ever spoke to me. Jake was also married.
Kev was a maybe. Carlos was a hell no. Mikey was newly engaged to a beautiful influencer.
Then there was Josh, the ultimate playboy.
Sure, he was fun for a night, speaking from personal experience.
Most definitely not crossing that line ever again, it would be messy. This was hopeless.
I was not meant to have to do this. I cursed Wes and his untimely breakup.
Although if I was honest, the problem was me and my inability to let May win.
Her mocking voice floated through my thoughts, that once again she was right about my love life being in the dumps.
For once, I wanted her to be wrong so I could stick it to her!
I poked my head out of the gym and saw Kev pacing the hallway with his phone in his hand.
He had always been kind to me. He was pleasant to look at with his dark brooding eyes, and chiseled jawline.
He never said much to me, but I didn’t need him to talk much for this.
I froze in place when he glanced up and caught me watching him.
He smiled. “Hey, April.”
“Oh, hi, Kev.” I tried to sound casual and not like I had been watching him like a hunter with prey.
“That stretch you did earlier helped.” He flexed his arm, showing off his thick biceps.
I stepped closer to him, so I wasn’t shouting. “Glad to have helped.”
I cleared my throat, gathered the courage to come out and asked him for the most ridiculous favor. We both stood there staring at each other. The air thickened with awkward silence. It was like he knew I had more to say and was waiting patiently for me to speak.
“You ready to go home?” he asked, breaking the tension.
“Yes. I like being on the road, but I do miss home.”
He nodded. “Same.”
My phone buzzed inside my pocket, startling me. I fumbled to fish it out, seeing a group message from May.
Final numbers needed for planning. ASAP.
Ugh. My shoulders sagged. She was pushing lately. How big of a deal is it for one more person? It wasn’t a formal meal. She just wanted me to admit to everyone that I was solo and not with the plus-one I had all but guaranteed a few months ago.
“You okay?” Kev questioned.
Taking a good long look at him, I held my breath and finally decided to hell with it. “Not really.”
“Can I help?” And there was an opportunity I needed.
“Not unless you can be my date for a family function in two weeks.” It slipped out before I could stop it and I watched his face twist in surprise. My cheeks flamed in embarrassment. “I don’t mean you have to. My sister is a jerk… Dinner.”
I was rambling and words started to come out without any context. Kev struggled to follow along since I was not making any sense.
He gripped the back of his neck. “Uh, geez, April. I’d love to help, but I’m away at the All Stars.”
“Right. Of course. No.” I spun around, wanting to crawl under something, as Josh came around the corner. His eyes bounced between Kev and me. Instantly, I stepped back. There was no reason to, yet I did.
“Am I interrupting?” he asked.
Kev grinned and thumbed to Josh. “He can do it.”
“No!” I practically shouted, making Kev jump.
Josh’s eyes lingered on me for a minute, before he turned to Kev. “Do what?”
“Nothing,” I said abruptly and bolted away, not giving them a chance to say anything else.
Kev shook his head and teased Josh. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”
Kev turned to wink at me as the exit doors closed between us. I ducked into my office and covered my beet-red face with my hands. He is so telling Josh.
We had a two-day break between the series and I needed the space.
It was weird with Kev now and Josh had tried to talk to me a few times.
But work wasn’t the time, or the place, to bring up whatever did or didn’t happen, and I sure as heck didn’t need him checking in on me.
He hadn’t ever before and the sudden change was throwing me off-kilter.
What was he trying to do? I wasn’t in the mood to dissect whatever was happening between us.
Lechale had pulled his hamstring stealing second and the ordeal kept me busy while we were away.
Now that we were home, I had run out of ways to avoid him, especially since I knew he was only a few floors up.
It was hard not to think about him. Even at the gym, my eyes kept checking to see if he was coming in.
He didn’t. Yet, every time I heard the door open, my heart halted, hoping it was him.
Even Nora was on my case about asking him to be my date for Papi’s party, and with each day getting closer to it, I was running out of options.
It was only ten in the morning and I needed to get out of my head.
The summer rainstorm matched my mood. It was a welcome relief from the hot haze that had clouded the city for the past few days. The lawns and trees were dried up like straw, but rain renewed everything. I grabbed my umbrella and raincoat, and headed out to my favorite café.
The Steeped and Brewed Café was only a few blocks from our building and my favorite Sunday morning indulgence when the city was still asleep.
It was a quaint café with chic, farmhouse style and dark industrial fixtures.
Loose-leaf teas and organic coffees were showcased behind the counters in mason jars with little handwritten plaques.
Used books of every genre lined the floor-to-ceiling shelves of the walls that people could sit and read, or purchase at a discount.
The tables were a mix of family-style and little private coves, usually taken over by people with laptops or crowds of students during the weekdays.
But the dreary weather meant that the normally packed space was free for the taking. I had already picked out a cozy murder mystery and snapped up the far back table by the window in a small nook that housed the perfect spot to watch the rain crash down.
Just as I made myself comfortable and removed my jacket, a familiar figure walked through the door.
Josh. He was soaking wet. He shook off the rain and ran his fingers through his hair.
My eyes lingered longer than they should have over the tight fabric of his damp running gear, showing off his muscular torso when he glanced up and over at me.
Our eyes locked and he unleashed one of his signature, playful smirks that could have melted the panties off anyone he aimed it at.
Except me. My panties must stay on around him.
Even if I have to glue them on. I clutched my knees together to remind my vagina not to get her hopes up, again.
Even if it was a long time ago and neither of us cared to rehash it.
His dating record proved I was just one of many who damn near wandered down the path to the promise of a good night and nothing more.
I sat up straighter in my chair. “What are you doing here?”
“I saw you in the window and thought I’d stop in.” He smiled. It was a great smile. One that showed his perfect teeth and kissable lips. Thankfully, the barista came over and dropped off my latte and a raspberry-chocolate scone, yanking me from my thoughts of those kissable lips.
“That looks great. Can I order one also?” Josh asked her.
“To go,” I added.
Josh shook his head. “For here is fine.”
He took a moment to shake himself out a second time before plopping into the seat across from me. Waterdrops pelted the cover of the book I had resting in my hands.
“Josh, what is this? Some sort of pity on the pathetic girl who got dumped on her birthday and then stood up?”
He openly gaped at me. “There’s no pity. Your ex was an ass and the other guy doesn’t know what he’s missing.” His face softened. “And I like hanging out with you.”
I tilted my head to the side, studying his face. There was sincerity about it. “This doesn’t have anything to do with your latest dating disasters?”
He leaned back in his chair like he was contemplating something. “How much have you heard?”
“Just the usual locker-room chatter. You’re striking out.”
“Hasn’t been my finest month…”
I snorted. “That must be new for you.”
“May I remind you of the previous sentence…” He trailed off.
“Touché.”
“I heard you're in a predicament,” he stated matter-of-factly.
“Damn Kev,” I muttered under my breath. “What exactly did he say?”
He looked down at the table, then shrugged. “Enough.”
“So, what’s this?” I pointed between us.
“I have a solution.”
“A solution?”
“Like you said, there’s chatter. If I tell you mine, you tell me yours, and maybe we could help each other.”
My eyes lasered in on him. “Is this about some dumb bet?”
“Yes.”
At least he didn’t try to lie to me. “I’m not getting involved in the bets you guys make.”
“Normally, I wouldn’t ask you to, but Carlos made an impossible bet I’d rather not lose,” he replied dryly. I’d heard about their bets, even seen a few of them. Banana-hammock Jake was on top of the list.
“Isn’t that the goal of these dumbass games you play? To make it impossible?”
He leaned back in his chair. “Usually, but in this case, he’s bested me.”