Page 110 of Wild Ride

A text came in, but not from Ashley.

Anton

How’s the head?

He and Anton had met up for lunch in New York before the game. Dex had forgotten how much he enjoyed his former coach’s company, his sharp insights, his generous praise. After spending a couple of years disappointing him, Dex had pulled away, and now it felt like they were in a better place.

Before he could respond, someone else slotted into the vacancy left by Banks, someone who smelled a good deal better.

“Hi, Dex.”

Roxy, the last woman he’d been with before the fight with Hughes. Before he was told to clean up his act. Before Ashley made him forget every other chick. She’d texted a couple of times and he’d ignored her, which Dex 1.0 was fine with, and Dex 2.0 acknowledged was rude.

“Hey.”

“Where’ve you been? Playing with the dogs at the shelter?”

“You saw that?”

“So. Cute.” Moving in, she rubbed one of her tits against his arm. “I’ve missed you.”

“Yeah, I’m sorry I didn’t text you back. I’m seeing someone.” Claiming Ashley felt so damn good. So she wasn’t here and they weren’t public, but just having her in his life was like … fuck, something out of Hallmark.

“I don’t mind that,” Roxy said. “I’m seeing someone, too. Have been for months.”

And she was fine with cheating? “I’m not on the market.”

Her eyes sparked with a touch of anger. Right there with you, sister. He turned away before he snapped at her. He needed to keep better company.

Hudson Grey had just arrived and was raising a hand to the bartender. “Drink?”

“No, think I’ll head home.”

Grey immediately picked up on Dex’s mood. “You okay?”

“Just feeling kind of in limbo.”

“How so?”

Hudson was the kind of guy who saw a therapist. With his sunny and open nature, he also seemed like confidant material. Better than Banks, anyway. “I want to be with someone but it’s complicated.”

“What’s complicated about it?”

The court case, the need for discretion, the fact that Ashley had a very full life that might not have room for him.

“I’m not sure she wants to be part of my life. Of this life.”

Grey nodded. “Then make an effort to be part of her life. Relationships are about compromise, figuring out how to fit the puzzle pieces together. Show her that you want to be there with her, for all of it and—” His words petered out as his attention was diverted elsewhere. “Hey, isn’t that your neighbor?”

Sure enough, Georgia was at the bar’s entrance, looking like she’d walked into the Star Wars cantina and was surprised to see aliens. As usual, she gave off big socialite energy, wearing another fancy dress, long and shimmery, the kind of thing angels might think appropriate for cocktail hour.

Spotting him, she waved and picked her way through the crowd, though in truth, they parted like the Red Sea because Georgia brought that kind of vibe.

“Hey, Dex!”

“Georgia. What’s up?”

“Oh, nothing.” She cast an eye around imperiously. “So this is what this bar looks like. I’ve always wondered.”

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