Page 36 of The Waiting Game

Jonah froze. “You could have gone if you wanted though. I can even take your bags back and you can ride with one of the other guys—”

“Nah,” Felix said. “I’m not really in the mood either. Too much temptation to drink and I love Matty but he’s just—”

“A little exhausting sometimes?” Jonah supplied.

Felix grimaced but nodded. “Yeah, sometimes. I feel like an asshole saying that.”

“He’s lonely,” Jonah said.

“Oh, I know.” Felix laughed bitterly. “And believe me, I get it. I just don’t have the same need to try to fix that by constantly being around people. I just feel like Matty’s been spending a lot of time with these random dudes lately and I feel like they’re all kinda …”

“Hangers-on?” Jonah filled in when he didn’t finish.

“Yeah, exactly. Like I’m not even sure they like Matty that much—they just like that he’s generous with the booze and lets them crash at his place whenever they want.”

Jonah nodded. “It’s not great. But it’s hard for him, I’m sure. He used to hang out with Dustin and Nico a lot and they’re both partnered up now and …”

“And I’m not much fun anymore either,” Felix finished with a sigh.

“It’s fine. You’ve never been that much fun,” Jonah teased. “You used to party more but you were never that fun.”

“Ha-ha.” Felix thwacked his thigh with the back of his hand. “You think you’re so fucking hilarious.”

Jonah grinned. “I have my moments.”

After that, they fell silent, lulled by the quiet noise of the tires on the damp street and their exhaustion.

When Jonah pulled into his assigned spot in their building’s underground garage, Felix stopped him before he could get out of the car.

“Hey, uh …” Felix looked a little nervous. “I’m wiped but kinda buzzing from the win and I’m feeling a little … uh, not great about heading back to an empty apartment. I’m gonna text Ismael of course but I’m not sure it’ll be enough. I know you’re exhausted but …”

“We could watch a movie or something,” Jonah offered. They had tomorrow off anyway. Not even optional practice, but a whole rest day to recover. “I can’t promise I won’t fall asleep on you halfway through, but you can definitely come over if you’re not feeling good about being alone.”

Felix let out a relieved sigh. “That would be great. You sure you don’t mind?”

“Nah. You took care of me on the plane, I take care of you now. It’s what we do.”

Felix smiled at him. “True.”

They peeled themselves out of the small car with identical groans and grabbed their luggage from the trunk, wheeling their suitcases to the elevator.

As Felix pushed the buttons for their respective floors, Jonah leaned against the wall, feeling proud of his friend. He knew it had been difficult for Felix to ask for help. He wasn’t the kind of guy who easily admitted weakness or when he needed something.

But Jonah also knew how much of a trigger it was for him to come home to an empty apartment. And there really was a certain buzz the entire team felt after clinching a spot like that.

Jonah usually went home and tended to his plants but every guy handled it differently.

Matty handled it by throwing parties.

In the past, Nico had coped by going out and hooking up with whomever caught his eye, though that had stopped now that he was with August.

Felix had gotten drunk.

But he couldn’t do that now and he was trying to create new routines and new methods of coping. If Jonah could support Felix in that, he’d happily lose some sleep over it.

“Thanks.” They reached Felix’s floor and he shot Jonah a grateful smile.

When the doors opened, Felix stepped forward.

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