Page 54 of Sack

Fresh from the shower, Colt sat on the bench in front of his locker staring at his phone. No missed calls or texts. Ivy’s MO for the past two days. He was happy she was having a good time with her friends, but he… missed her.

There, he’d admitted it.

Sure, he wouldn’t have had much time this week to see her anyway, but he missed the nightly phone calls. And hell, it just felt different knowing she was so far away and out of reach.

A body slid onto the bench beside him—Linc’s.

“Got any plans this weekend?”

“Nope.”

Linc eyed the phone Colt still clutched. “No plans with your hottie photog?”

“Nope.”

“You two break up?”

“We’re not together.”

“Fine. You two call it quits?”

Colt internally sighed. Linc was worse than a woman. “She’s out of town for the weekend.”

“Perfect. McEwin is having a party tonight. What do you say?”

“No.”

“Aw, come on.” Linc bumped him with his shoulder. “I can use a wingman.”

“Absolutely not.”

“About what?” Oz joined the conversation.

“Trying to convince the C-man here to come to the party with us tonight.”

After using his fingers to comb back his wet hair, Oz pulled a pair of jeans out of his locker and stepped into them before yanking off his towel. “Yeah, man, come. It’ll be fun. We’re eating at The Parting Glass before. You don’t want to miss out on their Friday night special.”

Colt looked down at the black screen of his phone. Did he want to sit home obsessing about Ivy all night?

Sensing he was weakening, Linc dealt the death blow. “You really gonna mope around your house all night like some lovesick fool while your girl’s out having a good time?”

Colt took a moment to think about that then finally decided. “Fine. But I’m taking my own car.” The last thing he wanted was to get stuck there.

He’d known it would be a bad idea to come. Colt stood against the wall, a beer dangling from his fingers for show so people would stop offering him one, sleepy after a carb-heavy meal, and bored out of his fucking mind. The music was loud, the hoots and hollers from the men louder, and the women’s laughter—most of it fake—loudest of all.

He should leave.

But what would he do at home other than veg in front of the TV? Ivy was out having a good time. He should at least try to, too.

Kicking away from the wall, he made his way to the backyard. Shouts and the sound of a ball smacking pavement caught his attention, and he went around the side of the house to find a pick-up basketball game in progress. He stopped on the sidelines, watching.

“Hey, man, you wanna join? I could use an extra man on my team.”

Some of the men he didn’t know, but a few he recognized as pro basketball players. That should be interesting. While he could throw a ball with incredible accuracy, he couldn’t move the ball while dribbling for shit.

“Sure.” He set his beer on the ground. “Though after you see me play, you may want to send me to the other team as your secret weapon.”

The guy laughed, throwing him the ball, which Colt did manage to catch with ease. “I’ve seen you in action on a football field. I’ll take my chances.” The guy held out his hand. “Name’s Darius. Good to meet you, Colton.”

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