I blow out a breath. “I meant finding women who are interested in Trey the regular guy, not Trey DePaul, the famous baseball player. You know how some of the women can be.”
“That’s because you look for women in clubs. Not real places.”
“Well, I didn’t find her in a club. She thinks I’m a plumber and she doesn’t care.”
“She didn’t recognize your name?”
I mumble, “She doesn’t know my real last name.”
She gives me a flat look of disapproval. “Oh, Trey, this isn’t you. You’re not a deceitful guy. If she’s the one, you need to tell her. She’s going to find out eventually.”
Sherrece plops down at the table, leans over, and softly kisses Diana’s lips. In her accent, she says, “Sorry, love. It’s a madhouse in the kitchen tonight. Franco never showed. I just tried your new stew though. It’s amazing.” She smiles. “Maggie is in the back helping them with desserts.” She pops a piece of bread in her mouth. “Catch me up.”
Sherrece and my sister have been together since college. She’s very tall, nearly my height, and used to have long, dark hair, but now it’s blonde and shorter. My sister is curvier while Sherrece is rail thin.
Diana sighs. “The good news is that Trey is in love. The bad news is that he’s been lying to her.”
Sherrece’s eyebrows furrow. “Lying? That’s not like you, Trey.”
I go on to tell them the whole crazy story. By the time I’m done, they’re both speechless.
Sherrece blows out a breath. “Youhaveto tell her who you are.”
I run my fingers through my hair. “I know. It’s just that…I want her to fall in love with me first, so she has no choice but to accept it.”
Diana shakes her head. “You’re a fucking idiot.”
Leo mimics, “Fuck, fuck, fuck.”
Diana closes her eyes. “Shit.”
Leo then mimics, “Shit, shit, shit.”
I can’t help but let out a laugh. “Leo, saygo Bombers.”
He looks at me for a moment before saying, “Go Toogars.”
Sherrece laughs. For some unknown reason, she’s a huge Cougars fan. “I’ve trained our son well. He’ll never be a Bombers fan.”
Diana sighs. “You know the right thing to do.”
I nod, acknowledging that she’s right. “I just need a little more time.”
Diana and Sherrece share a disapproving glance with each other.
GEMMA
I fall over on the couch. “Ugh, I can’t eat any more pizza.”
Val rolls his big brown eyes. “Why are you in nice pants, weirdo? We’re watching a basketball game while eating pizza and drinking beer. That calls for old cotton sweatpants.”
I scrunch my nose. “I don’t think I own any old cotton sweatpants.”
CJ lets out a laugh as his shaggy blond hair falls over his handsome face. “How are we still friends?”
I sigh. “I wonder that myself all the time.” I look around at the piles of beer cans, dishes, and dirty clothes. “You two live in absolute filth. I can’t believe I spend time in this frat house. You both make real money. Get a housekeeper.”
CJ lifts one of his ass cheeks and lets out a huge fart. “Ah, much better. I think I’m getting old. Cheese is starting to upset my system.”