Page 4 of Love on the Waiver Wire

The first thing that hits me when I enter the apartment is that the lights are down low, and I start to second guess what I heard.

“Stop it right now, god dammit the guy took Freddy.”

“What a little bitch.”

I walk into the large space to find my brother sitting on the couch, his laptop in front of him, his best friend Owen on the other end, his phone in front of his face. My cheeks warm without my permission as I remember him catching me in the hallway earlier. But it’s not like he hasn’t seen worse from other women.

“What’s going on here?” I ask, my hands on my hips.

Owen’s head snaps up, his eyes immediately on mine before he quickly looks at my brother.

Who looks pissed. “What time is it, Isla?”

“It’sdon’t bother Leo time,but you guys are so loud that you have my delivery guy commenting on the noise.”

“Did you hear anything in your apartment?” Well, no. No I didn’t. I go to open my mouth, but he beats me to it. “No, of course you didn’t. No one is hanging outside our apartments. Just say you’re nosy.”

He’s got me there. Iamnosy.

As nosy as a man who says he doesn’t like drama.

“That’s rude but fair,” I sigh, rounding his couch and making myself at home in the middle.

“Hey! Hey, what are you doing? We’re conducting important business here.” Leo’s eyes are wide, clearly amazed that I’d have the audacity to still be here.

“What are you guys up to?”

He frowns, his eyes darting to Owen before back to me. “If you must know, we’re doing a mock fantasy draft.”

I nod, suddenly understanding.

Fantasy football has always been huge in our house, but Leo has taken it ten times further than it ever needed to go.

It started with our dad, who somehow convinced Leo that being good at fantasy football was more than just luck. It had to do with football skill—“If you’re not good at fantasy football, how do you expect to be good at actual football?”he’d ask.

I still don’t know how that works. I’m pretty sure he was just trying to make sure he’d play it with him.

But Leo believed it. Poor, well meaning, dense Leo. It’s not shocking that that got him.

But it turns out he sucked at it. And he has continued to suck at it for the last decade. That doesn’t stop him from forcing his friends on his team to play with him, though. The only thing that matters to him is that he doesn’t lose every year.

I would never say it out loud, but I almost think that his team lets him win sometimes. It’s the only thing that makes sense.

“And all the good players are being taken?” I ask, crossing my legs under myself. Leo watches the movement carefully, frowning.

“Obviously. Go home.”

“I can’t hang out with my brother?” I ask him.

“Not after six P.M. without permission, no.”

I look over at Owen, noticing his eyes on mine. I look away, brushing my hair behind my ear.

He’s always been, in my opinion, the most attractive player on the whole team.

“Do you want help?” I ask Leo, sitting up straighter as I become all too aware of the pair of eyes still on me.

“I don’t need it but thanks.”

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