Page 41 of Play to Win

Back downstairs, I take my backpack into my bedroom and set it on the floor.I plop my butt down onto the bed and stare at my meager belongings.For a moment a sense of bleakness washes over me.I’ve left my only family to deal with criminals.I’ve left the only home I’ve known since I was about twelve when we moved into that apartment.I’ve left my friends and my hometown.I don’t even have Pete.

I ran away from my problems because a hot guy was looking out for me.

It’s been a long time since anyone looked out for me.No wonder I succumbed.

I blow out a sigh.Well, it’s done.If I’ve learned anything in life, it’s that you have to make the best of things.So here I am in sunny California, living right on the freakin’ beach, with a gorgeous man.And hey, we’re having pizza.Pizza is always good.

I send Karine another text message to let her know we arrived and I’m fine.She responded with the expected freak-out earlier, so I want to make sure she’s reassured.Then I head out to the kitchen.

Théo must be still up in his room.I poke around a bit, finding dishes and cutlery.He’s all set, I guess thanks to his mom.What the hell is she going to think when she finds out he’s married?To someone she’s never even heard of?We must be nuts.

Footsteps on the stairs alert me to Théo’s presence.“Pizza ordered.Shit put away.”He grins.“My mom’s a lifesaver.I shipped most of my stuff here, and she came and put it all away.She even bought me new towels.”He shakes his head.

“That’s nice of her.I bet she’s happy you’re living closer.”

“Yeah, I think she is.”

“She’s not angry about you working for your grandpa?”

“She probably tells my dad she is, but I don’t think she’s too upset about it.She’s used to the shit that goes on in our family.Someone’s always mad about something.”

“Again, making me more and more look forward to meeting them.”I give him a phony smile.

He laughs.“Sorry.They’re not that bad.Just a lot of strong personalities and a lot of competitiveness.”

I wander over to sit on the couch.The sun has set now so you can’t really see much, but it’s still lovely.“I can’t wait for tomorrow.I’m going to run across the sand and right into the water.”

“Yeah?”

“I’ve never been in the ocean.I came to L.A.once when I was eighteen, with some friends.We went to Disneyland.We saw the ocean but didn’t really go near it.”

“I have to go to work tomorrow.But I’ll take you shopping in the morning to get some things.”

“Is there a Walmart near here?”

“No idea.We’ll find something.”He grabs his phone and starts looking.

The doorbell rings with our pizza delivery so he drops his phone and goes to pay.I meet him in the kitchen, and he sets the big cardboard box on the counter.It smells amazing.

“I didn’t realize I was so hungry.”I pick up a plate.

“Same.”He opens the fridge.“Oh, Mom, I love you.”He pulls out a beer and holds it up.“Want one?”

“Oh yeah.I guess our hangovers are cured.”

“I wasn’t hungover.”

“What was all the moaning and groaning and need for Advil about then?”

“Okay, I had a little headache.”He grins.

He opens the beers and then we take them and our pizza into the living room to eat sitting on the big couch, which is lovely and squishy.He turns on the ginormous TV and zips through channels until he finds a sports channel.A hockey game.

“Playoffs are still on,” he says.

“Ah.”

After devouring a couple of pieces of pizza, I sit back into the couch with my beer.My eyes feel heavy and my body is weary.I did get some sleep, but apparently staying up all night has messed me up.I shift over closer to Théo and lean into him.

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