Page 10 of Drop Shot
I delete what I’ve written so far for the text and toss my phone on the opposite side of the bed.
It looks like I’m getting my own damn coffee today.
I use the bathroom and brush my teeth, quickly downing a protein shake before I put on my running shoes. The coffee shop it about three miles away. Perfect jogging distance. I’ll get a quick workout in this morning, have my coffee, and I can hit the gym later to lift weights.
Win, win, win.
I change my clothes and slip on my running shoes, pocketing my keycard to get back into my building. I’ve learned my lesson after forgetting it once and having to get Whimsy to secure me a new one.
On the street, I pop my earbuds in and start my playlist.
Despite the music playing in my ear, I can hear my fellow player and doubles teammate, Noah Baker, ribbing me for only running three miles. I mean, I could make it six, but I know I’ll just catch an Uber on my way back. No one likes melted coffee.
The coffee shop is in sight when I spot a familiar blond head exiting. She smiles and says something to the man going in.
I slow my jog to a walk as Whimsy approaches me.
I pop out an earbud. “Interesting running into you here.”
She shrugs, balancing the drink carrier in her hands. “I know I’m not your assistant anymore, but I was going to bring you coffee anyway. That’s a girlfriend thing to do.” Her nose scrunches. “Right?”
“Sure,” I agree, grabbing the cup I know is mine and taking a sip. “Did you drive?”
She nods. “Yeah, I’m parked around the corner. Do you want a ride?”
I drop my arm over her shoulders. “It’s like you know me, Whim.”
She rolls her eyes. “That’s because I do.”
She leads me around the corner to a small gravel parking lot.
“Shit, let me take that.” I reach out for the carrier. I should’ve grabbed it sooner, but I didn’t think.
She lets me take it with a grateful smile and unlocks her light pink Mercedes G-Wagon. When I got the car for her last birthday, she said it was the most over the top gift imaginable but I didn’t miss her excited little dance she did on her way over to check out the car. Obviously I had to have it custom wrapped in her favorite color. It was the only thing that made sense.
Whimsy is a good person and a great assistant, so I see no problem in spoiling her. As my sister likes to remind me, I owe Whimsy a lot for putting up with me.
“Still liking the car?” I ask as I climb in and slide the seatbelt across my body.
She adjusts her sunglasses and picks up a tube of gloss and coats her lips. “Yes, but I also still think it’s over the top.”
“Only the best for my girlfriend,” I joke.
She shakes her head at my comment. “This is so weird. I woke up this morning and thought I’d imagined the whole thing, but Jackson had sent me a text warning me not to reply to you if you asked me to do anything assistant related.”
I snort. “It’s a good thing he did. I woke up ready to text you, and then I remembered.”
Her hand rests on the gearshift. “Are people going to think I used this job as a way to get you to date me?” She scrunches her nose like the idea of it irks her.
Taking a sip of my coffee, I slide the cup back into the holder in my lap. “I’m sure there are people who will think that, but we know the truth so what difference does it make?”
“None, I guess,” she sighs and puts the vehicle in reverse. “I just don’t enjoy people thinking I’m that kind of person.”
“What kind of person is that?” I press.
She shudders and whispers, “A gold digger. A social climber.”
“If people talk shit that’s on them.”
