Page 44 of Playbook
“O-kay.”
“I’m bored, was thinking about you, thought I’d call so we can work out the details for this weekend.” I’m still quiet and he adds, “That cool?”
Back in my room, I sit in the chair in front of my desk. “Yeah, it’s fine. Creepy, but fine.”
“Talking on the phone is creepy?” There’s a hint of humor in his voice and I can almost see the playful smirk on his face.
“Uhh…yeah,” I say defensively. “Nobody calls anymore.”
“I’m bringing it back,” he says. “Old school, just like the letters I wrote you.”
This call, just like him sending me letters, feels like something I dreamt up instead of real life.
“What are you up to tonight?” he asks.
I consider lying because saying I’m sitting home alone by myself drinking wine and working feels kind of pathetic, but then I remember where the last lie got me.
“I’m home. I just poured my second glass of wine, and I’m about to watch Survivor while I finish up a work project.”
“Nice,” he says. “With your roommate?”
“No, he had a date tonight.”
“Mine too. My brother left me alone, and I don’t know what to do with myself.” He sounds so despondent. I bet this man spends very few nights alone.
“You’re home alone on a Wednesday night?” I gasp dramatically in mock shock.
“Eh, it’s fine,” he says. “I have practice in the morning anyway.”
“I wouldn’t have pictured you home by yourself even with practice the next morning. Your brother certainly didn’t think he needed to stay in.”
“I’m trying something new,” he says. “And now that my teammates think I have a girlfriend, I can’t exactly hit up the bars like before.”
“You told them?”
“Just a few of the guys that were at the bar and saw us together. The others will have heard by the end of the week, I’m sure.”
Oh god. I’m going to have to tell people we’re dating. Sierra.My parents. A rush of panic shoots through me and I close my eyes and concentrate on breathing.
“Sorry to hinder your social life,” I say dryly, trying to keep the panic from seeping into my voice.
My sarcasm is lost on him or maybe he just doesn’t know what to say. The line goes quiet. This is the strangest phone call of my life. I’m talking on the phone to Brogan Six. My fake boyfriend.
“How is your week?” he asks, like we’re old friends playing catch-up.
“My week is fine,” I say. And because it seems like the polite thing, I add, “Yours?”
“Not too bad. Practices have been killer as we gear up to play Dallas Monday night.”
I don’t even know how to relate to that.Yeah, my days sitting at a desk and creating graphics for a website refresh have been brutal.
“What are you working on tonight? Another drawing of me?”
“Didn’t you say you wanted to work out details for this weekend?” I ask, pulling his attention back to the point of the phone call.
“Yeah, but first show me something you’ve done recently. I’m curious now.”
With a small laugh, I set the phone down and put him on speaker. Then I pull up a character illustration I did for one of myauthor clients. It’s an early draft that didn’t make the final cut, so I don’t think she’d mind me sharing.
