I knew exactly who he was talking about. “The rookie’s got something, right? Game changer for the kid, that one.”
“He dominated both ends of the court. Not bad for a kid so young.”
I chuckled. “Shit, man. Twenty-four does seem young, right? Pearce gets pissed off, though, when I call him a kid.” I sipped at my beer, no longer feeling like I needed to neck the thing.
“You’re here coaching at Montview, right?”
It was no secret Sutton and I had joined the academy for the summer. “Yeah. It’s been a different pace. Interesting to be on the other side of the line.”
“They do some good work over there.” His gaze dropped to my hand. “You all healed? Was sorry to hear about the accident.”
Lifting my hand, I turned it this way and that, wriggling my fingers for good measure. “Finger’s doing well. I’ve finally been getting some decent ball time this week, when I can pry it away from these college kids.”
“I’ve heard they do like the limelight.”
“It will only get worse once they’re drafted and go wild those first few years.”
“First few years?” He raised his brows, amused.
I grinned. “Well, maybe eight or ten.”
Blake laughed. “Nothing wrong with making the most of your peak.” Another customer headed toward the bar. “You want another beer once I’ve served Marvin over here?”
“That’d be great, thanks.”
He tapped the bar counter and served Marvin. Left alone, I tugged out my phone, unable to resist taking a peek. It was still on silent, since I’d been in the middle of a session with Mark.
There were no missed calls, no texts. Well, at least not from Sutton. Rather than feeling relieved, my gut twisted. I’d left the academy a little less than an hour ago, yet he hadn’t reached out to me. I didn’t know what to do with that.
Just the thought of him pinched my heart.
I hated we’d argued, just as I hated that he’d expected me to perpetuate the lie and run with it. Honestly, him all but suggesting I do so had knocked the wind out of me. The Sutton I knew and l— I sighed and shook my head, finishing off my beer. The tang of hops didn’t stop the flow of my thoughts.
Of course I loved him, something I’d already known and an emotion I’d never shied away from. Butlovedhimloved him? Heck. That was too big of a minefield considering his out-of-character reaction to this whole mess.
Plus there was the whole thing about me not remembering that fucking kiss.
I hadn’t lied when back in Australia I’d told him he’d been the last person I’d kissed. As far as I knew, he had been. The film footage told a different story.
The club was one I recognized. Considering I could count on one hand how many nights out I’d had with some of the guys like that, I knew which night it was.
It was my birthday, which I always spent with Sutton. We always headed to my favorite Mexican restaurant if we were local, ending the night back at mine or his with a Hollywood action movie.
This year that had not happened.
There hadn’t been a game on my birthday. Nor had there been a birthday text from my best friend.
My solution had been to call some of the guys, who’d made it their mission to get me wasted when they discovered it was my birthday. I didn’t make it home that night, instead staying at Morgan’s pad. The following day he’d told me none of the others would take me as I’d vomited in the cab. That was after getting us kicked out of the club for trying to strip.
I’d been grateful I didn’t remember a thing.
“Here you go.” A new beer was placed in front of me.
“Thanks.” I picked it up and took a generous couple of gulps. The momentary distraction from talking with a fan was gone, my brain too full of Sutton. Fuck, I’d thought dating women could be hard work. Dealing with this mess with Sutton made me reconsider that.
“You doing all right over here?”
My gaze snapped to Blake’s. “You in a relationship, Blake?”
