With a contented sigh, I step into the shower and turn it on, letting myself get blasted with cold water. If the thought of returning to Casey and spending the day with her isn’t enough to perk me up, then the chill will do it.
In only a few minutes, I sadly no longer smell like Casey and sex, and I’m dressed in jeans and a Vipers t-shirt, ready to take Sutton to school.
Checking my cell before I drop it into my pocket, I find a message that makes my heart flutter in my chest.
Calm down, Rivers. She’s just a girl.
I close my eyes for a beat.
All the air comes rushing from my lungs when the photo loads on my phone. It’s her twisted up in the sheet, looking all sexy and well-fucked.
Trouble: Being a good girl and waiting for my man to return.
My man.
I am so fucking screwed.
“Have things with Adrian been okay?” I ask as I take the final turn to Sutton’s school.
I don’t look over, but I know she rolled her eyes the second his name left my tongue.
“He’s…his normal self.”
“Look on the bright side. While he’s being his normal self, he’s not being worse,” I offer.
“I guess. His team also won on Sunday. He’s been telling anyone who will listen that he scored the final goal. It doesn’t sound like it was very impressive. I heard one of the boys in the other class saying that the goalie wasn’t even paying attention.”
“Let him get his praise where he can and remember how freaking awesome your own winning goal was,” I tell him.
When she called me on Sunday after the game to tell me what she’d done, she was buzzing. I was devastated not to be there and see her make that winning goal. But it is what it is.
She told me that her new coach was super stoked about it, and that helped. Of course, Mom was there in the crowd as well, cheering her on in my place.
“Don’t worry, I won’t forget that. You’re going to be at my game on Sunday, right?”
“As long as you’re at my game on Saturday,” I counter.
“Try and stop me,” she says with a smile.
“Come here, Peanut,” I say, holding my arms out for a hug before we’re forced to part again.
While I might hate leaving her, I drive away from school after watching her safely slip inside her classroom in a much better mindset than the last time I was here.
With nowhere else to be today until pick up other than in Casey’s bed, I head that way, only pausing to grab coffee and breakfast for Casey.
Only, as I pull up, I realize I have a problem.
Opening my contacts on the screen, I find the person I called in the middle of the night for a little bit more help.
“Ah, good, you came up for air,” is Parker’s way of saying hello.
“How do you know I’m not ringing for life support?” I counter.
“Lucky for you, I’ve already spoken to Casey, and she’s given me the delicious details of your sordid night, sparing you the job, so I’ll just say…you are welcome.”
“I appreciate it. But?—”
“Ahhh,” she laughs. “There it is.”
