“Who’s Dean?”

“Another guy who works here.”

“Oh.” Buck’s silent for a few seconds. “So what does them being swingers have to do with you managing their account?”

“I don’t know. Nothing, I guess. I mean, I wondered if maybe they want me to manage their account because they have a secret agenda to get me and Alex to partner-swap or something.”

“Yeah, I don’t know much about swinging, ’cause I want to be the only one eating Sunny’s cookie, but I don’t think that’s how that whole deal works. If Darcy’s into screwing other people’s women and his wife wants to ride other guys’ dicks, they’re not gonna go after his teammates and their partners. That seems like a super-bad idea.”

I nod, even though he can’t see me. He makes a good point. “Kind of like when you got caught with your coach’s niece in the public bathroom?”

“Thanks for bringing that up.”

“Sorry. You know I’m not getting on your case; I’m just making a comparison.”

“I don’t really think screwing around with a chick in a bathroom and wife-swapping are the same thing.”

“Right. Lance boning the trainer in the locker room seems like a better comparison.”

“Yeah. I guess.”

“How’s he doing, anyway?” I ask. Now I’m making small talk. Also, I’m still following Tash on Instagram, and she keeps posting depressing inspirational sayings about the mistakes people make that they can’t take back, and letting things go, so I might be doing a little fishing.

I hear beeping in the background on Buck’s end. “He’s his usual self. Well, not quite, but he’s okay. Why’re you asking about Lance?”

“I don’t know. No reason.”

“Sunny told me Tash has been messaging her lately, asking about him, so if you want to know what’s going on between those two, I don’t have an answer. She fucked him around, and he’s not over it. That’s all I know.”

“It doesn’t seem like she’s over it, either.”

“Yeah, well, she’s the one who screwed him over, apparently, and Lance is pretty good at holding grudges, so I can’t see him jumping back into that, but you never can tell.”

“Yeah. Right. Relationships are so complicated.”

“Only because we make them that way.” He makes a slurping sound. “You need to talk to me about anything else?”

Sometimes Buck is surprisingly deep.

“Not right now.”

“Okay. Well, I’m gonna stuff my face with this leftover stew thing Sunny made and then go pick up Balls so we can hit the arena and get ready for the game.”

And sometimes he’s just Buck.

“Oh, wait. I have one more question.”

“Shoot.”

“Do you think Alex will ask for a pre-nup before we get married?”

Buck is silent for a few seconds. “I don’t know. Maybe? I mean, the guy’s worth more than forty million, and he’s still got three years left on his contract with Chicago. So that’s another twenty-four coming his way, plus endorsements. I guess it’s possible, maybe even probable?”

Buck knows a lot about Alex’s salary; I suppose it is common knowledge. “Oh.”

“It wouldn’t be personal if he did, Vi. He has to protect himself even if you two do end up together forever.”

“Right.”

“Did he bring it up or something?”

“No. Dean mentioned it.”

“This is the same guy who told you Darcy was a swinger?”

“Yeah.” I pull up images of Darcy and his wife from the internet. She really is gorgeous—curvy, busty, leggy. I bet she lets him put it in her ass. Whore.

“This guy sounds like a shit-disturber. You need me to come down there and rip him a new one?”

“That’s a sweet offer, but you don’t need to tune up my coworkers. I can handle myself.”

“I’m almost positive the Darcy stuff is bull, but Alex knows him better than me since they’ve played together longer. You could ask him.” More slurping follows.

“Yeah. Okay. I should get back to work. I’ll see you tonight after the game.”

“All right, Vi. Try not to worry about the pre-nup stuff, or Darcy.”

“Okay.”

I try to focus on work after I hang up, but I have the attention span of a toddler on a sugar high. And I’m emotional. I end up hiding in the bathroom so I can silent-cry for a few minutes. I have a horrible feeling, and I don’t know what to attribute it to.

The game tonight will be a welcome break from all the other stuff. It’s been weeks since I’ve seen Alex play live. I’m hoping we can have hot, aggressive, post-game sexy times and tomorrow I can be appropriately exhausted for all the right reasons. Not because I can’t stop worrying.

5

No Siren Loud Enough

VIOLET

I call Alex around five. The game doesn’t start for a few hours, but I won’t get to see him until it’s over, and he’ll turn off his phone by six so he can get into play mode.

He answers the call on the first ring. “Hey, you gonna be home early so I can see you before I leave for the arena?”

“I haven’t left yet, so I don’t think I’ll make it before you have to go.” I glance at the pile of papers on my desk and the endless list of things I need to finish. Yeah, there’s no way I’ll make it home, so the “think” part is just to ease the blow of disappointment. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work.