“Did I just hear you say that you’re not coming out tonight? After your big victory, you’re not even going to celebrate? I know that’s not what I just heard,” Dale said as he wrapped the towel around himself loosely.

Damn, I was so close to being able to go back to the hotel and lie down. I hated Dale. I was busy cursing him for ever being born when Oakley replied, “Yeah man, I’m just going to go back to the hotel with a super hot girl. You’re right, I’m totally not celebrating at all.”

My first takeaway was that we were still going back to the hotel and I could take off these godforsaken shoes. That was followed very closely by the fact that Oakley said I was super hot. Did he really think that? Or was he just saying that to get Dale off his back? Fortunately, I had the entire walk back to the hotel to obsess about it.

13

Oakley ate like he was a man on death row enjoying his last meal. He devoured. He didn’t care that he had spaghetti sauce all over his face and dripping down his chin. He didn’t care that he chewed with his mouth open. He definitely didn’t care that I was staring wide-eyed and terrified at his sloppy mouth opening and closing. It was nice to know his hotness wasn’t limitless. He did have his faults; aside from being a huge partier, he was the world’s messiest eater.

“You better eat up,” he commanded while nodding at my salad plate. Now that the game was over, our agreement was off. He burned a lot of calories at the game and needed to refuel. It would be physically impossible for me to keep up.

“Just because I don’t devour my meals like a rabid animal doesn’t mean I won’t eat…”

He took another messy bite with a snort. I nearly gagged. We were both sitting in our pajamas at the small two-person table in our hotel room. I was comfortable, and my face was makeup free. I’d showered as we waited for our food to arrive and was happy to wash the sweaty Oklahoma humidity out of my hair. I probably should have cared that I looked like a drowned rat right now, but I couldn’t bring myself to care. I was too freaking tired.

“My sister used to say that,” Oakley laughed. He then wiped his mouth with his napkin. Oakley had a distant look on his face. I realized just then that this was the first I’d heard of him ever speaking of his family. I wanted more information but didn’t want to push him too far.