“I’m not sure.” I drew in a breath and held it for a beat. It was weird, but maybe it always would be. “Can I think about it? It’s just about Derek at this point. It’s a little…awkward for me.”

Who would I even cheer for? Both sides? Neither?

“No worries,” he said. “If not, maybe the next one.”

He was trying to hide it, but there was a hint of disappointment in his voice that hit me right in the gut. All of a sudden, I felt wildly guilty. I’d attended Luke’s games religiously. All of them.

I hadn’t been to a single one of Chase’s.

“You know what? I’ll come,” I said. Shiv and I would sit far, far away from Jillian and Amelia. Like, on the other side of the arena. Before and after might take some extra vigilance, but I would figure it out.

Plus, I wanted to see Chase play.

His voice brightened. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.” Another yawn creeped in as I was speaking.

“Sweet,” he said. “You sound tired, baby. I’ll let you get to sleep. But I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?”

“Sounds good,” I said. “Night, Carter.”

“Night, James.”

* * *

CHASE

James in my bed without me. Self-inflicted torture.

I ended the call, staring down at the screen. Picturing James under the covers. Her pouty lips. Those soft sighs. Long legs tangled in mine…

Then I glanced up to find Ward standing in front of where I was sitting on the edge of the hotel bed.

He observed me, lips quirking. “How’s your girlfriend?”

Not even going to argue that point again, although, strictly speaking, we hadn’t defined it like that.

I kind of wanted to. But how would I approach it? I wanted her to be mine in a very basic, very primal way—caveman-like, as she’d said in the locker room.

“Good,” I said. “Making apartment plans with Shiv.”

“Yeah.” His posture stiffened, expression shifting from amusement into something unreadable. “Shiv mentioned that.”

I narrowed my eyes, studying him. “You don’t want her to leave, do you?”

And Ward gave me grief about Bailey. This dude.

“What?” Dallas made a face, but he was a terrible actor. “No, it’s fine. I’ll be glad to have my space back and all that…” He gestured vaguely around the room, which did precisely nothing to help sell his lie.

“You do realize the places they’re looking at are only, like, ten minutes away, right?”

At this point, I was stoked about spending time at Bailey’s place someday. Not being public enemy number one in her home would be great.

“Yeah, I know.”

Ty strolled over, amber beer bottle in hand. “Enough gossip, bitches. Are we playing poker or what? Davis and Fitz are in too.”

“You want to get taken to the cleaners again?” I asked. “It’s like you two never learn.”