Trent was standing, almost hovering over us. I tipped my head back. “Have the others texted during the game?”

He was reading his phone again. It wouldn’t stop buzzing now. A deep frown pulled at his mouth, and he itched an idle hand over his forehead. “Shit.” Soft, under his breath. He raised wary eyes to me. “Janet’s husband was watching. He saw your picture.”

So she knew.

I lifted up a shoulder. My feelings had thawed toward her since she’d been there for me that day.

He kept reading more texts as they were coming in. A grunt, then a grin. “Most are just the gang, expressing concern for how you’re doing, how Reese is doing.”

Dwayne’s head jerked around. “Forster?” He belched, a hand pressing to his chest. “Oh. Sorry.” His cheeks pinked. “I think I’m fairly drunk.”

Marie laughed. Even Stan grinned at that.

I eyed Dwayne. “Fairly?”

His eyes were almost swimming around from all the booze.

An embarrassed grin appeared. “By fairly, I mean that I am very intoxicated. I should get a cab for the hotel.”

Trent shot him a look, putting his phone away. “Nah, man. I’ll take you. My car is here anyways.”

Dwayne stood up, then began to fall again. Trent grabbed his arm, steadying him up. That grin turned grateful and he patted Trent on the arm. “Thanks. You’re a good friend.”

Trent asked me, “Are you—I mean—do you need anything? I could—”

Stan finished up on his phone at that moment, a look of finality settling down over his face, and he stood from his seat. “It’s time.” He gave Trent a firm nod. “I got her.”

Marie was waiting for Stan and asked now, “Cars are here?”

He glanced down to her. “Yes. Reese is almost ready to leave.” He turned his robot-like face toward me. “We can go now, and we should if you want to get ahead of any press. I believe there’s a sports reality show filming in the arena. You might want to avoid them now.”

That was enough for me.

Dwayne looked confused again, tipping his head up to the side. His eyes skirting from me to Stan, or trying. They kept getting distracted by Marie in the middle. He paused, squinted, and he leaned forward now. “You’re a player’s girlfriend, aren’t you?”

Marie snorted, standing up with me. “You’re just now piecing it together about me?”

He was totally lost now. “Huh?”

She laughed shortly, holding her hand out. “I’m Juan Cartion’s girlfriend.”