I lie back on the bed. My bladder was not happy with that decision, but who knew the next time a pro basketball player would be on the phone with me? Saying I was supposed to entertain him? My bladder could wait.

“Tell the truth. You’d rather I was your roommate than Juan.”

He laughed. “Yeah. Maybe. He snores. You don’t.”

“Says you. Maybe I wait till you fall asleep and then zonk out, and I always wake up before you.”

“You don’t snore. I’m a light sleeper. I’d know.”

“Yeah, yeah. Maybe I sneak over and put earplugs in your ears.”

“I’d definitely wake up for that.” He waited a beat, dropping his voice low. “For real, though. Are you okay?”

“Yeah.” This was feelings territory. I liked Jokingland. Let’s go back there. “You gonna replace me with a new ball girl? One that’s a real ball girl?”

Another short laugh from him. “Nah. That’s not the term I use for those girls.”

“Right. Groupie.”

“That or a one-use girl.”

My eyes widened. “A one-use girl? Really? That’s crass.”

“So’s fucking.”

I could hear his smirk over the phone. Someone said his name in the background, and he responded, “Yeah. Be right there.” A door closed, and he came back on the phone. “I gotta go. You’re going to watch later?”

“Yep. A whole bunch of us are going to Grant and Sophia’s.”

“That’s the good friend of yours, right?”

“Right.”

He paused another beat. “Tell me straight. You okay or not?”

I had to smile. “Why? You worried about your gnat?”

“Maybe I’m a little concerned for my friend.”

See! We were friends. “I’ve been promoted. Direction Girl, Gnat. Now Friend, but not your ball girl.” And definitely not a one-use girl. Hell to the nah. I had more respect.

Maybe.

Well…

Okay, enough with that thinking. We were friends. Platonic, no fucking. But, “Hey, Reese?”

“Yeah?” He sounded distracted.

“Are you going to use a one-use girl tonight?”

There was silence on his end.

I shouldn’t have asked, but I did, so I waited, my chest tight. I sat up, pressing the phone tightly against my ear.

“I was more hoping to call a certain gnat tonight.”

My chest felt lighter. “Really?”

“Really.”

He hung up after saying goodbye, and I sat there a full minute afterward, just holding the phone.

• • •

I took my phone out later on when I was waiting for Owen and Hadley to pick me up for dinner.

Me: Why is it llama and not lama?

Another one.

Me: Have you ever been propositioned by an ex’s grandmother?

Me: Rate your teammates as shades, curtains, drapes, or blinds.

Me: Would you consider yourself a camel, a lama, or an alpaca? Or a goat? Goats are options too. Not sheep.

I was thinking of more when my phone buzzed.

Reese: What the fuck are you smoking?