What did that all mean?
Was Madison out on a real date with someone?
Normally I hated the idea of someone knocking at my hotel door, but tonight I almost cheered when I heard the knock.
I opened the door to find Lay standing there with a six pack of beer in one hand and his phone in the other.
I plucked a bottle of beer out of the six pack and thought about slamming the door on him.
Then out of nowhere Riff appeared.
He swiped a beer too and was suddenly in my hotel room.
I looked back and Riff jumped right on my bed.
Then Lay snuck in.
“Sure,” I said. “Come on in. I don’t want to get any sleep.”
“Sleep?” Lay asked. “Why do we need sleep? This is a road trip.”
“We lost tonight,” I said.
“West coast game,” Riff said. “Fuck it.”
“Hey,” Lay said. “TheInci Warriorsare brutal right now. They have a stacked team. I’m telling you they’re going to win it all. Next two to three seasons.”
“What about us?” I asked.
“We’re right there,” Lay said.
“No, we’re not,” Riff said. “Too much happening right now for us to be fully focused. All we can do now is play for ourselves, the fans, and Coach.”
“Hey, how about a toast to Coach and his wife?” Lay asked.
“To Carrie,” I said.
“Carrie,” Lay said.
“Carrie,” Riff said.
We clanked our bottles together.
“Where’s the rest of the team?” I asked. “Or do you have something planned?”
Lay put his beer down and showed me his phone. “We’ve got women. Local. Right around the corner. Sitting at a bar. Waiting for us.”
I glanced at Riff. “You’re part of this?”
“I’m more of a wingman,” Riff said.
“What the fuck are you talking about?” Lay asked. “You’re in on this.”
“I said that to get you off my back. I’m throwing all the pressure on Mav. Let him work and have fun. He needs it.”
“I need it?” I asked. “Why do I need it?”
Riff climbed off my bed. “You were distracted tonight. You never play like that. Maybe you need to clean things out.”