She’d get there eventually.
The next morning, after sex and breakfast, I’d gotten dressed in the same clothes from last night, kissed Erika goodbye, and headed out to my Jeep parked in her driveway.
“You cleaning her pool on Sunday mornings now?” a familiar voice asked.
Preston was in his driveway, just on the other side of Erika’s lawn, his hand on a push lawnmower. His tone said he knew his question was bullshit.
I grinned at my friend as I walked across the grass toward him. “What can I say? She needed an emergency service.”
He nodded, wanting to play along. “Took all night too, because your Jeep’s been there all morning.”
“Well, I had to make sure I did it right.”
Preston snorted. “And how long has this emergency been going on, bro?”
We were only a few feet apart now, so I lowered my voice. “A few weeks.”
“No shit.” He glanced up at her house, then back to me. “Is it serious?”
“I don’t know. Maybe.”
My friend could be self-involved, but he’d gotten better over the last year. Dealing with his dad and Cassidy hooking up had changed him, and he wasn’t always the center of the universe anymore. He cocked his head as he evaluated me, like he actually wanted to know how I felt.
“Dude,” he whispered. “You’re into her.”
I tried not to be defensive, but it happened anyway. “Yeah. So what if I am?”
He lifted his hands as if to say, no offense. “I’m not trying to be an asshole. I’m just surprised, is all.” His lips lifted in a half-smile. “Maybe a little jealous. You bagged a cougar, man. How’s the sex? Is it insane?”
Talking with my boys about fucking wasn’t a big deal. We liked to brag about numbers and how often we go laid, but now? Talking about Erika this way felt invasive and wrong.
“Yeah,” I answered, giving him nothing else to go on.
His eyes widened and his smile was incredulous. “Oh, you’re really into her.”
Irritation heated in my chest. “Okay, I gotta get going.”
I didn’t want to be a dick, but Preston wasn’t trying that hard not to be one, and if I didn’t get home soon, my parents would notice I’d spent the night out. I was an adult, but they struggled to give me space and not ask questions. Plus, my track record on honesty had taken a hit with them since I’d hidden my music side-hustle.
“She got any hot friends?” he teased. “I mean, besides your mom?”
I didn’t mean it, but it was a required response. “Fuck you, man.” But then realization hit me, and I dropped my voice. “Hey, seriously, though. Don’t tell anyone about this. Erika’s my manager, and it might be bad for her if word got around.”
“Oh.” His amusement faded into seriousness. “Yeah. I gotcha, Troy.”
A year ago, I might not have trusted him with anything important, but now? It seemed like I could.
By Wednesday, my lead over Lauren had widened, but my mom was quick to remind me not to get cocky. Stella had stated in her intro video that she’d be taking the voting results into consideration when making her pick. Winning the poll did not equal winning the spot.
I barely slept Thursday night. Erika had work with one of her other clients, so I stayed home and was up late playing Call of Duty with Preston and Colin. I was jittery most of the night, aware that in a few hours, I’d either be fucking ecstatic or depressed beyond belief.
I tried to mentally prepare for the worst.
Really, all I had to do was think about freshman year and the moment the coach had pulled me aside at training. He’d done it while the team was moving to the weight room so the other guys wouldn’t notice. I remembered that long-ass walk back to the dorm with my equipment bag in hand, knowing the team was still back at the gym working out. Training went another two hours for them.
But not me.
I needed it to be different this time.
I wasn’t the only one who hoped I got the spot. Erika was right there with me, and it felt like this wasn’t just my dream anymore—
It was ours.
Morning sunlight crept through the window but I stayed in bed, staring vacantly at the ceiling while I tried to get a handle on my expectations. My schedule was light today. I didn’t need to be at the gym until my lunchtime burn class, but for once I wished I had something earlier. What the fuck was I going to do with myself for the next few hours?
If I needed any evidence of how nervous I was, I discovered I was too distracted to jerk off.
I considered texting Erika, but she’d be in work mode now when I wanted to talk to my girlfriend.
The universe must have known my frustration because my phone rattled on the nightstand. I vaulted up out of bed, yanking the charging cord out of the port and sliding my finger across the screen when ‘Warbler Talent’ flashed on it.