The Prince and the Player

“I wouldn’t know.” He’s about to exit, but I stop him.

“I considered inviting them to the casino tonight, if they’re both well enough. Will you be around?”

He turns halfway back and for several moments seems to think about what I just said. “You’re inviting Zee to the casino?”

“And Ava. I thought you might join us to sort of… round out the numbers.” It suddenly dawns on me what might be wrong. “Unless you have other plans. I realize I’ve been monopolizing your personal time lately.”

He continues in that spot, thinking. I’m starting to wonder if I should call the doctor in to check him out, when he seems to reach a decision.

“Yes,” he says solidly. “I’ll go with you tonight. That’s a good way to get some answers.”

Whatever the hell that means.

“I’ll give them a call.”

Zelda

I’m deep under the covers when Ava bursts through the door and jumps on my bed. “What time did you get home? I just saw your text, and I wasn’t expecting you for hours!”

“Mm,” I groan. “Go away, Ava.”

She only jumps harder on the bed. “Wake up and tell me what happened! You twisted your ankle? Is it the same ankle you sprained trying to play basketball?”

I push the covers up and burrow down further into the plush duvet. The last thing I want is to rehash last night or confess my Super Colossal Screw-up. Lucky for me the doorbell rings, and Ava takes off to see who it is. I hear her voice in the other room.

“Oh my goodness!” she whisper-cries. “They’re absolutely gorgeous! Zee, you have to see this!”

My curiosity is piqued, but not enough to make me emerge from my protective cocoon. The noise of voices is followed by the sound of the door closing. Everything is quiet for a few moments, then Ava returns.

“You’re not going to believe the bouquet Rowan sent!”

“Rowan?” I crawl a little closer to the light, still unsure if I want to emerge.

“It says, ‘Sorry you’ve been ill. I hope you’ll be well enough to join us tonight. Yours truly, Rowan W.T.’ and it’s the most enormous bouquet of roses I’ve ever seen! It fills the entire front table!”

“Rowan sent you flowers?” My voice is muffled coming from under the blankets. He didn’t send me flowers. Then again, he probably thinks I’m upstairs in his guest room right now.

“You should come out and look at them. Or just come out and stop being a weirdo.”

I can’t hold it in anymore. I press my face into the pillow and yell it out: “Fuuuuuuck!” I feel the little tears in the corners of my eyes. “Oh, fuck.” I whisper, pushing them away.

The bed depresses, and I know she’s sitting beside my back now. “That’s a word I haven’t heard out of your mouth in ages. What happened last night?”

I can’t breathe. I’m not sure if I should even tell her, but I know I have to. What I’ve done impacts her future as much as it does mine. Oh, god, I’ve never done something so careless in all the time I’ve been taking care of us. I’ve always been the dependable one, the one who finds the jobs and then sees them through to the end. I’ve never been the one who screws them up. It’s not who I am.

Taking a deep breath, I force myself to climb out from the covers. It’s time to stop acting like a child and face the consequences. I sit up and push the blankets off my head, down to my lap. Ava’s eyes are round, but she starts to laugh.

“Your hair is crazy!” Reaching forward she smooths it around my head. I almost can’t take it.

“I’ve messed up, Ava-bug.” I finally say, looking at my lap. “I might have cost us the whole job, our future, everything.”

Her round eyes narrow with a frown. “What did you do?”

I push my face against my bent knees and say it fast. “I slept with Cal. Last night. I slept with him… as in we had sex.”

It’s so quiet in the room, the noise of the second hand seems as loud as a hammer. Ava’s lips are parted, and she only stares at me.

“Time out,” she says softly. “Did you just tell me you slept with Cal last night? Rowan’s brother Cal?”