Red mottles his winter-pale skin and he frowns. “Look, I can explain—”
“Two,” Yari says, her arms folded over her chest, her hip cocked out.
“You want a recommendation, don’t you, Billie?” he asks, a cruel light in his blue eyes. “How far do you think you’ll get in this industry if everyone knows you tried to sleep your way to the top?”
I walk over to him until I’m so close I can smell what he had for lunch.
“Oh, you got threats now, Paul?” I ask in a dangerously soft tone. “You don’t want to threaten her, because when you threaten her, you threaten me. And when you threaten me, I attack.”
“You can’t hurt me,” he sneers, but a vein of nervousness runs through his voice.
“You sure about that?” I ask, using artificial sweetener for my smile. “You do know why we no longer use Chase, right? He crossed me, and it only took one conversation with JP to ensure he wouldn’t be coming back. Maybe it’s time JP knows you’ve been fucking his employees.”
“You’re crazy,” he says, fear darkening his eyes.
“Yes, which is why if I were you, I’d run. I’m crazy enough to take great pleasure in destroying your career, that sham of a marriage, and anything promising in your future.” I angle my head to Yari behind me. “What number were we on, Ri?”
“Three,” she spits.
“Oh, yeah.” I scowl up at him. “Three. Four. If you’re still standing here at five, I start destroying shit.”
With a growl that may as well be a whimper, he turns on his heel and strides from the room.
I turn back to my friends and grin.
“Chicken shit,” I say with a cackle. I high five Yari and go to do the same with Billie, but the tears in her eyes stop me. “Oh, honey. He’s not worth your tears. You can do better. You’ll find someone better.”
“I know that.” She sniffs and gives us a tremulous grin. “But
my heart has to catch up to what’s right.”
I caress the small square hidden in my pocket, its words tucked away on a shelf in my soul. Doing what’s right sometimes breaks our hearts. Knowing it’s right doesn’t make it hurt any less.
I know that firsthand.
44
Kenan
“He fakes left,” I tell August as we leave the practice facility. “You’ll have to guard him tight, and he’s a beast off the dribble.”
“I got it, Glad,” August replies, hefting his gym bag onto his shoulder.
“Don’t give him much room. Push him back so he has to take a lower percentage shot at least.”
“I watched the same film you did.” August pauses before we go our separate ways, his car on one side of the parking lot and mine on the other. “I’ll be fine. We’ll be fine. This is the best season start we’ve ever had. This is our year, bruh. Why are you so uptight?”
“Yeah, you’re right. I know you got it. Just a lot going on, I guess.”
“Everything okay with Simone?”
August and Iris have been supportive and know the demands I’ve been juggling between the season and having Simone living with me.
“Yeah, she’s good, man. Thanks for asking.” I chuckle. “And being here for her is exactly what my mom needed. Ken and I were worried about her after my dad died, but taking care of Simone has given her a new lease on life. Dr. Packer says Simone’s much better.”
“Man, that’s great.”
“If you can believe it, Bridget’s even been on her best behavior.” I grimace. “I mean, it helps that she’s in New York and not here. Who knows if our truce will hold once she moves back out west for the summer? But for now, I think we’re in the best place we’ve been in a long time. What happened with Simone was a wake-up call for us both.”