“Not so much, sugar.”

I couldn’t totally disagree with him; all the components I thought made up friendship were seriously missing between Aiden and Zac. They didn’t do anything together. As far as I saw, they never really talked to each other, especially since Zac had gotten kicked off the team. That bond between them had become even thinner. They were just, well, roommates.

Then again, this was Aiden. Did we expect him to give hugs and write love letters? “You know, that day we went out and you got hammered? He came downstairs and helped me get you on the couch. He was worried about you. That says something, I think.”

It was obvious he brushed off my words, and I didn’t push. I didn’t get male friendships and I probably never would. “Are you spending Thanksgiving with Diana?” he asked.

I shook my head. “No.” I’d texted her a couple days ago and her response had been: TOO SOON TRAITOR. I’d give her another week to chill out unless she contacted me first. It wasn’t a big deal. After all, it was just Thanksgiving. How many years had I settled for macaroni and cheese in a box for it? “My little brother has a game on Friday. I’m just going to stay here. What about you?

Zac scrunched up his nose. “I gotta head home. I wouldn’t hold it passed my ma to come get me and drag me back by the ear if I don’t.” He chuffed. “It wouldn’t be the first time.”

I snickered, thinking of Mrs. James and agreeing with him. She was intimidating and outrageous, and a southern belle down to the tips of her French manicured nails. I’d met her on several occasions when she’d come up to Dallas for games. “I could see her doing that.”

“She would. I think she thinks she’s been givin’ me enough slack since I got released. ‘My baby needs to come home and let his mama help him get sorted out,’ her last voicemail said.” He shot me a look. “You wanna come with me?”

For a moment, I contemplated tagging along but shook my head. “I should probably just stay here. Thank you though.”

He shrugged, only looking slightly disappointed. “If you change your mind, you know you’re welcome.”

“I do. Thanks, Zac. I’d tell you to stay, but honestly, I’m a little scared of your mom. I’d probably drive you myself if I had to.”

“Chicken.”

I grinned. “You’re the one who doesn’t want to go home. Just make sure you keep up with running. I don’t need you slacking off. Your smoker’s lung is bad enough and we’re on a tight schedule.”

He moaned but grudgingly nodded. “I will,” he assured me with a smile that came and went as quickly as it had appeared. “Before I forget again—what the hell is up with you and Christian?”

The grin I had on my face disappeared. “Nothing.”

“Don’t nothin’ me. You said that thing about not likin’ him for a reason, and I kept fuckin’ forgettin’ to ask you about it. What happened?”

When the hell had I acquired an older brother? I wondered before the tall blond, who looked nothing like me, waved his fingers in a ‘come on’ gesture that had me scowling. “It isn’t a big deal.”

He simply moved his fingers again, and I realized in that moment, he wasn’t going to let this go. He’d put his Aiden britches on, apparently. I figured the sigh that came out of me was well deserved. I dropped my head back, slowly lifted it, and peeked at him with one eye.

“He’s a douche bag. You know that,” I went with, opening my other eye. “And he tried coming onto me once.”

Zac blinked those baby blue eyes. “When?”

“Maybe a year and a half ago.” It was definitely a year and a half ago, but who needed to be specific? “I was out with Diana at a bar and he was there. He was drunk. He recognized me… and then he just started being obnoxious, trying to kiss me and be sneaky and touch my butt. Just douche-bag stuff.”

Reaching up, my friend tugged at his earlobe and shot me the fakest smile someone as genuine as Zac was capable of. That didn’t put me at ease. At all. “No shit, sugar.”

I waved him off. “It isn’t a big deal. I just try to stay away from him now. I shouldn’t have even brought it up.”

His eyes had kind of glazed over and he seemed to daze off, looking at something over my shoulder.

“Yoo-hoo. Zac?”

His eyes strayed back to look at me, focusing, a real smile finally reappearing on his mouth. “Sorry.”

This guy didn’t have a rude bone in his body; the fact he’d zoned out didn’t sit well with me. I narrowed my eyes at him. “What were you thinking about?”

He threw my words back at me. “Nothing, Mrs. Graves.”

“Stop it.”

The next week went by pretty quickly. I had a lot of work to do, and when I was called and requested for an emergency babysitting job by Diana’s brother, Rodrigo, because she couldn’t get out of her appointments, I didn’t say no. I couldn’t say no. I really liked his boys, and even if Rodrigo was an idiot who refused to believe his sister could lie to him, he was still a great guy. It just so happened that I found a little toy his kids had that made me laugh, and paid them five dollars for it.

My mom had called once to ask if I was planning on coming for Thanksgiving dinner, and I gave her the same response I had every Thanksgiving since I was eighteen. “No.” I’d stopped bothering to make excuses why I couldn’t make it. My little brother wasn’t going to be there, and him begging would have been the only reason I’d show up, but he’d never do that to me. She didn’t say a word about Susie or the other two demons I shared genetics with.

Before I knew it, it was Wednesday and the house was empty. With a Thanksgiving Day game against the Three Hundreds’ top rivals, the only roommate I had who was still in town was gone all the time.

So I was surprised on Wednesday afternoon when my phone beeped from its spot next to me on the desk.

It was Aiden.

Aiden: Game tomorrow?

Me: Sign me up, but just one ticket this time. Please

Aiden: Only one?

Me: Yes…

Zac was gone and Diana had let me know via text message that she was going to see her parents in San Antonio for Thanksgiving and that if I wanted to come along she wouldn’t purposely wreck her car on the drive there. I texted her back, letting her know I appreciated her generous offer but was fine with staying in Dallas because I was planning on seeing my little brother who was playing a game nearby on Friday. I figured on Thanksgiving Day, I could get ahead on doing some T-shirt designs I’d been inspired to do instead.

Aiden: There’s no one to go with you?

Me: < -- Forever Alone -- >

Aiden: < Forever Annoying >

Me: You’d miss me if I was gone, sunshine.

I’d barely hit ‘send’ when I cursed, then sent him another message.

Me: Thanks for the ticket.

He didn’t respond, but when I got out of the shower that night and found something in the team’s colors wrapped in clear plastic on my bed, I stared at it. And when I ripped off the packaging and shook it out to see that it was a brand new Three Hundreds jersey with GRAVES written on the back, I smiled so hard my cheeks hurt.