Page 123 of Here We Go Again

I swear and drop back onto the cushions. “You could have led with that, man,” I say to Carter.

He grins. “I could have, but then you would have missed the bigger point. Everything I said would still apply even if you were traded somewhere else.”

I’m quiet for a long moment, eyes fixed on the rug under my feet. “Becca asked me, right before she left, why I have such a hard time letting people love me.”

Carter leans forward, his expression serious. “You’ve been paying penance for a lot of years.” His eyes drop to the penny sitting on the coffee table between us. “But nobody expects that of you but you.”

He stands and holds out a hand. I take it, and he tugs me to my feet, then practically crushes me with a hug.

“And look, just give up on ever truly deserving Becca. You won’t. She’s always going to be too good for you. But let her choose you anyway. Then live every single day doing your best to show her you know how lucky you are.”

After I say goodbye to my brother and take a quick shower, I head out the door and pull out my phone to text Becca. It’s after eight, and she has to be starving. I could stop at any one of a dozen different places on my way over, so I key out a message asking her what she wants.

But then I glance up and see Blake’s apartment door, and another thought pops into my brain. I add a second text.

Theo

Hey. Is Mia around?

Becca

Yeah, she’s here. What’s up?

Theo

Ask her if she’d be up for a double date with us and a teammate. Not tonight. Just generally.

Becca

She says yes please and thank you

And why didn’t you ask sooner?

I chuckle. That’s a very Mia response.

Theo

Noted. I’ll let you both know.

The elevator door opens, but I leave it and cover the short distance to Blake’s apartment door instead. I knock, then lean against the wall while I wait. I could be wrong, but I’m pretty sure Blake’s single, and I can’t think of anything that might make a man love a new city more than a woman he can explore it with.

Blake opens the door, his expression wary.

“Hey,” I say. “I just wanted to apologize about this morning. I was out of line. I’ve been really in my head about my hand lately, and I took it out on you. I’m also sorry I didn’t call. Same reason. I just haven’t been myself.”

He leans against the door jamb, arms folded across his chest. “I get it. When I blew out my knee, I was a jerk for weeks.” He nods toward my hand. “How is it?”

“Not great. Having another surgery on Friday. But it could be worse.”

“That sucks. How long?”

“Two to three months,” I say. “At least.”

He nods. “Sorry, man.”

“It’s the game, right?” I run my hands through my hair. “Look, I have to run. I’m taking dinner to my girlfriend. But are you single?”

His eyebrows lift, his expression shifting like he’s not quite sure he wants to answer. But he finally nods. “I am presently single.”