Page 5 of The Marriage Rebound

“Galli—I’m off gallivanting? You fuckin’ serious? You act like I’m out here traipsing all over the place for shits and giggles. I’m fuckin’ working.” She flung the covers off and shot out of bed, stalking over to my discarded clothes. She snatched up my designer bodysuit. “How much was this?”

“I’on know,” I huffed, rolling my eyes, knowing where this conversation was headed.

“T’ah. Of course you don’t, because you see something, you like it, you buy it. Cost be damned. So, I’m off gallivanting to make sure you can keep ‘not knowing.’” Courtney dropped my bodysuit back onto the pile, then tugged on her T-shirt and shorts. “I don’t have the energy to do this with you tonight, Sasha. Get the ticket if you want, I’m bunking in Vuitton’s room.”

“Courtney, seriously, you just gonna leave in the middle of us talkin’.”

“Yeah . . . yeah, I am, because I don’t wanna be on this merry-go-round tonight.”

She shook her head as she walked out the room, leaving me alone in our California king bed. She was doing that more and more, walking out in the middle of any discussion she no longer wanted to be a part of as if she was the sole person who got to decide when a conversation was over. That particularly annoying habit started after one too many conversations about children that went nowhere. I knew there would be no point in going after her, since she’d likely shut down and give sarcastic one-word answers.

I tossed my phone onto the nightstand and flopped back against my pillows, annoyed as shit. When we’d first started dating, we’d been in that honeymoon period where we’d needed to be around each other all the damn time. Back then she’d not even blinked an eye at flying me out for the away games, showing me off, and including me in on things. But once we’d moved in together, she’d started weaning me off traveling with her until I’d stopped going all together. It felt like a fucking bait-and-switch.

All because of money. Money. Money. Money.

That always seemed to be her main concern. Sure, last-minute first-class tickets weren’t exactly cheap, but somethings you couldn’t put a price on, like me being there to support her for what could be the biggest moment in her career. How could she not want me there?

I let out a long breath, doing my best to shake off the familiar ache that tried to settle in my chest. I was an inconvenience who was easily discarded . . . left behind, placated with empty promises and shiny things. Reaching over, I grabbed my phone again, scrolling instantly to the group chat with my friends.

She’s on her bullshit again, I sent with the cussing and side-eye emoji.

The little dots appeared, indicating one of them was responding.

What now? Denise asked.

Me: Same as always. She don’t want me going to Phoenix for the game.

Denise: But you haven’t been going.

This time it was Tanisha chiming in.

I rolled my eyes at her response. She was always trying to be Switzerland when I just needed to shit-talk and have them back me up.

Me: Different this is the championship game

Denise: You think she got another bitch she meetin with

Tanisha applied the side-eye emoji to Denise’s message. I wanted to be mad at the question, but honestly it was a thought that’d crossed my mind a time or two. And I had shared that with them. Especially when she’d first started pulling back on me going with her.

Me: Nah her being cheap like we bout to be on the street or some shit

More dots appeared then disappeared as if they were both trying to figure out what to say.

Me: But you know what fuck it she don’t want me there what we doin instead

Denise: shidd we can get up to somethin

Tanisha gave the thumbs-up emoji. It still pissed me off Courtney put money first, but she had me fucked up if she thought I was going to jump through hoops and do tricks just to be in her company and have her attention. Been there, done that, didn’t want a repeat. I’d find something to do with myself, like always when she left me behind. I reached over to turn off the lamp and snuggled down deeper into bed alone. Always alone.

Chapter 3

Courtney

Low whining broke through my sleep haze. I lolled my head to the side, cracking one eye open to come face-to-face with the spoiled, tiny beast, and barely moved away fast enough to dodge his attempt to lick me. My sudden movement had him turning circles while barking.

“What, what, what?” I swung my legs over the side of the bed, rolling my neck to work out some of the tension.

The full-sized bed in the guest/Vuitton’s room wasn’t exactly uncomfortable, it just wasn’t the best for my six-four frame. Pushing to standing, I stretched and groaned to work the kinks out of my body. He jumped down, hopping at my ankles, continuing to make noise. Why was he even still here?