Page 172 of Just for the Plot

Bower:Nothing we need to talk about now. I actually have a lot to do. Just wanted to shoot you a quick text to say thank you. Good luck tonight.

Bennett:Wait, Bower, is everything okay?

Bower:Yeah, it’s fine.

Bennett:Why doesn’t it sound fine? Can I call you?

Bower:No, I really have things to do. I’ll talk to you later.

Bennett:Bower, wait, talk to me. What’s going on? Was it the cookies?

Bennett:Bower, please pick up your phone.

Bennett:Please.

Bennett…I can’t. Your sister is counting on me. I just…I can’t.

CHAPTER 31

BENNETT

I flee from the lockerroom, needing some space from everybody,and I walk down the hall of the home team’s stadium and findaquiet spot where I lean against the wall and then sink down to the floor.

What the hell happened from last night to just now?

The only person that would be able to tell me other than Bower is Maple, because she was the one who saw her today.

So I send a text to the group thread.

Bennett:OC, I’m going to have to ask you to please not be dramatic right now. I can’t fucking take it, please. Maple, I need to know what happened when you delivered the cookies, because Bower is pretty much detaching from me right now.

I wait for a few seconds and OC is the first to respond, of course.

OC:What do you mean?

Bennett:She thanked me for the cookies and then she just blew me off. Didn’t want to talk, said we could talk later. I don’t understand.

OC:Fuck, that’s not how we wanted things to go.

Graydon:Hold on, Maple is finishing up some supplements for the flamingos and then will respond. But she did say she learned some things that could be helpful…possibly hurtful.

“Fuck,” I say, dragging my hand over my face. Why did we have to have a ten-day away trip now? Why? Right when I was making fucking progress with her. I know this is the second-to-last game tonight, and then we have an afternoon game that will get us home earlier tomorrow, but fuck, it feels like a goddamn eternity.

My phone buzzes again and Maple is the one who texts. Thank fuck.

Maple:First of all, she’s so sweet and kind. We exchanged information so we can meet up once in a while, as we both thought we needed to make more friends. I want to be honest about that, because moving forward, if she’s trusting me as a friend, I don’t want to give away her secrets.

OC:An honest woman.

Yeah, but not fucking ideal for me.

Maple:I will say this. She’s really torn. She really likes you, Bennett, more than she said she should, but your sister is getting in the way of those feelings. And Cougar, well, she has grown to know him better throughout the weeks that they’ve hung out and she said recently he’s been really helpful and she’s seen a different side of him.

Graydon:Their relationship is platonic.

Maple:Which means she’s getting to know him on a different level and vice versa. She finds him funny at times, and he’s starting to let his guard down and show his true self, which iswhat she likes. But when she’s with you, it’s different. There’s comfort there, like that’s where she belongs. She’s very conflicted.

I tug on my hair, my mind fucking going crazy as my body itches with annoyance. What would have happened if I never actually set her up with Cougar? Did I really fuck this up for myself? Am I the fucking reason why I’ll never truly have a shot with her?