Page 105 of The Catch

I'll go out, I mouth to her.

She shakes her head. "I'm okay."

"Wait. Can you talk right now?" Pablo asks. "You can text me later if you can't. If Saint is there with a date and things are awkward—"

"There's no date." I say the words without thinking.

Ames' eyes open in renewed panic.

Fuck, I mutter, even if I want to rebel with a laugh as well.

We're both naked. I still have my cock ring on. Ames and I are on the phone with someone who would never expect us to do what we just did.

And all I want to do is say,hey, remember that warning you gave me about Amelia all those years ago? Yeah, I really needed a reminder, now you're too late.

"Saint?" Pablo chuckles. "Shit, it's still weird to get you on the phone when calling my sister. Funnily enough, I textedyouearlier."

Ames puts the call on speakerphone, throws the device on the bed close to me, and gets busy putting on her pajamas.

"Sorry," I say. "I haven't checked my phone in a while."

Ames throws my boxers at me with force. I chuckle.

Fully unaware, Pablo continues. "I was going to ask you about the game this weekend, how you're doing."

I remove my cock ring like it's the most natural thing in the world. "We keep on going, preparing to win, assuming we will."

This is my mutiny. Pretending none of this is embarrassing is as close to defying the agreement Ames and I have as I can get.

Not that we were explicit about not telling anyone.

"Can't believe it." Pablo laughs. "Wow, Saint. Remember in college? We dreamed of this. Now you're almost there— again."

Fully dressed, Ames goes as far as to comb her hair with her fingers. Even if Pablo can't see anything.

"You should come to the big one," I say to Pablo. "It's in San José this year. We're inviting our closest friends and family. My parents and my sisters are going to be there, too. And Ames, of course. I think. Maybe."

I smile in a tease, seeking a smile back.

It doesn't come.

The frantic energy buzzing around her dies. Her movements slow down. She wrings her hands together as she sits on the bed, avoiding my gaze at first.

She bites her lip. "Remember how I said I was waiting to hear from the producer?"

I nod.

"Yeah? You heard from them?" Pablo asks.

She sighs. "This is the news I had. They emailed my agent and me. I'm recording the pilot in ten days. I'm flying that Thursday, we have a few meetings through Saturday, then we record on Monday."

"Wait," Pablo says. "So you're going to be in LA the whole weekend and miss the big game?"

I get up and put on my underwear, like it will help.

Yeah. She's not attending as my guest.

I look away to buy myself some time. My stomach is on the floor, quickly finding its way to the cold lake waters. My heart follows behind, hoping to disappear into its depths.