Page 18 of The Player

“Do you really believe that? Because I grew up here,” Toni said. “I don’t know how they do it in Virginia, but people around here don’t get down like that.”

“So what about Cedric?” Lauren asked.

Nicole sighed. “We’re not back together. Not technically.”

“What does that even mean?” Toni asked.

“It means we’re figuring things out and taking it very slow. I haven’t made any promises to him, and he hasn’t made any to me.”

“Okay, but this?” Toni scoffed. “This ain’t right, Nicole. That man loves you.”

“So she got a little carried away. It happens,” Lauren said, smoothing things over the way she always did. “We’ve all done things we’re not proud of, especially when alcohol is involved.”

“Were you drunk?” Toni asked.

“I had a couple of drinks, but no. I wasn’t drunk.”

Buzzed, sure, but Nicole remembered every second of it: Drew’s hand in her hair, the taste of his mouth, the way her whole body had leaned into him without waiting for permission from her brain.

“I don’t know, Nicole,” Toni said. “He just doesn’t seem like your type.”

“How so?” Lauren asked.

“He’s a jock,” Toni said. “And you’ve always liked them square boys.”

“I wouldn’t call Cedric square,” Nicole said.

“Fine, not square. But I don’t know, smart. Not some dumb athlete.” Then Toni caught herself and glanced at Lauren. “No offense.”

Lauren smiled at her, but it wasn’t one of her nice ones. Toni had just called Dayshawn dumb, right in front of his girlfriend.

“That’s messed up,” Nicole said.

“Jesus, okay. My bad. I didn’t mean it like that. Drew’s not dumb. I don’t even know him. He could be a genius for all I know. My point is, you’re into books and shit, and he’s into football.”

“That is ignorant as hell, Toni,” Nicole said. “Being an athlete doesn’t make somebody stupid. You just insulted Drew, Dayshawn, and a whole lot of people you don’t know.”

“I didn’t mean to offend you guys.”

“Then just say you’re sorry,” Lauren said.

Toni sighed. “Fine. You’re right. I’m sorry.”

Nicole stared Toni down, then sat back. “And anyway, it’s not that deep between us. It was one night.”

That sounded like total bullshit even to her, but more than one night with Drew came with problems she wasn’t ready to deal with. Toni was already proving that. And what would her family think? She was supposed to fall for a future judge, doctor, or Fortune 500 CEO, and he was supposed to be Black. Nobody had ever said that last part outright, but she knew. Nicole was hundreds of miles from home, though, and whatever she did or didn’t do with Drew, they never had to know. Besides, it had only been a kiss.

Okay, two kisses. Two very long, very thorough kisses. And if she let herself think about them for more than three seconds, she could still feel his mouth on hers and the slow slide of his tongue against her own.

“Drew and I were just kickin’ it.”

“Just kickin’ it, huh?” Lauren said with a smirk.

Nicole picked at the edge of her book’s cover. “This is Drew we’re talking about. He’s probably already on to somebody new.”

“And you’re okay with that?” Toni crossed her arms.

“It’s whatever.”