“G. You are not throwing Lucy out of the apartment.”
“I am not throwing her out, Benson. She can move out. I’m sure she’ll be much happier with the male version of me.”
“Gianna,” I warn. “You are not kicking her out because of this.”
“She wants to sleep with my brother? Watch me.”
“This is — this is not fair to her.”
“Don’t talk to me aboutfair,Benson.”
I stare at her. She can’t be serious right now.
She turns her nose up and says, “I amworking,Benson. If that is everything you needed to say, please leave.”
She turns back to sorting jerseys. I walk out without saying anything else. I walk down the hallway. Kev does not look up at me as I pass. The freshman behind the stick rack doesn’t look up at me either. Frank is at the front desk and waves bye to me.
I get into the truck and need to get to Lucy to make sure she’s alright. I fooled around with her last night and still don’t have her damn number.
I park in front of the Vietnamese place. The lights are on now and the chairs are down. I get out of the truck, go up the steps, and press the buzzer.
There is a long minute. Then her voice, scratchy with sleep.
“Hello?”
“It’s me, Benson.”
The buzzer goes, so I push the door open. I take the stairs two at a time. By the time I get to the second floor, she is standing in the doorway in pajama shorts and one of her own sweatshirts. Her hair piled up on top of her head with a clip.
She looks at me. “Are you okay?”
I shake my head.
“Come in.”
I come in. She closes the door behind me. The apartment smells like the Vietnamese place underneath because the walls do not insulate the smell in any season. There is a koala mug on the kitchen counter with steam coming off it.
“Yeah. What’s going on?”
“I just talked to Gianna.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah.”
“Is everything alright?”
“Did you tell her about last night?”
She blinks at me. “No.”
I scratch my forehead. “I don’t understand. You didn’t tell her?”
“No. I haven’t even — I just got out of the shower. She was already at the rink when I woke up. I haven’t seen her since last night. Why would I tell her before she goes to work?”
I run my hands through my hair. “Wow. Okay.”
“Benson. Can you tell me what is going on?”
