“Oh man, you’re going to keep us socializing all weekend,” I tease her.
“That’s what we’re here for. Sort of. Basketball too, I guess,” she jokes back. “I just want to see as many friends as possible before Malcolm gets here tomorrow. Too bad Rawley has training camp.”
That’s right, my good friend,whose house I’m currently living in, doesn’t know that Rawley and I are ending things. Taylor hasn’t really started the messaging about it yet, other than planting an article on how we’ll be apart this week because I’m here.
Nothing that Sarah doesn’t know already, and I’m finding it hard to bring it up to her myself.
It’s not like anything has changed between Rawley and me. We haven’t texted since that second day of his camp, and I’m not sure what I would even say.
But I miss himeven morethan I did a few days ago.
“Here’s your key card, Ms. Parker. You’re Room 403, and your things will be waiting for you.”
“Okay great, thank you so much.” I turn to Sarah. “I’m going to go upstairs and get out of my travel clothes. Let me know where you end up, and I’ll join you.”
“You got it,” she promises.
My room is beautiful, the views incredible, with the Brooklyn Bridge and East River in sight.
I scan through my phone messages and see several from family and friends, including my parents who are coming to the game on Saturday. Another one jumps out.
JACK: Can’t wait to see you tomorrow!
Since Jack’s in Manhattan, and there are little snippets of downtime in our Friday schedule, he and I are grabbing coffee.
It should be nice. It’s been a while since we caught up.
AVERY: Me too. Meet me in the hotel lobby and we’ll find a place.
He puts a thumbs-up on the message, and I set the phone down to unpack and get changed before Sarah presses me to join her somewhere.
It’s then that I notice the flower bouquet on the table. There’s an unusual look to it, with purple lilacs and white roses the dominant flowers, but also pears mixed in at the base.
It almost seems like a piece of art? Everything looks real, so it can’t be a fake hotel decoration.
I approach it and see a card. I guess it is real then.
Dear Avie,
Congrats on being picked for the All-Star game. It’s been awesome to watch you make it happen over the last couple months.
I’m gonna bet it’s the first of many.
Rook
PS I thought these would be cool to have for your days there. Your favorite perfume, come to life.
Oh my god.
Rawley sent this?
But how? Why?
I sit down in the chair by the table, breathless.
It takes me a solid three minutes to get my brain unscrambled enough to know I need to thank him.
I snap a picture of the bouquet and text it to him.
