“All right,” she says brightly. “We have a plan. Just try not to do anything too gossip-worthy for the next little while, and hopefully people will forget all about this unpleasantness when the next big rumors start circling.”
“Here’s hoping,” I say, more to placate her than because I actually give a shit if her friends and colleagues are talking about my failed engagement or not.
“I should go,” she says, sounding distracted again. “But you’re okay?”
“I’m fine.”
“Try to take it easy for a few days, and this will all blow over soon,” she says, sounding like a mom again. “I love you.”
“Love you too.”
She ends the call, and I toss my phone onto the bed.
Just like I predicted, I feel worse now than I did before talking to her, but at least it’s done and over with, and it wasn’t nearly as bad as I thought it would be.
Feeling numb, but not in a good way, I settle back against my pillows and focus on my laptop. The second period is about to start, and watching Anthony dominate on the ice until Damon shows up is exactly the type of distraction I need after that phone call.
17
ANTHONY
The doorto my room is just closing behind me when my phone vibrates with a notification.
Digging it out of my pocket, I cross over to my closet so I can put my hockey bag away, and a smile lifts the corner of my lips when I check the screen.
Still smiling like a dumbass, I toss my bag into my closet and open my texts.
West: I need to call you something
Anthony: I’m partial to ‘oh god’ and ‘fuck yes’ if you’re looking for suggestions
Anthony: but I’ll also answer to ‘harder, please’ and ‘more’
West: fuck you that’s not what I meant
West: I need a name for you for my phone. I’ve been calling you Mr X in my head and have you saved as X in my contacts but it looks weird
Chuckling, I sit on the edge of my bed and stretch my legs out in front of me.
Anthony: yes, because calling me, the masked frat brother who can sneak into your room and gave you the best orgasm ofyour life, Mr X in your phone contacts is the weird part of that scenario
West: who said that was the best orgasm of my life?
Anthony: me, I said that
Anthony: you’re not countering my claim…
West: no comment
West: but back to my problem
West: I need something to call you
Anthony: you could always ask for my name
West: would you tell me if I did?
Anthony: yes
