Page 188 of Challenge Me

“You didn’t bring any bags with you.”

“It’s a quick trip.”

My grip tightened on my phone. This schedule the team had me on was brutal. There were appearances planned, just like I’d feared, but at least they’d agreed—albeit reluctantly—that I didn’t have to sacrifice Remi on the altar of public relations. It was a small relief, which was all I could ask for at this point.

I hadn’t seen him in too long. There was that away stretch, then Oli took over for him. I would’ve gone to the bar yesterday, but regardless of how ‘agreeable’ Renshu was being, I wasn’t allowed to go near Remi.

After thirty minutes, we pulled off of the road. The driveway turned to gravel, crunching beneath the tires rhythmically. When we parked next to the Jeep, I unlatched my seatbelt and pushed the door open.

“Have a good visit, sir.”

“Thank you.”

With a smile, I shut the door. I waited for him to turn around, then I looked at the house. There was a light on through the front window, and the curtains were open to let in the budding sun.

I was nearly to the door when it opened. Trav stood there, head cocked like Tessa’s beside him. I thought about the idea that dogs and their owners somehow resembled each other, and I saw the merit in it. I could imagine them both running to the window when they’d heard the car pull up.

“Amir,” he said, that Texas drawl coming through. “Did I know you were coming?”

“I don’t know. Did you?”

“If you told me, I completely forgot.”

I breathed a laugh, then clapped him on the arm. “It was sort of impromptu.”

“A text would’ve sufficed.”

“Probably, but it’s been a while since I’ve gone somewhere without anyone knowing.”

“I can appreciate that.” He stepped to the side and waved his hand with a flourish. “Come in.” We both headed past the living room into the kitchen. Without having to be asked, he grabbed a mug and poured coffee into it. “What would you do if I wasn’t up yet?”

I eyed the nearly empty carafe. “I just had a feeling you would be.”

Tessa nudged my fingers, so I turned my attention to her. The way her tail wagged made her entire body shake. I’d never understood how Trav had the time for baseball, his online content, his boyfriend, and an active dog. Then again, the guy never stopped moving. They were the perfect companions for each other.

He nodded toward the back door, and I took the coffee from him before I followed.

“Think fast.”

I nearly dropped the mug when he tossed a mitt at me. There was a grin on his face, like it wasn’t six in the morning and my life wasn’t falling apart all around me.

Setting the coffee on one of the steps, I pulled the glove on. “Do you always have some of these accessible?”

“You don’t?”

“I have a couple, but not just lying around.”

He jogged further into the backyard. When he tossed a ball in the air, I readied myself for some shenanigans. He wouldn’t catch me off guard with that arm, that was for sure.

“When management was on your ass, did you ever feel afraid?” I asked.

With a knowing smile, he threw the ball. The thud of it in my glove grounded me in its familiarity.

“Not for me as much as for those counting on me,” he replied.

“Did it feel like you were failing them?”

“Sure, all the time. I may not have had a family to take care of, but there are real consequences behind what I do.” A thoughtful expression came over his face after he caught the ball. “People have literally told me that my videos saved their life. When I had to step back, I thought about that a lot. How many people didn’t have that moment of clarity because I wasn’t there?”