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Lately, it just felt mind-numbingly boring.
The Promise House was anything but dull. The place was raucous noise, nonstop activity, interesting people…things that were missing from his quiet-as-a-tomb penthouse. The Promise House was full of energy and life and laughter, all painfully absent in his day-to-day routine.
And while he couldn’t win a basketball game to save his soul, he gave himself a W in another category because he’d managed to restrict his visits to weekdays when he knew Liza wouldn’t be there.
He hated just how hard that battle had been. Once, he’d gone so far as to get into his car and drive halfway to the Promise House on a Saturday morning before his brain kicked his libido to the curb and he turned around.
The damn woman consumed his thoughts, and the lack of sleep was leaving him distracted and irritable. Something both his brothers had noticed and pointed out. Conor had suggested he see his doctor for sleeping pills; Gage had told him to loosen up and get laid.
“You almost beat Devonte’s team last time,” Arnold said, both of them aware that there was a double-digit difference between the teams’ final scores. It had been an old-fashioned butt-whooping—there was no other way to describe it. “Devonte said he’ll let you have first pick for teams next time.”
Matt chuckled, aware that wouldn’t help. He and Devonte had somehow been granted eternal dibs on the captain roles whenever he was there, each of them handpicking different teams every time they played. Matt always selected those most likely to be picked last early in his lineup so no one’s feelings were hurt. Devonte, competitive from the word go, hadn’t quite managed to let empathy overcome his desire to win.
“That’s very generous of him,” Matt replied sardonically.
Arnold laughed. “Well, if I can’t entice you back for another game, how would you feel about going out Friday after work to grab drinks—maybe dinner—with me and Johnnie?”
This was the fourth time Arnold had extended such an offer. Matt had turned him down the first time because he was rusty as hell when it came to making new friends and that was clearly what Arnold was offering. The last two times, he’d gone and had a great time.
“Let me check my calendar.” Matt returned to his desk, dropping down to glance at his computer monitor. Friday evening was clear. “Sure. That sounds great. Did you have a place in mind?”
“There’s a new little pub that opened just down the street from the Promise House that looks pretty inviting. Feel like checking it out with us?” Arnold asked.
“Absolutely.” Matt was warming up to the idea of kicking back in a bar with a couple of guys and a cold beer, something he’d never really done before.
When he was younger, his idea of a good time was sitting in a leather chair at the club, sipping Scotch with his dad and his cronies, all of them plotting world domination like the arrogant assholes they were.
Since then, he’d eschewed a social life, opting for a more solitary existence, and he’d gotten away with it because—thanks to his less than warm and fuzzy personality—there’d been no one offering true friendship. Arnold refused to give up on him and it felt…nice. On top of that, Johnnie and Arnold were an interesting couple and a lot of fun to hang out with.
“Text me the name of the place and I’ll meet you there. Five thirty work?” Matt asked.
“Perfect. Johnnie will be thrilled you’re joining us. He was quite amused by Devonte’s play-by-play recounts of your last game.”
“Terrific,” Matt grumbled. “So he already knows of my shame.”
“You’re spending your evenings playing basketball with a bunch of homeless teens. Loser or not, Johnnie’s probably your biggest fan these days.”
It was a nice compliment, but the words still hit Matt hard. Because he didn’t have fans…didn’t deserve any.
“We also wanted to talk to you about something,” Arnold continued.
“Oh?”
“As you know, we’re getting married in Hawaii in a few weeks.”
He was aware of the upcoming nuptials. He, Arnold, and Johnnie had chatted at length one night about past trips they’d taken to the islands.
“Johnnie may have talked about nothing else the last time we went out for drinks,” Matt joked.
“He’s obsessed. I honestly don’t know what we’ll talk about once this is all over.”
“I suspect Johnnie will keep the conversation from lagging for too long.”
Arnold chuckled. “You’ve gotten to know him well. Listen, I know it’s late notice, but I’ll plant the seed now and then Friday, I’ll let Johnnie convince you.”
“Convince me of what?”
“We’d like for you to attend our wedding.”
