Always Only You by Chloe Liese (z-lib.org).epub

“Not since this morning. We did a live session Q and A in the locker room
after practice for playoffs hype this morning, then I came here. Why?”
Lo slides her phone toward me. It’s a paparazzi shot, taken right outside the
practice facility, before Ren and I left to come here. His hand rests low on my
back as he reaches for the car door. A tiny gesture as I caught my toe on uneven
asphalt that felt so surprisingly good. Maybe it was because he didn’t say
anything. Just gently steadied me with that warm, solid hand as he opened my
door.
Annie leans over to see Twitter unfurling with comments that have my
stomach rolling. Pushing her glasses up her nose, she glances from Lo’s phone
to me. “Wow. Lots of women really don’t like you already, huh?”
The comments unfold at alarming speed. Some are nice. Many are awful.
Ooh, I want her shoes.
Is that a cane?
Wow. I thought he was gay.
Lorena crunches on an ice cube from her tea and swears under her breath.
“That right there is why we need feminism. To exorcise embedded patriarchy
from our culture, women have got to stop internalizing toxic male practices like
hierarchical aggression and then wielding them against each other.”
Annie sits back in her seat and puts her plate on her round belly with a sigh.
“While true, Lo, maybe what Frankie needs is less cultural critique and more
practical insight right now.”
Lo throws up her hands. “I’m in liberal arts academia. I’m the worst person
to come to for anything practical.”
Both of my friends turn to face me. Their heads tip in twin looks of concern.
Sweet and tiny Annie, with her pragmatism and her big heart. Lo with those
sharp mocha eyes and badass facial piercings that hide a sensitive, philosophical
soul. They’re as different on the outside as they are on the inside. And especially
right now, I don’t know what I’d do without them.
“It’s all right.” I shrug. “Nothing to be done, really. Just wait for the
comments when they call me his pity fuck.”
“Oop, one just rolled in,” Annie mutters.
Lo and I swivel our gazes at her.
Annie turns bright red and sinks lower in her chair. “Sorry. Pregnancy brain.
Can I have a pass for that?”
“One,” Lo says sternly. She takes the phone back from Annie, scrolling
through the comments. Her expression hardens, and she flips over her phone,
setting it on the table so the screen is hidden. “I want to throat-punch those evil
trolls.”