Penny:And if she knows about her dad’s involvement, then that would mean she knows that there should be no fooling around, which is why she double downed.
Levi:Wait, I’m lost.
Ollie:So am I.
Blakely:Let me put it to you straight. She knows that her dad put you in charge of making her life hell. Which means she’s going to try to make your life hell in return, and how can she do that? By flaunting herself in front of you. She knows that she’s off limits.
Levi:HOLY SHIT! You think that’s what she’s doing?
Penny:The braless walk around . . .
Blakely:The push-up bra . . .
Winnie:The walking in on you while you’re coming on your stomach.
Levi:*note* I was not coming on my stomach when she was in the room. I was in her room when she was coming. Thank you.
Ollie:OMG, you guys are right. This is the classic double down with a vengeance. She knows about you and her dad working together, and she’s getting back at you by torturing you with her eroticness.
Penny:*Whispers* Erotic torture.
Levi:What the hell is erotic torture?
Ollie:Oh, you poor, poor man.
Winnie:Even I know what erotic torture is. You stand no chance.
Blakely:I think it’s time we just throw in the towel now.
Levi:Hey! You can’t throw in the towel. I need you!
Winnie:He’s right. We can’t dump him when he’s in the middle of erotic torture.
Ollie:I say just give in.
Penny:But what if Coach Wood finds out? That won’t be good.
Levi:No, it won’t, therefore, we need to figure out what to do. I will say this, she came into the kitchen this morning, apologized for crossing the line, and was also decently dressed. It almost felt like she was throwing in the towel.
Blakely:I wouldn’t trust it.
Ollie:Neither would I. Erotic torture could strike at any time, especially if she double downed. You’re working with a mistress of sex here.
Winnie:For sure a mistress of sex. She has wild ways . . . beware!
Levi:Okay, now I’m scared. How the hell do I battle the mistress of sex, the erotic torture lady?
Blakely:Great question. Anyone?
Penny:Thinking.
Ollie:Well, we could . . . uh . . .
Winnie:There’s the . . . uh . . .
Blakely:You know, we could . . . well, no, that won’t work.
Penny:*thinks*
Levi:This is not helpful!
Winnie: What about this, this is going to sound like a Friends episode, but she doesn’t know that you know she knows, which means . . .
Levi: Hold on a second . . . to quote Friends, the messer becomes the messee?
Winnie:Precisely, and I think we all know the only way to battle erotic torture . . .
Penny:A wet blanket?
Ollie:Deflated noodle? Also known as a flaccid penis?
Blakely:No . . . with . . . *whispers* erotic torture.
Winnie:Precisely. We fight fire with fire.
Levi:Wait, you want me to battle with my penis?
Blakely:Penis, pecs, ass, muscles, I’m sure you have them.
Winnie:The perfectly shaped balls you’ve proudly mentioned.
Penny:You guys, this doesn’t seem like a good idea. We’re talking about Posey here. Do you really think he can go into war, an erotic war, with wielding just his body as a weapon?
Ollie:I have to admit, I’m a little nervous about this tactic.
Winnie:I have confidence in him.
Levi:I appreciate the confidence, but do we not remember the torture I’ve been through the last week? How the hell do you expect me to fight temptation with well . . . temptation? Seems like a recipe for my penis to easily slide inside of her main hole.
Blakely:I TOLD YOU NEVER TO USE THAT TERM AGAIN!
Ollie:You make it hard to help you, Posey.
Penny:Hold on, ladies. Posey, don’t you want revenge? Don’t you want to show her who has the upper hand? You do, right?
Levi:I don’t know. Her nipples sort of have the upper hand at the moment.
Winnie:For the love of God, Posey, man up! Do you like losing? Because that’s what’s going to happen here. You’re going to lose! Are you a loser?
Blakely:Are you?
Levi:I’m not. I’m a winner.
Blakely:Then buck up and semi-seduce her!
Penny:I’m not fully on board with this plan, but I can see the benefit of trying to beat her at her own game. Because she won’t go the whole way with you, what happens if you come at her with the same playbook?
Ollie:The more I think about it, the more I think this could work.
Winnie:See! This is the way to win.
Levi:Okay, so I beat her at her own game. How do I even start doing that without looking obvious? I’ve been pretty frank about not crossing that line, especially after last night.
Winnie:Ease her in. Start simple. You’re on an away trip. Strike up conversation. Get to know her better. Act like you’re working, but you’re really flirting.
Blakely:And then when you get back, you serve her your penis on a platter for dinner.
Ollie:I love when Silas does that.
Penny:What kind of sex life do you have?
Ollie:One that involves choking.
Levi:I’m going to leave now. Thanks, queens.
Winnie:Remember, ease her in.
Blakely:Then platter.
Penny:No platter, no nudity. Just shirtless seduction.
Ollie:Then choke her!
WYLIE
I thoughtabout watching the game tonight but decided not to. After everything that happened this morning with my dad, I didn’t want to see his face. And then with Levi, well, I don’t know. I feel embarrassed now.
Embarrassed over what my dad thinks of me.
What he saw at the arena.
Embarrassed of almost crying in front of Levi.
Of coming in front of him.
Of my behavior.
I basically lost track of everything, and now . . . now I almost feel lost.
I move my Apple pencil over my screen, working out some minor detail changes for Patty Ford’s logo, but I’m not feeling the font or the colors I’m choosing. Everything just seems off, so before I can annoy myself too much, I turn off my screen and set my iPad and pencil to the side. I can work on it some more tomorrow.
All ready for bed, I pick up my phone to mindlessly scroll through social media just as it buzzes in my hand. It’s a FaceTime from Levi.
Uh-oh, what could he want now?
Sitting up in my bed, I adjust my bun on the top of my head and then hold the phone in front of me as I answer it.
His face comes on screen, and he looks fresh from the shower with wet hair and a slightly red face.
“Hey,” I say. “Uh, how’s it going?”
He smiles. “Good. Catch the game?”
“No,” I reply, feeling weird since we haven’t talked on the phone like this before. And with how we last ended things . . . “I was catching up on some work. Did you win?”
“Smashed them.”
“Oh . . . uh, congrats.”
“Thank you. So, I wanted to call you and thank you for the pretzels. I appreciate the hard work you put into those.”
“Oh, you’re welcome,” I reply.