“How old is she?”
“She’s eight.” There’s a note of fondness in his tone. “But I swear she was just born like a year ago, so it’s weird.”
I laugh, knowing that feeling very well.
“I’d better get going,” I say, wishing I didn’t have to. “I’ve got a client meeting in a few minutes and I need to review the information Cynthia sent me about him.”
“Okay. Want me to call you later? Or wait until tomorrow?”
It would be nice to talk to him again tonight, but not until Nolan is asleep.
“How about if I call you tonight?” I ask. “It’ll be after nine.”
“Yeah, that’d be great.”
“Have fun at the Hoover Dam.”
He groans. “It’s gonna be our third tour. I swear Jasmine’s favorite thing about it is that she can say the word dam and she doesn’t get in trouble.”
“Bye, Pike,” I say, laughing.
“Bye.”
Chapter Fourteen
Pike
* * *
Kingston: Let’s play some cards tonight. We haven’t done that in a long time.
I read Kingston’s text as I’m drying off after a shower, and I consider meeting up with him as I towel dry my hair. He’s right; it’s been a while.
Me: Okay. Poker or blackjack?
Kingston: Blackjack. It’s easier to meet women.
Me: You want to play cards or meet women?
Kingston: Both.
Me: Okay, blackjack it is.
Kingston: You know the bet is that you can’t get the coffee shop chick in bed, not that you can’t sleep with anyone else until the six months is up.
Me: Don’t worry about my sex life, creep.
Kingston: It’s affecting me. We always go out together and we never do anymore.
Me: Did we not just decide to go play cards tonight?
Kingston: What time?
Me: 8.
Kingston: Meet you at the Venetian then.
I set my phone back on the bathroom counter, take the towel from around my waist, and hang it up. As I’m walking out of the bathroom, I take a long glance at myself in the mirror.
This is what women see when they look at me. Tats, muscles, and a bigger than average cock. Then there’s what they don’t see, but still chase—the pro athlete with a seven-figure annual salary.
I can’t seem to impress Indie with any of that stuff. I don’t think a woman has ever asked me how my day was or what my favorite snack is. She’s different. Funny, sweet, and independent. If not for this bet, I doubt I would’ve gotten to know her. I would’ve still asked her out, but when she said no, I would have accepted it and moved on. And I would have missed out on seeing how great she really is.
When I walk into my closet, I grab the first clean T-shirt and pair of shorts I see. I have to go back to the arena in a couple hours to meet with the PR people. They’re bringing in a photographer to do a bunch of promotional photos of the team together and of each individual player. After that, a videographer is going to do short interviews with each of us to get clips to play on the Jumbotron before and during games.
The house is quiet without Mom, Kylie, and Jasmine here. They left a few days ago, and I miss coming home to them. When I walk into my kitchen to make lunch, I smile at the drawings Jasmine left on my fridge. There’s one of me and her at the Hoover Dam, and there’s a little cartoon bubble coming from her mouth with her saying, “Dam!” Another one shows the lights of the Las Vegas Strip, and there’s another one of me playing hockey.
Other than those drawings, I’ve got one picture hanging in my living room and that’s it. Indie is coming over tomorrow to look at it, and I’m hoping my blank walls will buy me lots of time with her.
It’s not just about the bet anymore. I like Indie—a lot. I just have to break down her walls so I can have a shot with her.
“Hey, what’s up?” Kingston asks with a grin as I approach him at the Venetian that evening.
“Hey, man.”
“Did you get cash already?”
I nod. “You?”
“Yep. Where should we go? Aria? The Strat?”
I shake my head and say, “Bellagio.”
Kingston grins. “You thinking about that time we met those chicks from London?”
I laugh at the memory. “I was thinking about how comfortable their chairs are, but yeah, there’s also that.”
He claps me on the back as we start walking. “It’s good to have you back, brother.”
“I was never gone, dude.”
“Yeah, but you’ve been so focused on winning our bet that you haven’t been much fun lately.”
He’s right that I haven’t been going out as much lately, but that’s not because of any one thing. I just haven’t been feeling it. I’ve been more tired than usual, and with the team on the verge of moving into first place in the standings, I want to be at one hundred percent when I play.