Imaginary Lines (New York Leopards 3)

Jin frowned. “I don’t remember a monkey.”

“You were in Philly,” Carlos said. “There was a monkey. It wore a hat.”

“Is that legal?” I asked.

Mduduzi cocked his head. “For monkeys to wear hats?”

“No, for—for monkeys to perform.”

Jin gave one of his lackadaisical shrugs. “We perform constantly.”

“Ha, ha.” Carlos rolled his eyes.

We sat at a round table, eating our lukewarm burgers and soggy fries and contemplating the other magazines. Mduduzi nodded at a girl who walked by, pulling off a skirt and heels that I never could have. “That one. I was in an elevator with her, and she asked me where I worked, and when I said ST she raised her brows and said ‘Oh.’”

He managed to infuse the word with enough disdain that I bristled and narrowed my eyes at the girl, but when I turned back to my friends I noticed that Carlos had deflated slightly.

Interesting.

I was considering a Romeo and Juliet situation of epic proportions (Sports journalism, ha! I should be writing for National Enquirer) when my phone went off. I stilled, hope and fear and anticipation flooding me. What if it was Abe? What if it wasn’t Abe? It probably wasn’t; it was the night before a game for him, so he was locked away at some hotel, going over strategies. Paying very close attention to the coaches, I was sure, and not texting me.

I picked up the phone with trembling fingers, and all the nerves whooshed away, washed out by my happiness. Abe.

I’m taking you out on a real date this weekend.

I raised my brows and bit down on my grin. You forgot the question mark.

He responded almost immediately. Didn’t. It’s happening. Otherwise you’re in huge trouble.

I stared at the words, which tingled across my emotions like a mesmerizing spell.

“Tamar?”

I almost jumped out of my skin, and then looked up to see Jin and Mduduzi regarding me quizzically. “You okay, Tamar?” Mduduzi asked.

I nodded. “Oh. Yeah.”

Jin swiveled slowly toward me. “Who texted?”

My eyes widened. “An, um, old...friend.”

The guys exchanged a glance. Mduduzi smiled at me, but like he was including me on the joke. “A friend like Abe Krasner?”

I dropped my head into my hands and groaned.

“So, what is this?” Jin made one of his vague hand motions, but appeared more invested in the conversation than I’d seen him since the last time we tore apart a game. I guessed he was just as interested in relationship issues as he was in sports. I wondered what he thought about Carlos and Attitude Girl. “You two.”

“I don’t really know.”

“Well, is it...serious?”

I had a story, and I was sticking to it. “We’re old friends.”

Everyone sat there silently for a moment.

“Fuck it.” Carlos looked me straight in the eye. “Are you guys—?”

“No!” I shook my head rapidly. “God. Guys. Wow, let’s not be talking about this.”