Keeping Score
How could Troy reach the basketball player? “You’re the team’s captain. You represent the Monarchs to the public on and off the court.”
Barron curled his lip. “That didn’t stop the Mighty Guinn from benching me last night.”
Troy should have expected that response. DeMarcus Guinn was the Monarchs’ rookie head coach. The media had been stunned when DeMarcus led the perennially losing team to a postseason berth. But DeMarcus had done it with Barron riding the bench at the end of the last regular season game, the game that determined whether the team got into the play-offs.
Was there anything he could say to ease the other man’s anger? His temper was probably worse because of his pride. Troy drew from his experience playing for a successful college basketball team. “This is the first time in four seasons the team’s gotten to the play-offs. And it’s the first time in your career you’ve made it to the postseason. Isn’t that incentive enough for you to give one hundred and ten percent?”
Troy stepped back as Barron swept his arms in an emotional gesture.
“I gave one hundred and ten percent all season.” Barron’s expression twisted with pain and disappointment. “The Mighty Guinn still benched me in the final sixteen minutes of the game.”
DeMarcus had been right to bench Barron. If he hadn’t, the players would be preparing to watch the postseason games from their sofas. But Troy kept those thoughts to himself. He’d read somewhere you’re supposed to humor drunks. “That’s between you and Marc. My concern is that it’s two in the morning. The team doesn’t need headlines about your early-morning clubbing when the first play-off game is Saturday.”
Barron swayed on his feet again. “It’s only Wednesday. Well, Thursday. And what do I care about headlines ?”
At least the point guard wasn’t so drunk he’d forgotten what day it was. “Believe me, you’ll care when your name is smeared in the press. So humor me. Let me take you home.”
Barron jerked a thumb over his shoulder. “I came with Ten-speed.”
Was he referring to the heavyset guy who’d sat beside him in the VIP lounge? “Ten-speed can find his own way home. You’re coming with me. Now.”
Barron frowned. Would the point guard continue to argue? Troy didn’t have time for this.
Barron rested a heavy hand on Troy’s shoulder. “Yeah. I guess I’m ready to leave. Thanks, man. How’d you know where I was?”
Troy stared at Barron. “You sent a Twitter message about where you were and what you were doing. Don’t you keep track of who’s following you?”
Barron shrugged. “I have thousands of followers, man. How am I supposed to keep track of all of them?”
“Try. Andy Benson is following you.”
Barron gave him a sloppy grin. “Oh, yeah? That Sports reporter? She’s hot.”
Why did the other man’s observation rankle him? “She’s a reporter. You need to know who’s reading your messages. Do you want the press to report that you’re getting plastered at a nightclub during the play-offs?”
Barron scowled. “They’ve turned against me, too.”
“Stop giving them reasons to criticize you.” He gestured toward the player. “Do you have everything you need?”
Barron slapped both pants pockets. “Yeah, I’ve got my wallet.”
Troy followed Barron to the steps as a young male server approached. The large, circular tray the young man balanced was burdened with alcohol.
Barron stopped. “Yo, my man. If that tray is for Barron Douglas’s private group, take it back. I’m leaving and taking my credit cards with me.”
The server switched directions to carry the tray back downstairs.
Barron looked at Troy over his shoulder. “I don’t mind their company, but their freeloading gets on my nerves.”
Troy frowned. “Then why do you hang out with them?”
Barron started down the stairs. “They want a good time. I want a good time. And they don’t hassle me about basketball.”
Troy caught the verbal jab. It didn’t matter if Barron was annoyed with him. It mattered how he performed during the games. That’s why he was pulling the team captain out of the club.
He followed the athlete across the club to the exit. Barron lost his balance several times, stumbling into the club’s other patrons. Interesting that he subjected only women to his clumsiness. Troy braced himself, unhappy at the prospect of being dragged into a fight because of Barron’s childish antics. He saw a headline in his mind: MONARCHS’ CAPTAIN, MEDIA EXEC IN DRUNKEN BRAWL. Luckily, once the men recognized the klutz tripping into their dates was Barron “Bling” Douglas, they were more understanding.
Despite Barron’s attempts to antagonize the club-goers, his celebrity got the