by Xyla Turner
“Shane, fortunate for you, you have that luxury. Me on the other hand, I do not. If there was anything that even suggested that I was behaving in an inappropriate way, I could lose my job.”
“What’s inappropriate about getting dinner with me?” he asked flippantly.
“Nothing is inappropriate, but did you not just say that the media can twist things to be what they want?” she refuted.
“Look, Diamond. I’m hungry. Meet me at The Pros, they don’t just let anyone in there. Twenty minutes. Then we can talk about this further.”
“Sha…” He hung up.
Shane did not want to hear her saying no again and coming up with her logical reasons. He just wanted to see her and eat. That was all.
He arrived before her, so he waited at the bar. She came in five minutes later with a khaki pencil skirt, pink blouse and flats. Her hair was up in a ponytail and she had studs in her ears.
“Hey,” Shane pulled her into him while she put her hands on his chest.
“We need to talk,” she glared at him, then walked away.
He shrugged his shoulders and followed her. At least she came, was his thought. Once they settled in the chair, she leaned into him and whispered. “You don’t call me, demand that I meet you and then hang up on me.”
“Love, I’m …”
“No. Don’t do that. No nicknames. You don’t get to do that.” She was pissed.
“Fine, Diamond. Is that okay?”
“Don’t placate me Shane.” She put her bag on her shoulder.
“Wait, wait. Okay. Just wait. I was at home alone and I was bored. I’ve spent the past week with you. We had fun right. Why can’t we be friends?”
“I’m a reporter,” she pointed to herself. “I’ve been assigned to your games, solely. Don’t you think it’s a conflict of interest to be friends ‘that have dinner’ with reporters, who you cannot stand, let me remind you?”
“Yes, I can’t stand them, but I can tolerate you. So no one else will handle my father’s charity piece. I don’t trust anyone to do it right besides you. So, you can forget that. Okay. It’s you or it's no one.”
“Shane, you can’t just keep giving me these ultimatums. That’s not how friendship works.”
“How does it work, then?”
“You ask, the friend either says yes or no and you respect that.”
“Fine, why won’t you take this? This will be good for your career.”
“Because I don’t take handouts from anyone.”
“I’m your friend.”
“And I said ‘anyone’.”
“You drive a hard bargain.” Shane sighed. “Alright, how can we make this work, where you feel like this isn’t a handout? I simply don’t trust anyone else to do it, so how can it work?”
“I honestly don’t know.” She shook her head.
“That’s the thing though, love.” She glared at him. “You really are doing something for me. How about this? Tomorrow after the press circus, wait for me and I’ll take you to someone who can tell you all about it. They love to talk, but they’ll cook for you as well.”
“Shane, why can’t someone else do it? I don’t want to.”
“Yo, what’s up with you? Who screwed you over like that? I’m telling you, you are doing her and me a favor.”
“This coming from the man who hates reporters and feels like everyone wants something from him.”
“Because they do.” He looked into her dark espresso eyes.
Diamond’s purse was already on her shoulder when she scooted out of the seat and started to leave. Shane scooted out too and nabbed her by the elbow again.
“Diamond, love. Wait.”
She tried to jerk away but he was up and had her caged in against the wall with his hand behind her back, pulling her front close to his.
“Shane, please let me go.”
“No, I’m not letting you go. You need to understand where I’m coming from, just like I need to understand where you are coming from.”
“No, we really don’t.” She looked away towards the bar.
“I think our friendship is worth that discussion.”
“Shane, what friendship? Okay.” She turned her angry glare on him. “We saw each other at the beach and hung out. That was cool. But now we are back to reality. Right? No more beach, no more running, no more of any of that.”
“It doesn’t have to be.”
“But it is. Come on. Let me go.”
Shane didn’t know why he wanted her to stay. He had no explanation at all, but everything in him told him to hold on to her. He was not sure if it was because he needed her, or she needed him, but he couldn’t let go. His forehead descended and landed on hers, causing her breathing to hitch. Her lips were slightly parted and her eyes were on his.
“It doesn’t have to be,” Shane repeated. “Just go with me tomorrow and you can see for yourself. This is no handout. I trust you. I don’t believe I’m saying it, but I trust you to handle this. Can we please eat now? I’m starving.”
Both of his hands were on her hips to keep the woman in place. She was like a jackrabbit, ready to bounce at the slightest noise. Their eyes were on each other and they stayed like that for what seemed like an eternity. Then she said, “Fine. I want the most expensive thing on the menu.”
His body started jerking from the laughter as he pulled her tighter against him in a hug. “You are one crazy chick.”
“Whatever,” she pushed him away and he let her.
Shane kept standing until she sat down, just in case she decided to run. The waiter came to take their orders but Diamond asked, “What is the most expensive item you have on your menu?” She didn’t wait for him to answer, when she followed up with, “That’s what I want.”
Shane laughed and said, “I’ll have the same and a well-done burger.”
“Drinks?” he asked.
“Water for me,” Diamond responded.
“Me too.” Shane added.
He nodded and left.
The rest of the evening went off without another hitch. Diamond relaxed, was laughing, and joking just like they were on the beach. When they were together, it was like their own little vacation that he never wanted to end. He did not fully understand what she was doing to him, but he was going to let her do it.
The first practice is always brutal, especially since the routines are different, the drills are harder and the focus is on conditioning and strength. Everybody would be in pain and nearly everyone would want to hit the hot tub. Shane would have to suffice for a shower until he was able to get back home, since Diamond was waiting on him. She had a press pass, so she was allowed in the back, but first he had to deal with the mob.
Coach Mills told Shane, Matt and Keith to go and represent the team in regards to the media. He wasn’t sure what the coach’s deal was sending him out there to the vultures, but he hoped Tony Wiggins was not there, because this would be his last season. Shane thought that was the worst that could happen. When he arrived, one reporter was asking Matt about him. Matt pointed towards him and said, “You’ll need to ask him that question yourself.”
Usually Matt wouldn’t refer questions to Shane, but since he didn’t hear the question he raised his eyebrows at Matt as if to ask, ‘what did he say?’.
“Shane, what is the nature of your relationship with reporter Diamond Reeves. It was reported that you were seen with her on several occasions?” the reporter repeated and Matt raised his eyebrows back.
The next thing he heard was a familiar woman’s voice ask, “Why are you asking him about me and I’m standing right here. He won’t answer and you know that?”
Oh boy.
All cameras and recorders turned towards Diamond, who looked like she was ready to pounce.
Shane saw the look on the reporter’s face which plainly communicated that he had already won. He knew this wouldn’t be good.
“He won’t answer me, but he’ll answer you. What’d you have to do to get that?�
� He smirked.
At that comment, Shane stood up knocking his chair over and started to come off the stage. Matt hopped over the table to head him off, while Keith followed Shane to make sure he did not double back. Murmurs, gasps and camera’s flashing took over the entire room. He knew it would be bad, but he did not think they’d come for her just to get at him. He had not thought this through. This was exactly what she was talking about. He had the luxury of not giving two cents, she did not.
Crap.
What Shane was not about to allow, was her being disrespected while he was standing right there. Matt was in front of him, whispering, “Let it go man. You’ve got way more to lose than him. You’ve come too far.”
Those last words stopped him and he looked at Matt in the eyes. “I haven’t come far enough.”
Matt shook his head, “No, you have. Man, I’m telling you. Let this one go. He’s not worth it, believe me they’ll turn that comment on him tonight.”
He had a point. Every feminist in DC would hang him with those words. Shane’s eyes scanned the audience to catch Diamond’s eyes and make sure she was alright. She was talking to her cameraman, so he figured, she was fine. He looked back at the reporter and smiled at him. That move would also be interpreted three thousand ways. He looked scared and rightfully so. Keith hit him on the back and all three of them left out the side door.
When he collected all of his gear and loaded them in the car, Diamond was nowhere to be found. He called her, but the phone went straight to voicemail. He gave it a few minutes, then called again. Straight to voicemail.
She was not coming.
10
Cannot Be Friends
After the horrid event at the press conference, Diamond became scarce. Her phone stayed on silent, she arrived home late or not at all. Sometimes staying with Regina. Until she told her she needed to stop running and face the music. Diamond was not really trying to hear that. Shane had been calling nonstop. She was afraid that he'd come to the station, but was glad to know that he was in practices for eight hour days and hopefully sleeping those other hours.
Diamond felt embarrassed about the entire thing. She didn't know why she spoke up. That wasn't like her, but she hated when they picked on him and talked to others as if he weren't in the room. It was degrading. Not that she agreed with his tactics, he was right to have them. One reporter was so deranged that he thought it was a good idea to reveal his father’s death on national television. This was at a level of absurdity. In the midst of being embarrassed, many, if not all of the reporters came to her rescue calling the reporter a sexist pig. The argument that was the most stated, included, why did she have to do something to get him to talk. The female reporters would not let that one go. Even LeAnne made a statement about that comment; she was beyond livid.
Diamond knew Shane needed an explanation, but she also knew he would not take her answer well or accept it at all. He didn't understand where she was coming from and he just wanted his way. She tried to tell him before, but now her fear was a reality. Her peers and now even her mother and probably father were left to assume that she slept her way to get in the good graces of Shane Sinclair. That was absolutely horrid, offensive and not true. She couldn't defend herself since it would look like she was trying to deflect the lie. So she had to let it play out.
Her mom thought it was a hoot, because she was a free-spirited one. She told Diamond she would have snapped back that she'd sleep with Shane Sinclair any day over the likes of him. That was not the way to go and Diamond explained how she would never say that on television.
Trudy and Bridget were upset about it, but were equally excited that Shane was about to handle his business. All Diamond saw was Shane get up and walk towards the guy. Matt had jumped in front of him and Keith was behind him. Her cameraman saw her face turn ashen and asked her if she was alright. She shook her head no and asked if he could get her out of there. He was very cool about it and called the guy an a-hole. Diamond wouldn't disagree, but she just wanted to get home and stay under the bubbles in the warm bath.
She was bound to see Shane at the next press conference and the good thing was that since he didn't talk, she wouldn't have to ask any questions or so she thought.
The conference was about to start when her cameraman signaled for her to step outside the room. The players were sitting on the bench and there was no sign of Shane. As soon as she stepped outside, she gasped because Shane was there and had her by the hand guiding her down the hall.
“Shane, what are you doing?” she pleaded.
She struggled to keep up.
His stride was long and determined. She couldn't see his face, but by the emanating heat that was vibrating from him, he was not happy.
“Shane,” she called.
He stopped half way down the hall and said through gritted teeth, “You're ignoring my calls, dodging me when I stop by and you stood me up.”
“Shane, listen. Okay. That last debacle was just too much. I tried to tell you. I get chewed up during those situations. Not you. You come off as some glorified bachelor and I come off as a money-grubbing whore or something.”
“Okay. We both know that's not true. So, you decide for the both of us we can't be friends?”
“No, I just decided that we should take a break. You know. Cool out.”
“What?” He snapped. “Take a break, till when you feel like you want to be my friend?”
“No, maybe until the season is over,” Diamond suggested.
Shane got in her face and seethed, “This is bullshit.”
Then he walked away.
Away from the press, away from the crowds and away from her.
After that day she had not heard from him at all. No calls, no text or emails. Diamond tried not to think about the ache in her chest from his absence. He had become a fixture in her life and now that it was gone proved to show his relevance. They had been good friends and she liked him. What was portrayed in the media was not who the real Shan Sinclair was and that was the side of him that made her regret her decision.
However, she had to stand firm.
They could not be friends.
One week after the event, her father called and proceeded to shoot the breeze with her, like they spoke all the time. Diamond recalled the last time they had a conversation was on her twent-fifth birthday. He wished her a happy born day, asked her about her boyfriend and the call lasted all of fifteen minutes. The time before that, she spoke to him on her twenty-first birthday to give her a ‘virtual toast.’ Diamond didn’t find it funny then and was not amused or honored by the call at the present.
“Hey honey, how are things going in DC?” her father asked.
“Oh, good.”
“Yeah, I saw on Facebook that you had moved. Why? You had everything there and even Cliff was able to help you get your…”
“Father, is there a reason why you called? Cliff and I are no longer together, okay? So I don’t need any help. I’m doing this just fine. Thank you.” Diamond snapped at him.
“Well, it doesn’t look like it to me. You sleeping with ball players to get ahead. You know better than that. Your mother is a lot of things, but she never did that as far as I knew or it didn’t get her too far, if she did,” he went on.
“Are you serious, right now? I don’t hear from you in two years and you called me to tell me to keep my legs closed? Really?”
“Listen, Diamond. I’m your father, so I care about how your name is being dragged through the mud. I…”
She cut him off. “Oh, I get it, you care about how it makes you look even though you are not even in the country? Well thanks for the concern, Father, but you can unfriend me on Facebook.”
“Diamond, I am your father. You don’t speak…”
“That’s all you are. My father, the man that helped to bring me into this world. You have invested nothing in me, so you do not get to step into my life to tell me what to do with it now. When I needed you, you weren’t there. Where wer
e you Father? Not there.”
Diamond hung up the phone and paced around her apartment. She could not believe the dirty nerve of that man, who was the definition of an absentee father. He did not even show up for her wedding, so it was no need for him to know that they dissolved the marriage almost a year later. Diamond was sure that would be a lecture as well. A lecture she would gladly take from someone who knew her or even cared to know about the situation, but not from a stranger.
11
Throw Away
Shane was furious at Diamond for the stunt she pulled last week. The woman completely cut him off by not answering her phones, including her office number. He had come to her apartment on a couple of occasions when he was awake enough to get there and fight for her to listen to him and she either did not answer or was not home. Shane did not know her schedule, but he knew she was dodging him. He even called the reception area at her job, but was given the generic answer to email her. When he did, they went unanswered. He could not believe he was fighting so hard for her and she did not seem to care one way or the other.
Austin had advised him to give her the space she needed after his issues with Daphne. He was dating a reporter too and knew all too well, how the independent ones thought. He even conjured up some story that required his lady, Daphne, to physically reside with him at all times. Shane would not lie to himself, he'd thought about that a time or two with Diamond. He knew the woman would probably quit or move before she would do that.
The worst part was that, Vivian had texted him stating that she was in town and wanted to clear the air. He and Mindy just had a discussion about how one door needed to close before the other could open. Therefore, Shane thought that Vivian’s timing was perfect, because he wanted that door sealed shut. It was true that they had not really talked since he hung up on her that day.
They met at a restaurant in downtown Silver Spring, since it was near her hotel room. She hinted that it was her favorite restaurant a few times within the ten minutes they were on the phone. Shane was the first to arrive and she came in five minutes after him. She was dressed in a tight blue dress that showed every one of her curves. The woman was built like the old Coca cola bottles and she knew it and could cause any man to dream, but she did not arouse him like she did before he dumped her.