“Oh well, he can get over it,” I say as we pull into a parking spot.
“Yeah, he can,” he says as he steps out of his truck.
“So who is this friend of yours?”
He turns to me. “He’s the asshole I bought my truck from.” I look at him confused. “Long story. I’ll explain later.”
CHAPTER 40
LOX
Walking into the dealership, the little blonde behind the counter stands up. “Mr. Storm, nice to see you again. Mr. Garcia is waiting in his office.”
“Thanks, Pam.” I flash her a trademark smile. “Happy to see you and Ricky at the last fight.”
“Thanks for those tickets.”
We make our way into the office. The older man stands up from behind his desk and reaches across to shake my hand. “Hello, Lox, nice to see you again.”
I shake his hand. “Nice to see you, Ricky. This is my girlfriend, Sloan Foster,” I say as I gesture to her. “She’s looking for something newer to drive.”
Ricky looks to Sloan. “Nice to meet you, Ms. Foster. Do you have something in mind?”
“I was thinking some type of small SUV. I’d like a Jeep but thinking about my son, a Jeep would be impractical.”
“How about something like a Rav4 or Highlander?”
Sloan shrugs. “Maybe. Can we go take a look around?”
“Sure.” He turns to me. “Lox, are you coming with us?”
“No, this is Sloan’s deal. She’s a tough girl and knows what she wants.”
She smiles at me and starts toward the door, stopping to wait for Ricky.
I sit in Ricky’s office waiting on them. I know I have to leave this in her hands. I mean I could go out there and wheel and deal for her, but after the fit she threw about getting her car fixed, I’ll let her handle it. Unless I think he’s trying to screw her. She doesn’t need me trying to boss her around and be all controlling about everything like Douche Monkey Drake. While I’m thinking about it, I need to call Sly.
He picks up on the second ring. “Hey, man. I’m guessing since you didn’t come home last night, your date went well.”
“Yes, Mom. It was a good date, seeing as how you are keeping track of my comings and goings. Now if you are finished trying to gossip like an old lady at the salon, I need to ask you something.”
He sighs. “Fine. What’s up? Has it been so long since you’ve gotten laid that you forgot how to and you need pointers?”
“Shut up, fucker. Have you talked to Kara lately?”
I hear him rustling around with something. “Nah, man. She’s been dating some guy. She hasn’t been coming to the gym and every time I try to call or something, she says she’s busy. Why?”
“She’s dating Drake Willis.”
“She’s what?”
“You heard me. Have you heard anything about him lately?”
“No, man, I haven’t. Look, I know he can be kind of a dick, but she made it clear to me that what she does is none of my business.”
“Fine, I was just wondering. He still seems a little intense.”
“That’s all up to her, man.”
“Really? That’s all you’ve got?”
“What? What do you want from me? What do you want me to do?”
I look up to see a smiling Sloan walking back into Ricky’s office. “Nothing. Look, if you hear anything, let me know.”
“Fine.” He hangs up.
“Sly checking up on you?”
“Yeah, something like that. Did you find something?”
“I think so. You wanna come look at it while I drive it?”
“Yeah.”
We walk out to a dark blue Toyota Highlander. I nod to her. “It looks nice.”
We get in and she starts it up. “It’s within the budget I wanted, too. Do me a favor, pull up NADA on your phone and put in the specs. I want to have a better idea on everything when I go in to deal with him.”
I smile at her. “Sure thing, babe.”
“Babe? I kinda like that.”
As I punch in the info on my phone, I turn to her. “I kinda do, too.”
She makes a turn into a residential area. “So what’s the story with you and the car dealer?”
I laugh and explain to her about his attitude toward me the first time I came in.
“So he was an asshole? And now you give him and his mistress tickets to your fights, plus bring him customers. Lox, that just doesn’t make sense.”
“Well, let’s just say they do my service work for free at the dealership. He knows not to dick with me, I showed him I had balls that day. I could’ve pranced my happy ass right on out of his dealership and spent my money elsewhere, but I didn’t. I stayed and played hard ball. He knows that and he respects the hell out of it. Oh, and Pam isn’t his mistress, she’s his wife. To be fair though, they did start dating while she worked there.”
She shrinks a little in the seat. “Sorry, I didn’t mean anything bad by it.”
I put my hand on top of hers. “Hey, it’s okay. You just didn’t like someone being an asshole to me and then me handing them money.” I flip my phone over to her. “Okay, here are the details from NADA.”
She gives me a shy smile. “Yeah, I guess,” she points to the phone, “thanks for pulling that up for me.”
“It’s the Mama Bear in you. It’s cool. So what do you think of the car?”
“I think I like it. I mean it’s got some room and Toyotas are normally great cars. According to the information you pulled up, I’ll only need to talk him down a little to be in the budget I want.”
“Was there anything else you wanted to try out?”
She bites her bottom lip. “Yeah, there is an Audi and a Honda. The Honda would be my next pick because of price, but the Audi is just so nice and they have great ratings.”
“All right, let’s go to back to the dealership and drive the other two. We’ll get a print out on all of them and compare them.” I touch her hand. “Sound like a plan?’
She nods. “Yeah. Thanks for being here today, but mostly, thanks for letting me handle it.”
“Hey, you’re a good, strong woman. You know what you’re doing. You don’t need me.”
“Thanks.” She turns her attention back to the road as we make our way to the dealership.
I’m one lucky asshole.
CHAPTER 41
SLOAN
Walking into work Monday, I can’t hide my smile. Kara rounds the corner and grins. “So? Did you get a car?”
“Yes, I was going to go home and compare some stuff. My plan was to drive all three of them and then go over the game plan but after driving the other two, I knew the first one was my choice. So I just wheeled and dealed and got the car.”
She giddily claps her hands like a damn seal jumping up and down. “Yay! No more death trap.”
“Nope. I ended up getting a 2012 Toyota Highlander. It was in my budget, but I still got him to come off of a couple of grand. Plus, an older couple owned it. They only put 18000 miles on it.”
“Holy crap, that’s awesome. So the date seemed like it went well, too. Are you guy’s exclusive now?”
“Yes, we are a couple. How is your mom?”
She turns to her desk. “She’s better. Her batteries were low in her Accu-Chek so her readings were off. She was giving herself the wrong amount of insulin.”
“Oh. Well, I’m glad they got that figured out.”
“Me, too. Even though it put a damper on the rest of my weekend,” she says as she rearranges some information guides.
“Drake didn’t come back after you met your mom?” This guy is a douche.
“No. He had some stuff come up.”
“What does he do?”
“He’s a rep for an herbal supplement company. I asked him if he thought he might want to talk to the guys at the gym, but he says they have some kind of grudge against him.” She shrugs.
“That sounds strange. I mean, have you ever known the guys to be assholes to
someone?”
She shakes her head. “No, but I guess it’s all in their pasts.”
I turn back to her and lean against the counter. “Kara, please don’t take this the wrong way, but the other day he seemed a little…I don’t know. Like a jerk.”
“Oh he was just irritated about us getting interrupted. He was fine later.”
“Okay. Just checking.”
“We’re fine.”
“Okay.”
~*~*~
After picking up Sage, he and I head to the gym. Walking through the doors, I can see that business has started picking up. There are actually a couple of other women here. Sage runs over to Huck and Sly who are showing some younger guys about sparring. “Sage, don’t disturb them. They’re teaching.”
Huck motions to me that he’s fine.
I find Lox showing a girl how to use one of the machines. She’s thrusting her chest out so he can get a better look, I guess. As soon as he sees me he walks over, kissing me full on the mouth.
As he pulls away, he smiles. “Hey, babe. How was your day?”
“It was good.” I whisper, “Are you trying to prove a point to your friend over there?”
“No, I’m trying to show all of these assholes that you’re my girl.”
I chuckle into his chest. “Well next time do you wanna just piss around me or something? But if you do, I’m gonna do the same because Miss Bouncy Tits over there was trying to give you a free show.”
“Yeah, I kinda gathered that. I’m glad you came when you did. Any longer and she may have molested me.”
Marco walks into the main area of the gym. “Sloan, nice to see you.” He turns to Lox. “You and Lox come back here for a minute. I need to show you something.”
Once we walk in his office, I see Elizabeth. She is watching the TV and waves for me to come sit by her. Marco follows us in. “Have you guys watched the news in the past few hours?”
I shake my head. “No. Why?”
“Well it appears Mr. Quarterback has gotten himself in a whole lot of trouble.”
“What do you mean?” I ask
At the same time Lox asks, “What now?”
“He was just caught in some underage prostitute scandal. It probably would’ve been swept under the rug like what happens with celebrities many times, but this was one of those caught on tape shows. Like where they do that computer shit you younger people do. His career is probably fucked after this.”
I’m stunned. “How? How old was the girl he was soliciting?”
“She told him she was fifteen. She was really a he and an FBI agent.”
I cover my mouth. “Oh, God.” I stand up. “Sage knows that this is his father. I don’t think he’s told anyone, but he knows. He’s going to see all of this on TV. Fucking Lucas, he’s so goddamn selfish.” I wipe the tears that are rolling down my face. “His poor mother.”
Marco pulls me against his chest. “Honey, I wanted you to hear because they may go digging around in his past.”
It hits me. Shit, the media may go after Sage and me. I grab my phone and try to call Kara but it says her phone has been disconnected. I call my mom.
She picks up as soon as it rings. “Honey, I’m watching the news right now.”
“I just found out. I need to get Sage home and talk to him before he sees it on TV. It’s just the media may dig up my relationship with him. I wanted you guys to be prepared.”
“Sweetie, you don’t worry about that.”
“Oh, um can you call and check on Mrs. Smith? I’m sure they’re mortified by this. Please let them know I’m thinking about them.”
“Sure, sweetie. Is Lox with you?”
“I’m at the gym right now.”
“Well, your dad and I think maybe he should stay with you until this blows over, or maybe you could stay with him and the guys.” I hear her sigh. “The point is we don’t want you alone.”
“Okay, we’ll figure it out. I’ll call you guys later.”
I turn to see that Marco and Elizabeth have left the room. Lox puts his arms around me. “Are you okay, babe?”
“I need to go beat the shit out of something right now. Then, do you mind staying with me? I know we talked about the rules over the weekend, but I just worry about all of this,” I say, pointing to the TV.
“Yeah, I was already thinking about that. If they get wind of you, I’m worried you’ll be hounded by the press. If that happens, we’ll leave your house and stay at mine.”
I let out a huge breath. “Okay, sounds good. Now, let’s go beat the shit out of a bag.”
CHAPTER 42
SLOAN
The past couple of weeks have gone by rather quickly. Christmas is next week. Lox has been staying with me since Lucas’s arrest. I’ve decided that having Lox in my bed every night is deliciously pleasing. Sage has finally stopped asking questions about what happened with Lucas and he says he’s ‘cool’ with Lox being my boyfriend. I had to have a long talk with him when the news broke. I wanted him to be prepared. He took that part in stride, but the questions about what his dad actually got arrested for seem to never end. I’m not ready to talk about sex with my five year old, but I want him to understand as best he can.
Sage and Lox are doing great together. I’ve even started letting Lox pick him up a couple of days a week from school. He goes to the gym and works out with the guys before the after work crowd gets there. The guys are all great role models for him, but what Lox is doing is special.
He picked him up today because I’m planning a special dinner for Sage. Next week is his sixth birthday. He’s learned all of his sight words, got all S’s on his report card and he’s moved up five pounds on what he can lift. Let the record state that I don’t care about that last part, but the guys say it’s a big deal. So I’m making spaghetti and meatballs tonight, his favorite. It’s kind of an early birthday party/ celebration for him. We’ll be going to my parents next week so I wanted to do this early, for the friends we’ve made here.
I invited all of the guys, Elizabeth, Ms. Elaine, Jade and Kara. Kara can’t come, she has something to do with Drake. I’m really starting to hate that guy.
The shit with Lucas has died down a little in the press. It seems they didn’t dig far enough to find me, but poor Megan, she’s been through the ringer, along with his parents. My mom said they finally went to a private resort somewhere in the Cayman Islands. Lucas’s attorneys got him out on a high priced bail and he’s been lying low, I guess. I haven’t seen much of him on TV.
I’m dancing in my kitchen as I cook.
Yeah, it’s really clear, I ain’t no size two, but I can shake it shake it, like I’m supposed to do.
I’m interrupted by the doorbell. That must be some of the guys. I swing the door open and the world goes silent.
“What are you doing here?” I’m staring at an obviously drunk or high Lucas Smith.
“I just needed to come by and congratulate you again on really ruining my life.”
“I didn’t ruin your life, you pedophile. You did a pretty good job of that all on your own. Getting caught trying to pick up underage girls, that’s pretty pathetic.”
He barges past me. I leave the front door open, call me paranoid but he’s making me nervous.
He’s pacing in my living room. “I’m pathetic?! I’m pathetic?! You got knocked up in college! You just cashed in on that! I’ve lost everything! I planned to take you with me to the pros! You were a good girl, a sweet girl. I never thought you would be in it for money.”
I pick up a pillow from my couch and throw it at him. “Really?! You’re saying I was in it for the money? You are trying to say you were taking me with you?! You weren’t taking me with you. Do you think I didn’t know about the other girls? I wasn’t as stupid as you thought I was! I had started hearing all the rumors, I was upset with myself for letting you go without condoms. The day I found out I was pregnant with Sage, I had decided I’d had enough. I was going to break up with you that night. T
hen the doctor from the student clinic called me back about my blood work. The blood work I’d had done because I was worried about STD’s, not pregnancy. I thought maybe you’d show me some moral support but you acted like I had been trying to trap you. I was scared to death and I needed you. Lucas Andrew Smith, not Mr. Quarterback.”
“Screw you, Sloan! My life is ruined. If you would’ve just had the abortion, none of this would’ve came out. I wouldn’t be in the middle of a divorce and I wouldn’t have taken that girl up on her offer.”
“Oh, so now it’s my fault that you propositioned someone you thought was fifteen?! You’re some kind of fucking pervert. I’m glad I didn’t end up with you.”
I never saw the slap coming. “SHUT UP!”
Before I can blink, my survival skills kick in and the butt of my palm strikes his nose, then I back up in a defensive stance. I finally wipe the blood from my lip. “Get out of my house! Are you drunk or something?”
He sinks down to the floor. “My life is over, Sloan,” he sobs. “I know they are going to put me in jail. The NFL is going to be able to let me out of my contract because of the ethics clause. I’m so stupid.”
I kneel down in front of him. “Lucas, you need to pull it together. Let me call your parents or Megan to come get you, or even one of the guys from the team.”
He shakes his head. “No. I have no one. My parents had to leave the damn country because of me. Megan has been harassed so much she’s went into hiding, too.”
I put my hands on his shoulders. “Lucas, look at me. This is what happens when you live a selfish life. You end up with no one when you need people the most. Now, come on. I’m going to call you a cab and tomorrow, when you’re sober, you can come back and get your car.”
He climbs to his feet. “No, I’m gonna go. I’m sorry I burst in your house like this.”
“Hey, you need to pull yourself together. Come eat some supper or something. Sober up a little before you leave. I fixed spaghetti and meatballs.” I give him a faint smile.
He gives me a drunken smile. “I always loved it when you made meatballs.”
I smile and nod. “It’s funny, so does Sage. It’s his favorite meal.”
Letting Lox In Page 17