Love in Play

by Zuri Day

  “Not at all,” Jake responded, shaking his head. “I was once your age, and did my share of looking.” Jake noticed how Justin sat a little straighter, his eyes sparkling at this admission. “There’s nothing wrong with being curious, especially as you adjust to the changes happening to your body. But you’ll have plenty of time for girls, Justin. Right now I think your focus should be on school and football, especially how you’re going to get past Carter Woodson this Friday.”

  “Aw, c’mon now, Coach. Carter’s a chump. I’ma run right through him.”

  Jake laughed. “Is that right?”

  Justin nodded.

  “We’ll see,” Jake said, turning the pages of the book in front of him. “But before you do that, let’s see if you can run past these mathematical equations.”

  Later that evening, Dominique was pleased to see that instead of sulking and staying in his room, Justin was back to his chatty self.

  “Did you have a good time at school today?” she asked, hoping to root out the cause for Justin’s changed mood.

  “Uh-huh.”

  “What was so good about it?”

  “I made a forty-yard touchdown at practice today. Coach Mac showed us this new play and I got it right the first time!”

  “That sounds great, baby. Is that why you’re in such a good mood?”

  “Yeah, that and the fact that me and Coach talked.”

  Dominique’s parental antennae immediately went up. She didn’t even bother correcting the poor grammar that was her pet peeve. “Oh,” she nonchalantly responded. “What about?”

  “Man stuff, Mama,” Justin answered as he stood and grabbed an apple from the bowl of fruit centered on the dining room table. “You wouldn’t understand.”

  “What do you mean, ‘man stuff,’” Dominique probed. “Was it about those nasty pictures you viewed?”

  “They weren’t nasty.”

  “Is that what he told you?”

  “What he said is between me and Coach Mac!” Justin raced toward the stairs.

  “Justin! Get back here.”

  Justin ignored his mother. “I wish he was my dad,” he mumbled under his breath. But not low enough. Dominique heard.

  “Wait a minute, boy. What did you say?”

  “Nothing!” Justin said, as he continued up the stairs and slammed the door to his room.

  Dominique resisted the urge to follow after Justin and force him to talk. She needed the time alone as much as he did; time to calm down and gather her thoughts. He wishes Jake was his father? This declaration had thrown her for a loop. Her mind reeled as she tidied up the kitchen and once done, she went upstairs as well. In the privacy of her master domain, she reached for her phone.

  “Jake, it’s me,” Dominique said once her phone call had been answered. “When it comes to Justin and how I raise him, I think you’re crossing the line.”

  “What?” Jake responded, incredulity wrapped around all three consonants and the vowel.

  “You heard me,” Dominique retorted, her tone low and unyielding. “I want to know what you discussed with my son, and I want to know now.”

  25

  Dominique eased her car into what looked like the last spot in the parking lot, not at all happy at the distance between her and a seat in the bleachers for today’s game. It still amazed her that so many people showed up to support a grade-school team. But here they were five games into the season and the parking lot was packed. The article on Jake McDonald that had appeared in the sports section of last week’s LA Times had further increased the team’s popularity.

  Today, Dominique blended in a bit more with the crowd. Her CJ Jeans fit her thick thighs and juicy derriere to perfection and the light gold mohair sweater not only gave a nod to the team’s colors but also highlighted the golden tones in her skin. Her short, springy locs shined from the leave in conditioner she’d sprayed on just before leaving the house and the subtle scent of her favorite cologne, along with gold hoop earrings, bangles, and a chunky necklace were the perfect accessories. But anyone thinking Dominique was anything less than a fashion statement had to look no further than her four-inch Jimmy Choo shoes for the truth—Dominique dominated full-figure fashion... even at her son’s sixth grade football game.

  Dominique had just sat down on a bleacher near the top of the stands when her phone beeped.

  It was Reggie who’d begged out of accompanying her to the game because of a hot date with Quinn, his new man. Do you need me at work on Monday, Miss Dom?

  Dominique quickly typed in her response. Don’t I need you most Mondays?

  Yes, but Quinn surprised me with a trip to Las Vegas, and tickets to see Celine Dion’s Sunday night show. Girl, after an evening with that voice I’ll be no good the next day. Maybe come in by the afternoon? Plz, Miss Dom!!!

  Dominique laughed out loud, shaking her head as she remembered how distraught Reggie had been just a little over a month ago, when his former lover decided he wanted to move back to Italy without him. And now he was head over heels in love with Quinn, who Dominique had to admit looked like Boris Kodjoe with hair. In other words, fine forever. Reggie changed men like she changed shoes and almost as easily. She typed back a reply that she’d see him Monday afternoon just as a cheer went up from the enthusiastic crowd. The Middleton Hurricanes had taken the field.

  A little under two hours later, parents and supporters were hugging each other in the stands. The Hurricanes remained undefeated, beating their opponents in a nail-biting game won by a field goal with two minutes remaining. Dominique was just as excited as the rest of the onlookers, not only because her son’s team had won, but also because she’d actually been able to follow the game. Six short weeks ago, she wouldn’t have been able to tell a touchdown from a touchback but, thanks to Jake’s patient tutoring, could now spout football jargon with the best of them. She turned toward the field to look for Justin and encountered two dark chocolate-brown eyes staring at her. She still had a bone or two to pick with Jake McDonald, but Dominique’s heart skipped a beat as she nodded in acknowledgement and he motioned for her to join him on the field.

  “Great game, Coach,” she said, once she’d worked her way through the throng of people surrounding him. The warm words were paired with a cold stare.

  “Glad you enjoyed,” Jake responded, ignoring her demeanor while lazily running his eyes along Dominique’s ample frame. “I see you’re getting into the groove, wearing the colors and what not.”

  Noting the listening ears around them, Dominique smiled as she straightened the purple and gold scarf loosely tied around her neck. “What else would you expect from the proud mother of your star tight end?”

  Both Jake and Dominique burst out laughing, remembering when she’d first talked about her son and his position at right end. Their camaraderie was interrupted, however, when a television reporter wrangled her way into the mix.

  “Can we get a quick interview, Coach?”

  “Sure, Madison,” Jake said, with a wink to the reporter and a nod to the cameraman. The reporter stepped between Jake and Dominique and began firing appropriately honed questions at the man who led one of only two undefeated teams in the league.

  Dominique took in the attractive blonde, from her skintight jeans to her low-cut top exposing large boobs on a slender frame, and backed away. She tried not to feel the quick stab of jealousy that shot through her heart, tried not to analyze why Jake smiling at the reporter had affected her the way it had. She’d never given much thought to the type of woman Jake liked, or if he were dating anyone but her. They’d never had the conversation about exclusivity and why would they? Dominique wasn’t even ready to acknowledge that they were in a relationship, especially now. She’d referred to their being together as “scratching an itch.” But was that really all she wanted and if so, when would this itch go away?

  “Mom!” Justin ran up to her, followed by another football player and a haggard-looking mom. “Travis’s mom is taking us out for pizza. Can I g
o?”

  A young, brunette woman, who looked little over the age of a kid herself, came up behind the two boys. “Hi,” she said, reaching a hand out to Dominique. “I’m Kathy, Travis’s mom.”

  “Hi, I’m Dominique.”

  “Nice to meet you. Wow, now I see where Justin got his build! I mean... height,” Kathy added after belatedly realizing how her comment may have sounded.

  Dominique laughed. “He got his height and build from me. His father was average size.” Average at everything, Dominique thought but didn’t voice.

  “Well, he’s a star for sure, already got a fan club.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes,” Kathy answered. She leaned in and continued. “Especially that cute cheerleader over there. I think her name is Ashley.”

  Dominique followed Kathy’s pointing finger. “Oh, really?”

  “Yes,” Kathy said, with a laugh. “But you didn’t hear that from me.”

  Dominique waved at Justin as he and a group of boys followed Kathy out of the stadium. She looked back to see Jake and the blonde still deep in conversation. She watched as the woman touched him with familiarity, and he laughed at something she said. Dominique whirled around, totally forgetting that she was upset with Jake and shouldn’t care who he talked to. Instead, she barely resisted stomping out of the stadium. If not for the fact that her Jimmy Choos were reminding her that they weren’t made for foot stomping, cement pounding, and jumping up and down at each spectacular Hurricane play, she may not have been successful. She wrapped her scarf tighter around her neck against the unexpected October chill, joined the masses exiting the stadium on the way to their cars, and convinced herself that what Jake did and who he did it with was none of her business.

  She’d just pulled into her driveway when the phone rang. A sound as smooth and sweet as fresh maple syrup poured into her ear. “Hey, baby.”

  Dominique knew her body had no business growing warm with two simple words. But it did. “Hey,” she responded.

  “Why’d you run off?”

  “You were busy working, which I totally understand. I didn’t want to intrude. Plus, the reporter looked like she definitely wanted you all to herself.” Dominique hoped that she didn’t sound jealous... but she knew that she did.

  “You should have waited. Madison is an old friend.”

  “I see,” Dominique said, not at all happy that she could detect a smile in Jake’s voice.

  “Ha! No, you don’t. Madison used to be married to one of the Raiders. That’s how I know her. The interview was quick, only a couple minutes. But then I got sidetracked by a group representing a summer training camp. They had all kinds of questions about me, my career... and a couple about your son. He’s making an impression in this league.”

  At the mention of Justin, Dominique remembered why she shouldn’t be feeling all warm and fuzzy where Jake was concerned. “Speaking of Justin,” she continued with less warmth in her voice, “Jake, I’m still very concerned that you’re sharing confidences with my son and then keeping them from me.”

  “Dominique, like I said the other night, I planned to tell you what Justin said about wanting me to be his father.”

  “And exactly when were you planning on telling me that?”

  “What does it matter? I obviously didn’t tell you soon enough. And for that, again, I apologize.”

  “This is exactly why I didn’t want to start this.”

  “Baby, there are some things in life that we simply can’t control. Besides, I’d think Justin having positive male role models in his life would be considered a good thing.”

  “Positive role models are good; keeping secrets isn’t.”

  “Fair enough.”

  “Really? So you’re ready to share with me what you discussed with my child?”

  Jake laughed. “Woman, I already told you. What we discussed was man-to-man, not to mention that he specifically asked me not to tell you about it.”

  “I could care less what my son asked you. He’s eleven years old, Jake. Eleven. Kids that age should have no secrets from their mama!”

  “Calm down, baby. It’s not that serious, really.”

  “If you’d just tell me what y’all talked about, there would be no need to calm down. As it is, I have my theories. It was about the pictures, right?”

  Jake sighed. “As I said before, Dominique, if you want to know what your son talked to me about, you’ll have to ask him. I will not break a confidence.”

  “Even though you know it’s the right thing to do?”

  “We obviously disagree with what is right in this instance. I will tell you this, Dominique. There is nothing he shared that you need to be worried about. Your son is a normal, growing boy, trying to navigate the journey to becoming a man.”

  “I need to be a part of that journey,” Dominique huffed.

  “And you are.”

  “Oh, really? I can’t tell.”

  Jake ignored Dominique’s comment and continued, “Some things about growing up can’t be understood unless you’ve actually been there, walked in those shoes. I’ve been there.” Jake’s voice became softer as if emotions from past memories threatened to overtake him. “I’ve been a young man without a father. Thing about me, though, is that I had older brothers to help school me. Justin’s by himself.”

  “No, he isn’t. He has an uncle, and cousins.”

  “That he obviously didn’t feel comfortable with exposing his feelings to. Trust me, baby. The last thing I’d ever want to do is steer any young man in the wrong direction. Especially Justin.”

  Used to getting her way, Dominique couldn’t see past her anger at not being able to control Jake and hear the truth in his words. “Why especially Justin?” she countered. “Why are you so interested in my son?”

  “Because he reminds me of myself at his age,” Jake said. “When I see that unsure, lonely look in his eyes... it’s like I’m looking in a mirror. Here’s what I will say... the changes occurring in and to Justin’s body are perfectly normal occurrences. He isn’t some creature from outer space just because he’s curious about the opposite sex. Sometimes these subjects are better handled man-to-man, baby. That’s why he sought me out and shared what was on his mind.”

  Dominique fumed in silence, begrudgingly admitting that much of what Jake said was probably true. She thought back to an article she’d read on single parenting. In it, a father was quoted as saying that “while a female can nurture and love her son, it takes a male to turn a boy into a man.” Dominique had balked at this ideology, knowing that no one knew her son better than she, or loved him more. But that was before last Sunday and the naked pics, before she’d entertained ideas of him masturbating and growing pubic hair. Now, she wondered... was she properly equipped to turn her spunky boy into a responsible man?

  Jake spoke into the silence. “Why don’t you come over?”

  “I can’t. Justin went for pizza with some of his friends and Tessa’s off today. I need to be home when he gets there.” And she also needed to pout some more, but Dominique withheld this information.

  “Then I could come over there.”

  “Jake, you know how I feel about that. I’ve already broken rules with you as it is, and Justin is already too attached to you... as it is. I don’t want to give him the wrong idea about us, or send you the wrong signal.”

  “And what signal would that be? That what we have here could be more than a sexual fling, could actually grow into some kind of relationship?”

  “You know I don’t think that’s a good idea, and you also know why.”

  “What I know,” Jake purred, his voice dropping lower and bringing a shiver to Dominique’s spine, “is that there is a certain woman I want to kiss right now, in several places...”

  Dominique almost acquiesced, but there was a trait called stubbornness between her and her desire to spend the afternoon wrapped in Jake’s strong, muscled arms. He was standing his ground and she didn’t like it. Since recovering
from her last relationship and the betrayal that accompanied it, being in control was her territory. Jake was strong, a man’s man, and while she knew that she’d be less impressed with a weakling, she wasn’t sure how much she liked his being able to stand up against her.

  After reaching her house, Dominique hit her garage door remote and eased her car forward. “I think I’ll stay home and get some rest,” she said, as she pushed the remote and exited her vehicle. “I plan to be in the office early in the morning.”

  “Okay,” Jake said, disappointment dripping from the word, and added, “But instead of the fact that I’m a man of my word, I wish it were your body you were holding against me.”

  26

  Monday morning, and Dominique was in a major mood. She tried to blame it on the fact that her subject for the summer issue, D’Andra Simmons, had had to cancel their interview because her son had gotten sick. But truth be told, Dominique was experiencing withdrawal of the Big Mac kind. Until yesterday, it hadn’t dawned on her that Jake was becoming a part of her routine, his loving as expected as having breakfast in the morning. Since meeting him, this was the first weekend she’d spent alone and not having him by her side bothered her more than she cared to admit. Plus, she still hadn’t broached the “Jake as a father” comment with her son and wasn’t necessarily looking forward to the conversation.

  “What is it, Reggie?” she barked into the phone.

  “Ooh, excuse me, Miss Dom, but girlfriend... who’s got your panties all in a bunch?”

  Dominique sighed. “Get in here.”

  Reggie pranced into her office in his usual flamboyant fashion. Today he wore a turquoise shirt, black velvet pants, and—inspired by Miss Jay from America’s Next Top Model—his size-twelve feet were enduring three-inch, custom-made heels. His hair was freshly permed and extended beyond his shoulders, a nod to his respect for Beverly Hills’s flamboyant hairdresser, Elgin Charles. His lashes were long and his makeup flawless. In short, Reggie De-Vaughn Williams looked amazing.