The Gamble: A Novel
Page 17
Luca
I roll my eyes at the text message.
Father: If I give you extra money on top of the extra money I'm already giving you next month, will you at least CONSIDER having dinner or meeting me for a drink?
Buying his son's affections is what he's best at. Despite his greatest efforts I'm still not giving up the chance to have dinner with my girlfriend to have dinner with him instead. I would appreciate it if he would get off my jock about father-son bonding. Fuck. The sooner I can get my business started the sooner I can cut off all communications with him.
I slide my phone into my pocket, adjust the gym bag on my shoulder, and walk into the apartment where my best friend is walking out of his bedroom tucking in his shirt while my girlfriend is on the couch watching.
This looks worse than it is. Let me rephrase that. This better fucking look worse than it is.
Casually I walk over to the couch, lean over the edge and demand, “Kiss me.”
Alexxa glances up, smiles, and does.
Had a 50/50 shot of her telling me to fuck off. One more thing I love about dating her. Never exactly sure of which response I'm going to get.
After our lips fall apart I question, “Why's he all sweaty?”
“I just got out of the shower jackass,” Warren snaps. “And you can ask me questions too. I am in the room.”
I give him a shrug. “Yeah, but this way pisses you off more.”
He turns his attention to Alexxa. “And this is the asshole you want to date?”
She giggles, “He's got a way with his tongue.”
Warren stops fiddling with his belt. “Please tell me you mean words.”
“Nope,” I answer with a smirk. “She means tongue.”
He groans and grumbles something before clearly stating, “I am off to work. You two want me to bring you home anything?”
“Cheese-”
“Nope,” my voice cuts off hers.
Alexxa turns around to glare at me. “Excuse you. I don't stand between you and your bad taste in beer. Do not stand between me and my great taste in Mexican food.”
“Tex-Mex,” I correct her.
There's a fucking difference.
“He doesn't need to bring us anything home because we've got a date tonight.”
“What?” They question in unison.
You didn't have to join them.
“With each other?” Warren says in a curious tone.
I shoot him my middle finger.
“Valid question,” she agrees.
“You know, I may not be the greatest at this boyfriend thing, but I do know you're supposed to be on my team during moments like this.”
Alexxa shrugs. “Eh.”
“Yes.” I brace my arms against my chest. “We have a date together. I planned something.”
The two of them cock their heads to the side as their eyes grow wide in fear.
“Fuck you both for the look.”
“You've never planned a date,” Warren sighs.
“I planned the hockey game date we went on.”
My roommate shakes his head. “That doesn't count. You bought the tickets and were gonna go whether you went officially or not. To classify that even as an accidental date would be pushing it.”
Alexxa nods.
Shouldn't she be on my fucking team about this?
“So like I said, you've never planned a date before.”
“I've also never had a girlfriend before either,” I remind the two of them. “Doesn't mean I can't.”
Warren's eyes struggle not to glare.
I'm about to pay his rent for another month and couldn't give a fuck about it if I tried hard enough, but this shit? This resentment towards me because now he thinks he wants her the way I have her? He needs to fucking drop it. And I mean that shit.
“You really planned a date for us?” Alexxa softly asks. “Like a real one?”
“Yeah.”
“Like something outside of our apartments?”
“Yeah.”
“Something other than a drive-thru?”
Slowly becoming irritated, I grunt, “Yes. Now stop asking questions. I need to shower before we go.”
Warren grabs his keys from the coffee table. “You win?”
“Yeah. 50 to 37.”
“Nice,” he compliments. “Alright, I'm out. You two enjoy your....date, if you're gonna call it that.”
I flash him my middle finger.
Warren briefly chuckles, exits the apartment, and Alexxa wonders out loud, “Do I need to go home and change?”
“Nah.” Leaning down so our faces are close together again I whisper, “But you're always welcome to join me in the shower.”
She gives me a quick kiss. “You smell like eggs and ass. Pass.”
I needed the bump in protein before the game. Damn.
After a quick shower, the two of us are in my Audi heading down town for my surprise.
It's not exactly our first official date. We go out and do shit all the time together. My favorite bar. Grab a burger from her favorite joint. Hang out by the pool or float the river, but this is different. I planned for this one. I thought ahead. See. I can do this boyfriend shit sometimes. May not understand all the rules and regulations yet but at least I'm learning.
“Not that I'm ever opposed to coming home to that sexy ass of yours on my couch, but I thought you were working this afternoon, which was why you couldn't come to the game.”
Alexxa stops texting to respond. “I was working. I had to go into the office this morning to be trained about some clients by Ken's current assistant, but turns out she gets her morning sickness at noon, so I got to bail early.”
“But you knew I wouldn't be at the apartment. Why didn't you just go home?”
“Did you forget Warren lives there too?”
No. Sometimes I wish she would though. Jealous? What the fuck would I be jealous about? She's my girlfriend. She's calling out my name during foreplay. I just...I don't fucking like the idea of him being jealous of me. Or fucking up this bet, which would also royally fuck up this relationship. It's gonna sound lame as shit, but I don't really care about it anymore. But...let's just not talk about that fucked up pending doom right now. I'd like to have a good evening.
“Is this the part of the conversation where you tell me you don't want me hanging around with other guys?” Alexxa teases, dropping her phone in the cup holder. “Oh my God, is this where you give me some ridiculous cave man speech and I pretend I love it?”
I roll my eyes. “Blow me.”
Which she has yet to do for the record. Not complaining. Okay maybe a fucking little since this is the longest stretch I've gone without getting one. I will say this. Her hands stay busy and never fail to fucking get me off. She's batting a perfect game. Ha. So am I...
There's a small snicker before she says, “You're jealous I'm hanging out with Warren.”
“Nope.”
“Admit it.”
I give her a stern look.
“Ever since you found out about our slumber parties, you tense up when we're anywhere near each other for too long.”
Sometimes I hate how fucking well she knows me.
“Why didn't you ever tell me about 'em before?”
“Why would I? They didn't fucking matter then, they damn sure don't fucking matter now. The only thing that matters is you're the man whose name I scream like it's the fucking gospel.”
Her response makes me smirk.
The sex gospel of Luca.
“Warren and I are just friends. That's all we'll ever be. Let it go.”
I slip my hand over to fold with hers.
I wasn't feeling insecure. My A game wasn't shaken...
She gives it a small squeeze as if she can hear my thoughts. “Now, are you gonna tell me where we're going?”
“Nope.”
Alexxa pulls her sunglasses over her eyes. “How do you know I'm gonna like it?”
“You think you're th
e only one who knows someone in this relationship?”
“Sometimes.”
I shoot her a sarcastic stare.
A victorious smile slides on her face. “Seriously, though. What if I don't like it? You made me pass on perfectly good cheese enchiladas and I don't even know what for.”
“Those enchiladas aren't even that fucking great. My ma's are so much better.”
“I wouldn't know. I've never had 'em. Hell, until just this very moment, I didn't even know she made enchiladas.”
Taking the exit ramp, I suggest, “I'll make you a deal. If you hate this date, we'll bail early and I'll take you by the restaurant to get your fill of those pathetic fucking enchiladas. But if you love it, which you will, you spend the night at my place and make me breakfast in the morning.”
She hums, “You seem awfully cocky.”
“Confident.”
“No, cocky.” There's a long pause, but eventually she says, “Fine. You've got a deal.”
“Putting frozen waffles in the toaster doesn't count as breakfast.”
She mutters, “Damn it...”
See. I know her pretty fucking well too.
“For the record, growing up in my house, some days frozen toaster waffles were considered a gourmet treat. You try feeding five girls, making sure their lunches are packed and everyone has everything they need in their backpacks so you don't get the 10 A.M. call one of your kids forgot her pom poms.”
Hearing the slightly bitter tone in her voice tugs at more of the unfamiliar emotions.
She hated being the odd child out. I hated being the only child. Guess we're some sort of weird kindred crap or something.
“Or her extra shoes in case she got dirty digging for rocks again?”
Alexxa beams. “They weren't just any rocks. They were crystals. Basically diamonds to a seven year old.”
I pull into the paid parking area while she anxiously looks out the window, trying to figure out exactly what's to come. With a crooked grin, I toss the ticket on the dash, and find one of the last spots in the back.
As soon as I kill the engine she sighs, “A full parking lot. Super romantic.”
“We have to walk smart ass.”
“It's like 110 degrees outside.”
“It's actually in the low 90s. Be thankful.”
“I'm thankful for air conditioning.”
I shake my head on a chuckle. “Come on.”
The two of us slide out of my car and I quickly grab a blanket from the trunk. She gives me a suspicious look but holds any further questions to herself. I sling it over my shoulder and extend my hand for her to take.
A short walk later we're strolling upon food trucks parked on a blocked off street next to a giant park. There are people sitting on their own blankets, lying on them, and dancing beside them.
Intently, I watch as her jaw drops giving me the reaction I was hoping for. “You brought me to Booze and Blues...”
I wink.
“I haven't been here in years...”
Lifting a finger, I command, “And....listen.”
She clamps her mouth shut and listens to the band playing. Once she recognizes them her brown eyes brighten. “That's Buddy Blue playing!”
“Yup. They were playing on the radio the first Friday we worked together. You bitched me out for having no idea who they were and then proceeded to play them for weeks until I could see how much they kicked ass.”
“They do kick ass,” Alexxa insists and moves her body in front of mine.
You wouldn't believe how many students fell in love with blues music as much as I did that year. It's pretty funny to hear a group of seven year olds humming along while they do their homework.
“I can't believe you remember that.”
“Well I do. Just like I know Blues is hands down your favorite style of music.” As soon as she expands her grin, I playfully say, “You're making me breakfast in the morning.”
She happily declares, “Worth it.”
“Let's find a good spot.” I get ready to tug her along but stop almost instantly. With a toss of my head I greet, “Kellar.”
You don't have to drool. Trust me. I've seen enough chicks do it. You don't have to join them. What? Jealous? Nah. You know my track record. No need to give a fuck about some blue eyed kid who looks like he belongs on a CW sitcom.
“Larson.” He extends his hand for a fist bump. “You just get here?”
“Yeah. You?”
“Yeah.”
“Had to shower after that game, right?”
“Fuck yeah,” he sighs. “It was worth it though.”
“Yeah. You've got some fucking talent, bro. Pro level.”
“You too. You play in college?”
I shake my head. “Fucked up my leg in high school.”
Which is how I mention that shit most of the time, not the way I let it slip to Alexxa. Other than my ma' and the chicks I was fucking back then, no one really knows how injured or weak I was. I like to keep it that way. Doesn't affect my ability to tear shit up now, so why bother mentioning it?
“What about you?”
“Nah.” He adjusts his arm around the female beside him. “Played in high school, but never had the urge to keep playing that hard. Had offers though.”
The kid is a few years younger than me. He's still in the prime days of college. Still has a chance to change his mind. Doubt he will. From the look in his eyes he's closed the door. I'd know. I used to get the same one when people suggested I get back into sports professionally even it was just somewhere on a B team. I've been over those urges for years. All it took was seeing how quickly people are to fucking forget about you after calling you family only a week before to put a real perspective on the false sense of security sports builds. Eh. Still love to play though. Just with minor ties instead of heavy ones.
“Well this is better than a pissing contest,” Alexxa speaks up from beside me. “But how about you tell me who the hell he is so me, and what I'm assuming is his girlfriend, can stop gawking like deer in headlights.”
His girlfriend giggles and I tilt my head towards Alexxa. “This mouthy thing with a great ass, is my girlfriend, Alexxa. Alexxa meet Dean Kellar. He started playing on my team during Saturday basketball games earlier this month. He's got a killer hook shot.”
She drops my hand and extends it to shake his. “Nice to meet you.”
“You too.” He shakes. “This, beautiful work of art is my girl. Megan.”
She's cute. Nothin' to worry my star player about though. You've seen Alexxa. What the hell else can compare?
The women shake and Alexxa asks, “Does he always introduce you that way?”
“Typically,” Megan giggles. “Does he?”
“Typically,” she repeats with an eye roll.
“You ladies can't possibly be mad at us for telling the truth,” Kellar states and slides his free hand in his pocket. “That would be like double jeopardy bullshit.”
“That's...that's not what that means.” Megan sighs with a shake of her head. “Your uncle is a lawyer. How do you not know you're using that wrong?”
“Keep up that tone and I'll use you wrong.” He waggles his eyebrows at her.
I cock a smirk, which is when Alexxa nudges me in the side. “Now I see why you're friends.”
Innocently I snap, “What? I didn't say anything.”
“You were thinking it.”
Kellar chuckles and fist bumps me again.
Fine. I was.
“We're gonna grab a spot. Want us to save a space close by?” Alexxa offers.
“That would be awesome,” Megan exclaims. “We were gonna get something from the fries food truck. Want us to bring you anything back?”
“I'll take the ones with sirache sauce,” Alexxa says as I take out my wallet.