“Don’t remind me,” he groaned. “How about I skip this game?”
“Rumors would abound and you’d spend the next five games trying not to say my name while explaining what you did instead of play.”
“What could we do?”
“Besides make soup?” Sylvia teased and turned in his arms so she could rest herself on his stomach.
“Obviously.”
“You could teach me how to play cards.”
“I’m not good at it.”
“How ‘bout you giving me a massage?”
“You’re better at those. You have magical fingers.”
“Then I guess you’ll have to fuck me to sleep.”
“I don’t…” Matthias sighed. “I probably couldn’t do that either.”
“Too bad, I guess you’ll just have to play basketball in front of millions of adoring fans and I’ll take care of myself.”
“Just let me hold you for a while.” The way Matthias said that as he cradled her body next to his had Sylvia worried. He seemed depressed. Was he really upset about his cook? She thought they had a good banter going back and forth.
Matthias passed out with his arms wrapped around Sylvia’s waist. Having flipped the channel to a cooking challenge Sylvia tried to quell the thought she’d upset him when his phone went off. Normally he woke immediately, but this time he just held her tighter.
Fearing he was missing an appointment Sylvia reached for the phone. A text message was scrawled on the middle of the screen.
Fight it all you want, you will be mine.
* * * *
“Sylvia Kinder,” a familiar voice made Sylvia turn around to see Patrick Martin.
She knew he’d taken over a restaurant—she just didn’t know it was in this casino—but she had to admit seeing a friendly face calmed her nerves. The past few days had been a whirlwind and she wanted to put her feet back on the ground, even if it was just for a minute.
“Patrick,” Sylvia replied and fell into his open arms.
The warmth of his embrace reminded her of the hours they had spent together and how he had helped her rediscover herself. The smell of cumin was still on his shirt, something that, no matter how much she washed his clothes, she couldn’t get out. Now it had become a sweet memory of a time when she felt…comfortable.
His sandy blond hair had grown out a few inches and she could see the curls that he usually shore. He must have learned that they were attractive for his rectangular face. Try as she might, Sylvia couldn’t help but wrap a finger around a lock of his hair and tuck it behind his ear.
Patrick’s left hand had a few fingers curled around a hanger with his white chef’s coat still covered in the clear plastic from the dry cleaner.
“I heard the All-Star game was in town,” Patrick said. “We haven’t seen any traffic from it yet. We should have offered a deal to the players. Oh well, live and learn.”
“Shaq had his comedy night and there were about twenty parties yesterday. I’m not sure you would have wanted to deal with all the promoters.”
“So, how’d your boyfriend do in the slam dunk contest?” he asked, and Sylvia blushed.
“He wasn’t in it this year. Just the game tonight.”
“That’s too bad, I know how you like that competition. You need to come see The House.”
“I don’t think I’ll have time to go very far outside the stadium.”
“No, The House is my restaurant.”
“Oh, got it. Sorry. We haven’t spent much time in the casino, but we did get room service this morning, was that from The House?”
“No, Kandas does breakfast food.”
“It was good either way.”
Sylvia started to feel uneasy. What if Langston saw her and said something to Matthias about her talking to another man? She looked around the lobby and to the elevators.
“Come by anyway, your whole crew. I’ll hold my table for you.”
“We won’t be done ‘til almost eleven.”
“This is Vegas, it’s either four-thirty or midnight, it’ll be fine.”
“We’re a pretty big group.”
“You? With a big group? Is it kids from class?”
“No,” Sylvia blushed again. “I thought you…”
It had been a few months and she had actually gotten used to people close to her knowing Matthias was her boyfriend.
“You know what, we’d love to come. I’ll hold back on the popcorn so I’ll save room.”
“Great, see you then,” Patrick said as he placed his hand on her shoulder. “And Sylvia, it was great seeing you.”
Sylvia’s nerves twisted her gut.
“I don’t want to know,” Langston growled as he clutched Sylvia’s upper arm and drug her to the limo outside.
“Let go, Langston.”
“He had practice today you selfish brat.”
“What are you talking about?”
“One day alone in Vegas and you’re already—”
“Getting us seated at the cook’s table at one of the best restaurants in Vegas.”
“Yeah, I bet.”
“Trust me, he wants one of the best NBA players there, he hasn’t had any players come in yet.”
“Bullshit. I saw the way you were looking at him. You think I don’t know—”
“Don’t know what? That I love Matthias so much no man is attractive to me anymore. That I’ve loved Matthias for over half my life? Or do you not know that I’d leave before I’d do anything to hurt him.”
“That looked really familiar for just meeting a chef.”
“We’re old friends. He’s the one who taught me how to cook.”
“Oh…so you mean…”
“That I don’t give hugs to strangers, yeah. I’m funny that way.”
“Silly…I know how Matthias feels about you, he loves you. When Sha…it would destroy him if he ever thought…On Monday you’re flying to Arizona for a month with a group of men…”
She tuned Langston out. If anybody should be insecure, it should be her. She never got a response when she told Matthias she loved him at New Years, and the thought of saying I love you one more time without a reply weighed heavily on her mind. Sure, Langston and Sharee had told her Matthias loved her, now if only Matthias would say it.
Turning her head, Sylvia watched as the lights of the Vegas strip passed by. The car could barely move past idling speed because the streets were packed. Sitting in silence with Langston caused the air to hang thick in the limo. She turned to him and put her foot down on one thing.
“You put your hand on me again and I’ll tell Matthias. You know how he feels about me. What do you think the outcome will be?”
* * * *
Destiny Shaw came out in the middle of the arena with fireworks and a full stage show. Facing Matthias on the West Bench she started to sing her latest number one hit Destined to be My Man.
Shifting nervously in his seat Matthias looked to Silly in the stands next to Langston. She didn’t know about the texts that Destiny had been sending him. He didn’t know how to block Destiny without causing a problem, and involving Simone hadn’t gone the way he expected. She advised if Destiny sang or played toward him he needed to play along.
She was a rising star and the All-Star game was more of a pageant than a ball game. It was time to showcase and show off. Hell, jump over the right car and you’ll have a deal in place by the end of the night.
“Oh yeah, baby, you know what I know, baby…that it will only take one night with me…”
The lyrics left much to be desired and Matthias turned trying to make it seem like she was singing to Conroy sitting next to him. Silly was watching the fireworks and by the time she turned back to him, thankfully Destiny had started to work the crowd more. Matthias didn’t know why Simone kept telling him he needed to wait until after the season was over to expose his relationship to the world. He wanted to be engaged by then.
Destiny was coming to her crescendo and was walkin
g down the line of guys on the bench. They turned to her and she stroked their cheeks, but she ended up landing on Matthias as her song ended.
She straddled his waist.
“Oh yeah, baby you gonna be my man.”
Matthias smiled and placed his hand on her back. She leaned in and kissed his cheek causing the crowd to erupt in applause. All except Silly who looked like she’d been shot.
“You can get off now,” he whispered praying they’d turned off her mike.
“Matthias you haven’t answered my last three texts.”
“I’m busy.”
“So am I, but I’m sure we could find a way to connect. Where are you going tonight?”
“I’m not sure. I heard some restaurant, but it’s not confirmed.”
“Well I like to eat…maybe I’ll see you there.”
She stood up and did the double wave to the crowd, then left so the next act could come and sing the national anthem and get the game started. Matthias winked at Silly, happy she seemed to be unaffected by Destiny and her antics. Now for something he needed. A good game.
Langston was on a strict keep-Destiny-Shaw-the-fuck-away from the locker room and this feat ended up being harder than Matthias had expected. Silly was unguarded when Matthias walked out dressed in his latest suit.
“Come on, Silly Girl.” Matthias wrapped his arm around her waist and held her tight.
She didn’t protest in the least. It’d been three long days of women throwing everything from their phone numbers, to their room keys—even their underwear at him. Worst of all, many had simply thrown themselves at him.
Simone took on Langston’s duties. Her relationship with a few paparazzi gave them safe passage to the limo.
“Where are we going?”
“The House, it’s the restaurant in the casino. The chef’s table is ours.”
Arriving at the restaurant with its modern style and low lighting allowed Matthias and his entourage to slip through to the back table unnoticed. Sliding into the middle of the corner booth he was surprised when Sylvia stayed standing and waited for the chef to arrive.
Anger was his next emotion when she fell into the chef’s arms and kissed him lightly on the cheek. Still holding his hand she turned and introduced him to the table.
“And of course, Patrick, this is Matthias, who really is my boyfriend…although it’s not being publicized for obvious reasons.”
“What reasons?”
“You know. The press would have a field day with my past. He’s just protecting me.”
Patrick went from jovial host to giving Matthias a look of shame and disapproval. Fuck him. Why did Matthias need this guy’s approval anyway? Who the hell was he? Just the only man besides him that had made Silly know sex was a good thing.
When Silly slid in next to him he immediately wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her flush to his body.
“I want to go.”
“Why? Are you feeling okay?”
“I don’t want to eat your ex-boyfriend’s food.”
“I didn’t want to see you getting a lap dance from Destiny Shaw while she publicly pledged that you’d be her man.”
“Honey, nobody was forcing you to watch.” Destiny stood in front of them resting her hip against the edge of the booth. “Can you move? A real woman’s here and I’ll be taking him for the night.”
Matthias felt his heart in his throat as Silly tried to pull away from him.
“Langston!”
“Excuse me, you are not on the guest list.” Simone jumped up and blocked Destiny’s advances. “And I’m pretty sure that was made more than clear to you earlier tonight.”
Thank God for Simone, Matthias thought as Silly kept trying to pull away.
“I don’t know who you think you are—”
“Obviously, because I know your persona is pure bullshit. You attended prep school in Connecticut, nowhere near your claim of Queens. You didn’t join one of the hardest gangs in the area and you didn’t run one of the deadliest drug rings. At best you blew a banger at sometime. I on the other hand,” Simone growled. “Beat the shit out of phony ass bitches like you on the regular…ya hear me. Now I’m gonna talk all ignorant and shit ‘cause you pretend that’s all you really understand. Cotillion bitches get ‘dealt with where I’m from.”
“You callin’ me ignorant,” Destiny snarled as her head bobbed and weaved. “What, you fuckin’ him? If so I’ll back off, but if your pussy was good enough to keep him, it’d be good enough to have him shout it from the rooftops. And he has yet to tell me to step himself.”
“Get your ratchet ass away before the funk spoils the food.”
“I know you didn’t just call me a ratchet.”
“Oh, I did, or do you not know what that is? Did your mommy and daddy in the ‘burbs not use that kind of language with you? You’ve been told to step…I suggest you do.”
“Matthias never told me to, um, step.”
“His silence did.”
* * * *
Surprise, Arizona wasn’t too bad of a drive from Phoenix. The plane ride was fine and Sylvia spent most of it looking out the window wishing she was back in KC. At least Matthias had a game against the Suns in a week so they won’t have to be apart that long.
Still the separation seemed somehow harder than when Matthias would be gone for a week. Maybe this was how he felt when he’d fly away from her. Then again he was never gone longer than ten days. She’d be gone for three weeks and even though they technically had the weekend off, she’d been advised leaving would be taken negatively.
Her cell phone had been going off since they stepped off the plane. Texting galore since she didn’t want the people on the bus to hear her conversation. Only a few people knew she was Matthias’ new girl. Simone had handled hiding her like she was the plague as well as squashing any rumors that would surface about Simone and Matthias with her patented giggle of Oh, no I simply work for Matthias.
It didn’t matter that the world didn’t know about them because Sylvia walked taller and held her head up knowing he cared for her and was behind her style. Almost three months together and he still couldn’t walk past her without at least squeezing her ass.
Simone had taken up residence in a lower condo, paid for of course by Matthias. Strangely Sylvia thought she’d miss those breakfasts with Langston, Simone, and Matthias as they’d all joke about this and that before everyone scattered to the wind. Somehow they’d created a little family that Matthias and she were happy parents of.
“Well hello, Sexy,” Kent Burk turned on his million dollar smile as he approached Sylvia. “I heard you’re one of my trainers. I’ll let you know right now I’m going to need quite a bit of rubbing down every day.”
Kent was the star rookie who she’d been told was the next great pitcher in the league. Already a great—a.k.a spoiled—young promising star, he was someone she was expected to kowtow to. Sylvia was unimpressed by the barely eighteen-year-old that she’d heard only graduated because his hometown wanted to make sure he could play in the league. He was barely literate from what she’d seen in the few days prior to the flight, and was always making passes at anything with two legs, a hole, and boobs. In KC he’d had the requisite girls waiting just at the edge of the parking lot for him. But now with a minimum of eight hours a day with only her and a few water girls to keep him busy, Sylvia had landed on his radar.
“Well, Kent, then you need to talk to Bob over there because he’s our massage therapist. I’m mostly a tape ‘em up kinda girl.”
Kent looked across the lobby of the hotel at Bob who was already sweating profusely. Bob was about fifty and had worked for the Royals for the past twenty some years. Balding and carrying at least forty extra pounds, mostly in his stomach, he probably didn’t have the tits Kent was hoping for. Sylvia did have to give it to Bob though, he had strong hands that could loosen any muscle.
“Sylvia, that is your name right?”
“Yes.”
“It’s a long three weeks and I’m sure we’re both bound to get lonely.”
“I have a boyfriend.”
“Is he here to handle your needs?”
“Kent, there will be girls lining up for your autograph and more after every practice. I’m here for a grade. Personally, I’m not really a baseball fan.”
“Are you one of those girls that thinks it’s just about hitting a ball with a big ole bat?”
“I know there’s skill involved, I just need a faster paced sport to interest me.”
“I can go fast.”
Kent leaned into Sylvia’s personal space and for the first time in months, her claustrophobia kicked into high gear. The therapists all said she should trust this instinct and when the little hairs on the back of her neck stood up it signified more than just some crazy flashback.
“My pitches have been clocked at over a hundred-miles-per-hour and even broke a hand or two in the weaker catchers. But you’re not weak, are you Sylvia?”
Sylvia saw the head trainer, Max, watching her as he handed out room assignments. She’d already caught him complaining about having a woman at training camp, not that she hadn’t already come up against this in other spots. They’d had a female trainer a few years ago whose goal was to be engaged by the end of training camp. She kept the men off their game and finally had to be sent home. That wasn’t Sylvia. She’d never gone into athletic training for a chance to meet a player and be some damn Cinderella story. Sure she’d fallen into one, but it wasn’t her goal.
Either way she had to right this with Max, because she knew she couldn’t put Kent in his place. Damn golden boys. She’d just spend the next three weeks as far away from Kent as possible.
“I have to go get my room assignment from Max.”
Sylvia scuttled away from Kent as fast as she could without dropping into an all-out sprint.
“What room am I in?”
“Anxious?”
“My boyfriend’s back in KC. I’d like to video chat with him before the briefing tonight.”
“Boyfriend?”
Silly Girl Page 17
