by Scott, Kylie
I continue to trace her skin because I love it and I can. Touching her is a luxury I don’t think I’ll ever get used to. Nor would I want to.
“Better. Still hurt. Brokenhearted over Trina.”
She reaches out a hand and cups my scruffy jaw. “It’s normal to feel that way and you likely will for a long time. She was important to you.”
I nod and take a deep breath, trying to let the sadness go if even for a moment. Turning flat on my back I remember what she said. “Right before…” I rub my hand over my face not wanting to think about what happened. “Uh, during the call. She said she received a cheerleading application with Mindy’s name on it.”
“Huh. Interesting timing, but why is that a big deal?”
“Because it was sent and stamped approved by Coach Bates and not the cheerleading coach.”
She frowns. “So that means the coach did a dirty and slid the application through improper channels?”
“Yeah. But why? Unless it was payment for something?”
“Something like drugging a player and setting him up for a crash and burn of his career in order to get herself the job she wants as a cheerleader with the team?” She sits up and her bare breasts come into view.
I grin, reach out, and pinch a pretty, pink tip.
She smacks my hand away. “Don’t get frisky. We need to figure this out.”
I sigh. “What does it matter anymore? The world is ending and Trina is dead. I’ve got you. Fuck everything else.”
Sadie narrows her eyes into little slits. “Are you kidding me? You’ve been trying to figure this out for three weeks and you’re going to give up now? When you’re right on the edge of finding out the truth?”
“Like I said, who cares anymore?”
“You care. Trust me on that. It might not feel like it right now, but you do, Evan.” Sadie jumps out of bed beautifully naked. Gloria, who was resting on the foot of the bed, hops down with her ass in the air and prances towards the kitchen, likely thinking Sadie was going to feed her breakfast.
My girl grabs my T-shirt from yesterday and slips it on sans panties. Nice.
“I’m calling that lying little skank! Right now. I’m going to get the proof you need.”
Then something Trina said right before she collapsed blazes through my memory bank. “Baby.” I shuffle out of bed, grab my lounge pants, and tug them on. “Honey, Trina said she’d send me a copy of the application. That would be the proof we need.”
At least for that part. Doesn’t fix the planted steroids which is still a hard point with the legal team. As far as I knew, they were still undecided about the outcome of that particular issue.
I make my way into the living room and find Sadie on my laptop.
“Password,” she demands.
“Football2015. Capital F.”
She taps in my code rapidly.
“She said she’d send the e-mail?” she asks, bringing up my Gmail account.
“Yeah.”
She has her sexy glasses on, and her entire body screams that she’s serious and in investigative mode. Over the last couple days, I’ve watched my woman do her research and she’s a master.
I come around the loveseat and sit on the couch next to her. She’s nodding at something she’s reading before she points at the screen. “Right here. This section. Offer signed by Coach Bates. Application approved by Coach Bates. Is this enough to clear you with the team?”
I shake my head. “No. Without her confession that she drugged me and set me up I’m still in trouble. The only thing this does is prove that she had motive.”
“Unless you call her and leave a message stating that you know the truth and have a copy of her dirty application all signed and approved by Coach Bates. And that you’ll be taking it to the people over his head and her bright and shiny future is all over unless she talks to you. You might also mention that your publicist is looking at releasing this highly incriminating evidence to the press. Then leave it open for her to call back or you’ll also be notifying the police and they can come and investigate. A nice solid triple threat to set her pretty little head to spinning.”
“Damn, baby. You’re good.”
She gifts me a beaming smile and smacks her bare thighs. “I write this shit for a living. Get her freaking out. But tell her only what she needs to believe in order to give her enough rope to hang herself on.” She gets up, finds my phone, and brings it to me.
I don’t waste any time ringing Mindy’s phone.
Shockingly, she picks up. “Hello?”
“Mindy, this is Evan Sparks.”
“I have nothing to say to you, stop calling.”
I put the phone on speaker and Sadie clicks record on her phone to capture the entire conversation. My woman is so smart.
“Oh, I think you have plenty to say and more to hear. I’ve got a copy of your approved cheerleading application right in front of me.”
“You lie!” She is practically shrieking.
“Nope. And right on the section toward the bottom there’s Coach Bates’s signature on the offer and on the part where he approved the application. I know Coach put you up to this and I have your payment right here. A full three-year contract on the Oakland Marauders’ Cheerleading Squad. Worth tons of cash in the future—modeling gigs, corporate appearances, swag, calendars, and the like… Not to mention you’ll become a celebrity overnight.”
“How did you get a copy of that! Coach Bates assured me you’d never find out!” Her voice rises in anger.
“Yeah. Well, I did. And if you don’t tell me everything about that night, and how you came about those drugs or the ones in my locker…” I throw those in for good measure to see if she bites. “…then I’m taking all of this to the press and the authorities.”
“No! You can’t do that. I’ll be ruined! I just wanted to be a cheerleader and he promised no one would get hurt!” she yells and then sobs into the phone like a child.
“Tell me everything. From beginning to end. What happened?”
Sadie smiles, gets up and I watch her body shimmy to the kitchen and pop in a coffee pod. Then she coos at Gloria and gets her food ready.
“Coach Bates reached out to me about three months ago. Saw my application and asked if I wanted a sure way onto the team.”
I grind down on my molars but otherwise stay silent.
“He paid me five thousand dollars to find a guy who would sell me steroids off the street. Told me I could keep whatever was left. I bought several vials that had approximately thirty milliliters. Which was actually really cheap, so I got to bank most of the money. God, I shouldn’t have done it,” she whimpers.
“So, you bought the dope. Then what?” I glance at Sadie’s phone to make sure it is still recording.
“Um, Coach met me at a park and picked the stuff up. Then he gave me a few pills. I was supposed to put two of the pills in your drink later that week at a party he told me to attend. Then he handed me a bunch of other drugs and told me to set the scene.”
“And you did?” I want her to confirm loud and clear.
“I’m sorry, Evan. I really am. I just…I wanted to be a cheerleader since I was a child and I could never get in and…”
“And did you drug my drink that night of the party?” I bring her back to the matter at hand, not giving two shits what she wants. She fucked up my life.
She’s in full tears, her breath hitching every so often. “Yes. I came on to you and after I made sure you were super drunk, I got you a new drink and put the two pills in it. He said it would just make you sleep and promised it wouldn’t hurt you.”
My nostrils flare at the anger seeping into every single one of my pores at a sickening fast speed. “Then what?”
“I-I uh, got you on the bed, we kissed for a while, and then you passed out.”
“Mmm-hmm…and?”
“Evan, really. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
“And then what, Mindy? What did you do?” I roar into the phone,
no longer capable of keeping the lid on my control. My muscles are straining, my throat is dry, and electricity is running through my blood with the need to run, just run, and never stop.
“I planted the coke he’d given me and the joints. Messed up the room some more with a couple of bottles of beer. Tossed my bra on the bed then took some pictures with my camera.”
I close my eyes. Before I can plow my fist through the wall, I feel a calming presence near. I know it’s Sadie in all her beauty simply standing in front of me. An expression of concern mars her pretty face. She reaches out and puts her palm flat against my heart. Instantly I clamp my hand over hers and hold it there, needing her to ground me so I don’t fly off the handle.
“Then, uh, I sent the pictures to Coach as proof I’d done what he asked. He gave me the e-mail to log into that he’d created and the newspaper contacts I was supposed to forward the image to.”
I take a deep breath and it all falls into place.
“Thank you, Mindy. For finally telling the truth. I wouldn’t hold your breath for that cheerleading position, and I don’t know what this means, but I personally will not be pressing charges against you. I can’t promise that the team lawyers won’t.”
“But you said you wouldn’t tell the authorities!”
“And I won’t. But I will be clearing my name. Goodbye, Mindy.” I let go of Sadie and disconnect the call. Sadie picks up her cell and stops the recording.
“It’s almost done.” She smiles.
“Yeah. There’s only one more thing I can’t figure out?”
Her brows come together in an expression of confusion. “And that would be?”
“Why? Why would Coach Bates try to burn his best running back? It makes no sense.”
* * *
SADIE
Things happen fast after that. Polly, Evan’s publicist, isn’t taking any chances. She releases the recording and documentation to the press, while also sending them to the team’s owner and the police. Under normal circumstances, I guess the paparazzi would be all over us. But the best they can do in a lockdown is buy a picture of me pacing while Evan sits on the couch taken by someone in a nearby building. The quality isn’t that great, but still. My hair is a mess. Lucky I wasn’t wearing the leggings that have a big-ass hole beneath my left butt cheek. That would have been truly special.
And what a douche move, invading our privacy like that. I’m fast getting the feeling that celebrities aren’t seen as being real people. More of a commodity to keep the masses amused. An object built to entertain. Their pain and angst is used to feed the hungry. After that, we keep the curtains closed from there on out and don’t go out on the balcony.
Meanwhile, the coach is photographed racing to his car, head down, trying to cover his face with a hand. No pictures of Mindy. I guess she went underground or is currently very busy helping the police with their investigation. Suck it, girl. I don’t have an ounce of pity for her. She brought all of this on herself.
Evan is on one phone call after another. Giving statements to various people, being interviewed, and preparing what to say to the press with Polly. He also updates his brother and father, which is lovely. I’m glad he has good people at his back. It’s all one hell of an involved process, clearing his name, and it won’t happen overnight. But it is happening and I couldn’t be happier. I keep a steady supply of drinks and snacks flowing to my man. Though he mostly just eats the carrot and celery sticks and doesn’t attack the Reece’s Pieces with the gusto they deserve, so I help him out a little. That’s what partners are for.
When my cell buzzes and Mom’s name pops up on screen, I sigh and pick it up.
“Sadie,” she says in a rush. “Don’t hang up. Are you okay?”
“Yes, Mom. We’re fine. You saw the news, huh?”
She sighs in relief. Maybe I was a little harsh on her, cutting off all communication like that. Then I remember Sean with all his bullshit expectations standing outside my front door. Nope. My parents bought their spell in time out on themselves. “What’s going on? Your picture is everywhere! Some reporters even called here asking for a comment. As if I’d comment on your private life!”
“You didn’t talk to them?”
“Of course not, sweetheart.”
Phew. “Thanks, Mom. I appreciate it.”
“So he was set up by his awful coach and some dreadful woman? That’s terrible. That poor man. Thank goodness he has you to help get him through all of this,” she says. “You tell Evan we’re thinking of him during this difficult time and he has our support too.”
I think I just got whiplash. “Ah…thanks. I’ll do that.”
“Maybe I’ll send him my German coffee cake. Though I’m not sure how well it’ll go in the mail.”
“Yeah. I’m not sure that would work. How about some of your peanut butter cookies instead?” Because Evan will eat like one to be polite and then I’ll have the rest of the box to myself. Awesome.
“Good idea. Martha’s niece from next door will take them to the post office for me. She’s been wonderful, helping out with our groceries and everything.”
“I’m glad, Mom.” My heart hurts a little that I’m not the one there to help my parents get what they need during a time like this.
“She’s a fan or yours, did you know?”
“Really?” I grin. “I’ll have to send her some signed books. I really am grateful that she’s helping you and Dad stay indoors.”
“Yes. Well. Hopefully this silly stay-at-home nonsense will be over soon and we’ll get back to our regular lives. We’re old, Sadie. We don’t want to spend our last years stuck at home staring at each other bored stupid.”
“Do you want to spend your last days fighting for breath, dying alone in a hospital?” I ask in my best fake sweet voice. “A friend of Evan’s passed away just last night, Mom. This couldn’t get any more real.”
Silence from her. “I’m sorry he lost a friend. And I already told you we’re staying put. There’s no need to use that tone on me.”
“Okay, Mom. Thank you for being so reasonable.” I am mostly sincere. Mostly.
She huffs. “Your father says hello. He says he never believed what they were saying about Evan. Too much raw talent, apparently.”
Give me strength. “Right.”
“It’s wonderful that you’ve found a man who can look after you. Those football players earn quite a lot of money at his level.”
“We look after each other, Mom. And I’m not interested in his money.”
“Of course not, dear,” she says soothingly. “But a wealthy husband would certainly make life easier for you. No more worrying about rent in between payments from your books and so on. Of course, he’ll need to hire a housekeeper or cook for himself. That was never one of your strong points.”
“I can cook,” I grouse.
Dad’s laughter comes through clear and Mom has a smile in her voice. “No, you can’t, dear. Lord knows I tried to teach you, but you were always happier with your nose in a book.”
“I’ll have you two know I cooked dinner last night and hardly burnt it at all. Just a little around the edges. But Evan didn’t care. He ate it anyway. So there.”
“Good for you, sweetie. I don’t suppose you two have talked about the future yet?”
“Right now we’re just concentrating on clearing his name and getting through lockdown. It was nice to talk to you, but I have to go, Mom.”
“All right. We love you. Take care.”
“I love you both too. Bye.” I set down my cell and ever so subtly bang my head against the table.
“That was your folks, I take it?” Evan asks with a grin.
“They always believed in you and they’re very happy you’re rich.”
He laughs. “Excellent. Good to know they’re on our side now.”
“Are you sure you want to take on the crazy that is my life?” I offer him my most pitiful pout.
“Yep.”
“You didn’t eve
n hesitate.”
“Nope.” He tips his chin at the laptop in front of me. “Getting any work done? This must be damn distracting for you.”
“It’s all fine and good. We deserve this win. You deserve it.” I smile. “And yeah, I’m working on the blurb. Reducing a story you’re in love with down to a couple of short punchy paragraphs sucks. However, it must be done. On the plus side, all of this exposure in the press has given my book sales a bump.”
“That’s fantastic. Nice to see a silver lining.”
“Yeah.”
He rises from the couch and starts doing a series of stretches. With everything going on, he hasn’t done his full regular workout today. And for a gym junkie like him, that’s got to be doing his head in. Not only being stuck indoors, but not being able to exert his usual amount of energy on sports, etc. He’s dealing with so much right now, but my gaze still glues to his ass when he touches his toes then drops into a series of squats. A good girlfriend would volunteer to sacrifice herself on the altar of his lust. Or my lust. Whatever. You can’t say sex isn’t a decent workout when done right. And boy does Evan know how to do it right.
“You’re ogling me,” he says.
“Sure am.”
“Take a picture, it’ll last longer.”
“Would you mind if it was video because there’s a lot of muscle flexing going on here which would come in use later. When you’re like playing an away game and I’m on my own and lonesome.”
He chuckles. “You won’t need it. We’ve already proven our proficiency at phone and FaceTime sex. Besides, you could always travel with me. Think about it.”
“I’ll do that. In the meantime, let me make you some food.”
A look passes across his face. Fear, possibly. “You don’t want some help with that? What were you thinking of?”
“Oh my God. You don’t think I can cook either.”
“I didn’t say that.”
“I feel so betrayed.” All dramatic like, I clutch at my chest. Honestly, I could have been an actress.
“Baby—”
I give him a wink. “Relax, Sparky. The kitchen is not my natural habitat and I’m well aware of this. I was going to order in carryout. We need to support small businesses.”
