Page 12 of The Fake Play

I didn’t expect her to realize I had double backed to go to Smokey’s, so when she walks through the door, a growl of annoyance comes out under my breath.

Alek hears it. “Is that your new girlfriend?”

“Shut up.”

Seeing as Whitney had so graciously announced my new nanny in front of everybody, they know who she is. I didn’t need any flak from them about her. It wasn’t as if I had a choice in the matter. I'm just glad Lucas turned down the invitation to join the team for after-practice beers. I certainly don't need him to see this, too.

That race should have been mine. It still grinded my gears that Coach thought it was smart to leave it as a tie. He should have let me put the kid in his place, but he chose the more diplomatic route. Either that or he was trying to rub my nose in the fact that I had to earn the win. Whatever the reason, I didn’t like it.

But that was Coach. He didn’t do anything unless it was for the good of the team. Maybe letting them see me tie with the kid was the right call.

Self-doubt is a bitch.

Apparently, shut up was the wrong thing to say to Alek. He beams, eager to teaseme. “Can’t go anywhere without the old ball and chain, eh?”

Last year, I had gotten him a book of American idioms he could pepper into his English. Though he's Russian, he has a decent understanding of the language because he grew up on American television. But sometimes, the meanings of idioms escaped him. I realize now giving him that book was a mistake.

I elbow his ribs hard enough to make him flinch but not hard enough to hurt him. “That’s enough outta you.”

I had not expected Keke to follow me to the bar although I should have known better. Whitney was nothing if not thorough, so of course, she had told her about our post-training ritual. Not to mention this is where Keke and I first met. She was a smart girl, she would have figured it out on her own regardless.

But Smokey’s was practically sacred and this was going too far.

She sits in the corner trying to look casual with her book, but she is clearly there for one reason only—to keep an eye on me. And to make matters worse, she gives me a cheeky little wave whenever our eyes meet. She’s clearly enjoying this way too much.

“Go to her, Loverboy.” Alek makes kissing sounds and the other guys chime in.

This shit is not going to fly.

I have two options. I could either let Keke ruin my night by getting pissed off about having a babysitter-slash-stalker, or I could deal with her directly.

Option two sounds way more satisfying.

I grab a bottle of Jack and two shot glasses from the bar before making my way over to her table. She watches as I approach, her eyebrows lifting in mild surprise when I sit down across the table from her, placing the bottle of whiskey and shot glasses between us.

“You are really enjoying this, aren't you?” I ask, pouring us each a shot.

“Just doing my job,” she replies and sets her book aside.

I raise the shot glass to my lips, watching her over the rim. “How about you clock out?”

“Thanks, but no thanks.”

“Come on. You don't want me to get bored, do you?”

“I believe I explained earlier that I am not here to entertain you.”

“What if I end up entertaining you?”

Keke rolls her eyes. “You rich jocks are all alike.”

I lift a shoulder. “Might be. I don’t know. Haven’t met that many. What Idoknow is thatI will do all kinds of things to amuse myself. And that might getyouin trouble.”

“Are you blackmailing me into taking a shot?”

“Not blackmailing. Incentivizing.”

She rolls her eyes again but this time adds a smirk. “Remarkable how they sound exactly alike, too.”

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