Page 31 of Caught off Guard

“Is she an ugly, dumb troll?”

My eyes widened at Cairo’s joke.

“No, she is free-spirited and very open with her opinions and ways of moving in the world.”

“Have you always been so different?”

“Honestly, no.”

“What changed?”

“Being a professor and higher education administrator. I didn’t realize that when I chose my academic path, I have to be ‘on’ at all times. To be honest, I think I’ve lost a piece of my soul in this job, and it has been less than six months.” My voice cracked before I cleared it and forced a smile.

Cairo gave me a pitiful look, one that matched the sadness and frustration I’d been feeling inside.

“Do you want to continue in this job? Or be a president at another school?”

“I don’t know. I’m called to do it, but it doesn’t fulfill me like I thought it would. The students are amazing, but deep inside, I want more.”

“More what?”

Cairo’s question threw me off. If Lena asked the question, I would tell her I wanted love from a caring companion, but Cairo wasn’t Lena. No man as fine and single as Cairo needed to know how much I craved the company of an attentive man in my life.

“Maybe I will find what I’m looking for one day. It’s probably just a mid-life crisis. Enough about me though. Basketballplayers don’t play ball forever. What’s your plan when you retire?” I waved my hand above the table and peered beyond me to the post space that was Cairo’s home. “To sit around this perfect, enviable sanctuary?”

Cairo perused the space as if he noticed it for the first time.

“Yes. It has served me well. But I might downsize. Almost twenty thousand square feet is too much home for one person. When I bought it, Cece and I had plans to start a family and possibly move in a nanny and her parents to help with our kids, but as you can see, that plan went to hell.”

For the first time since I arrived, Cairo’s eyes became sad as heaviness covered him. I regretted being the source of his sullen demeanor.

“You did right by your wife. She would be so proud of who you are and how you are helping others with the fruit of your labor.”

“I guess.” He gave me a brief smile, then drank his green juice. “I don’t like being without companionship. I’m not the best at seeking it out though,” he said.

What did that mean?

“I’m sure there’s someone out there for you.”

He lowered his head and connected with my eyes.

“I believe that.”

Here we go.

Cairo’s flirtatiousness was off the charts. We’d just sucked each other’s faces off and were back to acting innocent. I wanted to giggle like a kid but held my giddiness in. To get us back on track, I deflected as I always did when I wanted to avoid difficult conversations.

“Tell me about the Stallions and what the Torch’s plan is to win tonight’s game.”

GAME TIME

After breakfast,Zora went to her room and soon returned to the library downstairs. As was my habit on game day, I sat in my wide, high-backed reading chair with its sturdy, woody arms. The worn, dark chocolate leather ottoman offered my socked feet relief in preparation for the pounding they would take tonight.

Zora matched my posture but with a portable lap desk that held her small laptop. As she tapped away with a look of concentration on her stunning face, I put my Kindle down to watch her movements. From her serious business attire to the dress of a queen and now the athletic wear she wore, she wasa chameleon. How many more faces could she possibly display during our time together? She lifted her glasses and rubbed her eyes before returning them to their original position and meeting my gaze.

“Tell me something, Cairo. How are you so cultured and highbrow?”

I grinned at her.

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