Page 25 of Rocking Player
“You are?” My skin electrified and my hairs stood on the ends. I stilled and rationalized instantly that this was about the money we'd discussed. It had to be, as she didn’t believe in love.
Money was the root of everything, so I shouldn’t be surprised, even if coldness hit the back of my neck at the thought. I probably shouldn’t be excited about the future if this was just about money and security.
Georgie said as I opened the door for the players, “Yeah. I think we should take the next step and make it official.”
I almost closed the door on the reporters, but the woman from earlier asked, “So, no more prostitutes, Michael?”
“Absolutely not,” I said. No one had ever believed I hadn’t touched that woman. I didn’t care, except I didn’t want that discussion near Jeremy or to rehash it with Georgie. I waved as the door closed, “We have to get going.”
Jeremy asked me as we strolled through the locker room, “What were they talking about, Michael?”
I grabbed a Sooner’s hat for my son and pushed his hair behind his ear as I said. “Nothing that matters. Sometimes people make up stories to help themselves feel better, and it’s important to not always listen to the news about me. You and your mom need to trust me.”
“Okay,” he said while I gloved him up with a professional version he could keep. “In school, Bobby once said I ate black beans because I loved farting. Everyone laughed at me.”
I patted his shoulder and said, “Exactly the same.”
He nodded at me. As I tightened the license, I met his mother’s gaze and said, “I’ll get you a ring, Georgie.”
“I don’t need one,” she said fast.
For better or worse, they were mine. And, no one was going to interfere with that, but as I stood, I patted her backside and said, “After the game, we need to talk.”
She nodded like she agreed but then went with her son to meet the other kids. I motioned to my manager and he gave me a thumbs-up.
This was for publicity and to show I was a dedicated family man. Using my son’s team to earn myself $30 million a year was fine. It had to be.
Georgie and I were taking the money and that didn’t include real love, just the kind we talk about on TV when others are watching, at least for her. One day, I might tell her she was always the one for me, when she might believe that love doesn’t destroy her voice and we’d be fine.
Today was not that day.
Chapter 7
Georgie
The game wenton and on.
He wore his sexy gray pants that showed off his ass on the field, which kept me from paying any attention to the game at all.
I kept my head high, but during the fifth inning, Michael rushed over to me and my heart pitter-pattered like I was a little kid about to get a present.
He grabbed my arm and said, “I’ve been thinking about our son’s game while I've been playing.”
“Seriously?”
“We need to get Jeremy a haircut.”
Okay, so that wasn’t exactly romantic, but I tilted my head and asked, “Why?”
He ran his hand through Jeremy’s hair and said, “He can’t see from the locks you have on the side. That is why he is having problems catching the ball.”
I glanced down at my son’s dirty blonde hair. “His cute, angelic locks that he wanted.”
Jeremy picked at his locks the way Michael played with his own tiny piece of hair and said, “Up to him, but if he wants to catch and throw correctly, we’ll need to shave that off. He needs to see.”
“I want to if it helps.”
“Okay,” My heart thudded. On the field, he thought about us and Jeremy’s needs. Part of me was flattered.
