Page 11 of Drop Shot
“I guess,” she mutters, but I can tell this is really bothering her. I don’t have a magic wand to make it better, though. Rumors are something we’re going to have to deal with. “Jackson didn’t say, but is … are we telling Ebba and your parents this is fake? What about my family?”
I scratch at my jaw. I need to shave but I didn’t bother this morning. “I’m not sure. I figure it might be better if they think it’s real if that’s okay with you?”
Ebba will whack me upside the head if she knows this is fake because she’ll say I’m using Whimsy, which is insane. This is a mutual agreement between two consenting adults and she’s being paid for it.
“All right,” she agrees, and I let out a sigh of relief. “We can do that. I think we need to establish some other rules.”
“Like what?” I ask as we idle at a stoplight.
“For starters, I … well, I know you go out regularly and … you know…”
I grin. “No, Whimsy, I don’t know. Enlighten me.”
She whimpers, manicured nails flexing against the steering wheel. “Don’t make me say it,” she begs.
“Come on, Whimsy, say it with me. I go out and I have sex.”
“Yeah, that.” Her tanned complexion pales. “Anyway, if your family thinks this is real and mine does too, I just ask that you don’t sleep around. Okay?”
“I’m okay with that. Are you?” I counter, not because I think Whimsy is the type to sleep around, not that there would be anything wrong if she did, but because I’m nosy. I might know things about Whimsy, but I don’t know everything, and certainly not about her private life.
She snorts and it’s such a strange sound coming from her. She’s so ladylike and the sound is not.
“That won’t be a problem.”
“Why not?” I press, letting my curiosity get the best of me.
“I haven’t dated since my last long-term relationship ended poorly.”
“Poorly how?” I press. I’m not normally so pushy, but I can’t seem to help myself.
Beside me, she tugs on the hem of her dress and eases her foot off the brake when the light changes. “Grew apart,” she mutters. “He … I realized that he wasn’t the guy I thought. We started out as friends, and we got together when we were young and I … I suspected he was going to propose soon and I just didn’t want that with … him,” she finishes. “He wasn’t happy about it, so our breakup was rough, but I have no regrets.”
“I’m sorry it didn’t end well.”
She shrugs and turns onto the street of my building. “I dodged a bullet so I’m good, but it has made me wary of dating. It was years ago,” she adds. “I don’t want you to think he’ll be an issue or that I’m secretly pining for him. He’s long out of the picture.”
I nod. “I believe you.”
A sudden groan rips out of her lips as she pulls her SUV along the front of my building.
“What’s that sound for?” I prod as I undo my belt.
Her cheeks pinken a hue to match her athletic jacket. “My mom has been asking if there’s anything between us practically since you hired me. She’s going to think I’ve been keeping this a secret from her.”
A slow smile spreads across my face. “Your mom likes me?”
She rolls her eyes. “Of course that’s what you’d interpret from that statement.”
“I figure we should tell them and my family before the tournament starts. I’ll be too busy once things really kick off.”
Her lips twist, French-tipped fingers tapping against the steering wheel. “I guess.”
“It doesn’t sound like your mom would be the type to appreciate finding out through social media?”
Her eyes slowly swing my way. “I hate it when you make sense.”
“So, you always hate me then?” I quip.
