Page 55 of Who's Playing You
I just grinned at him.
He then got serious, “So tell me, all BS aside, are youthe guy?”
“The guy?”
“Yeah,the guywho’s going to lead this team to fucking destroy the status quo?”
“They don’t call me The Diva and The Disruptor for nothing.”
24
SCOTTIE ANDERSON
What was I doing?
Seriously?
I think I have officially lost my marbles. My common sense. My mind.
As my Honda Element climbed the hill up the driveway to the most gorgeous house that there’d ever been in existence, I yet again questioned what in the actual fuck I was doing.
How did I get here? Further, how didheget here?
Come to find out, Nicholas not only lived in New Hope, but he owned the big Victorian on the hill. The one that everyone has always admired, or at least should admire in my opinion.
This past spring there was some scuttlebutt about it having been sold, and then the whole town noticed all the hub of construction vehicles and vendors coming and going. Only to find out, the guy who I’ve been spending time with - my student - lives there.
So again, I question what I am doing, but further question who he actually is. And how is it that I’ve gotten so wrapped up in this guy, so quickly?
As my car crested the hill, the grand house came into view. Wow, it really was spectacular. Especially since it had been givena sprucing up and now it looked almost as if it were brand new. It quite literally took my breath away entering the barnyard that had a couple of light pewter blue barns and then the house off to one side.
And then the view.
Oh my God,the view!
Talk about spectacular and breathtaking. From where the house sat, it was an almost 360 degree unobstructed view not only of the Catskill Mountain range but from here you could actually see across the river into Dutchess County, and further up north towards the Capitol Region. It was beautiful.
I pulled my car to a stop in the parking area where I saw Nicholas’s Bronco, but there were also a couple of other cars there that all looked very expensive. I assumed I’d be okay parking here too.
I didn’t have much time to second-guess my parking location because before I knew it, Nicholas was walking out from the front door of the house and toward me. Clad with a megawatt smile.
I immediately melted.
Further reaffirming what an awful idea this was.
Awful, awful. The worst idea, in fact.
Was it too late to back out? Shit, he was waiting for me to get out of the car.
When I finally pushed the door open and took a fortifying breath, he beat me to the greeting, “Hey Scottie, I’m so glad you made it. Did you find the place okay?”
“Oh, um, yeah. No worries.”
“Great. Do you want to come in, have a grand tour before we get started?”
“If you’d like,” I left it to him, not knowing how much time he had on his hands, but I certainly wasn’t going to stop him from giving me a grand tour of this piece of local history.
As I rounded the back of the car, doubt crept back in. I stopped simultaneously, placing my hand by his elbow to stop him as well. “Listen, I truly appreciate you inviting me here and offering what you offered, but… Now that some time has passed…” It was as if I couldn’t get the words out.
