Page 96 of Who's Playing You
My mom had basically demanded Scottie’s cell number when we were saying bye to them after the game, and the two of them have been talking almost daily since then. About what, I have no idea. But I know having my mom accept us has made Scottie feel so much better about everything.
Same goes for Nat. We hadn’t intended to tell her that night, but were hoping to tell her in person when she came up to visit in a few weeks. Fate had other plans however, like having me pop off on the media on national television and broadcasting that I, the forever playboy bachelor, was married.
Yeahhhh, that had stirred up a shitstorm of attention.
The Diva and his new Mrs. Diva
That had been a fun headline, along with about a hundred others. They managed to dig up some info on Scottie, and shehad some reporters stalking her on campus. But I squashed that real quick with legal action.
I was the only one who was going to be stalking her. Thank you very much.
Everyone else could steer-fucking-clear of my wife… or soon-to-be wife.Ehh. Semantics.
Scottie told me that besides the reporters who had tried to follow her that one day, she’d only encountered a few students at the university, primarily male students, who’d been eyeing her. Probably sports fans or Rage fans. The most daring of which approached her and asked if she was “the chick dating the Diva quarterback.”
Being the beautiful and honest person she is, she of course said yes. But kept it at that.
I didn’t care though, because all I heard when she told me that story was that she called me her man, in public.
With all that commotion, it didn’t take too long for the paparazzi and some of the locals to figure out that it was me who had bought the Queen on the hill and that I was living there with Scottie. Not that it mattered too much.
The locals were considerate enough, especially considering Scottie was a well-respected professor at the college and was always highlighting the region with her artwork. Plus she was a staple around town. The locals protected their own, so since Scottie was held in such high regard, it was like I was shoe-horned in with her.
It also helped that Joyce, my realtor along with my builder Bob and his entire crew fucking loved me. I’d worked closely with them and all of their staff, treated them with the respect they should always be treated with, and I was learning that that had made an impact.
That said, the locals were all being respectful of Scottie and me. The gate at the base of my driveway was what the reportersand paparazzi were being respectful of. Well, that and the signs about trespassers being shot on site.
Cue Beyoncé’s “This Ain't Texas”.
So that had been a whole thing in the aftermath of the game.
As for my best friend Nik, I hated that he had to lose his first pro game. He’d been a little down about it, but at least he’d caught a beautiful pass and gotten a touchdown for his team. I was so proud of him.
Nik and I hadn’t been able to talk or meet up after the game, because his team was heading back home and had their own press and team obligations. That made me even more thankful for the few minutes that we had had together before the game started.
But Papas was going to be alright. He’d already played his second game and crushed it once again. Meanwhile, Loving was being Loving down in Texas. His season was off to a good start as well.
Watching them play on television, and literally playing my first gameagainstone of them, had my deceit coming to the forefront of my mind all over again. I had been able to let it subside some over the summer while Scottie and I were in our little bubble, but once the season had started two weeks ago and actually playing against Nik… fuck me! How could I have done what I did?
I’d betrayed the two people who have always trusted me. The two guys who I’ve been through everything with. The guys who have my back, no matter what, no questions asked.
I fucked them over.
Me.
I did that.
On the bright side, besides this secret that I was keeping from Papas and Loving - as well as the world - I was keeping fewer secrets from Scottie now. Considering not-so-long-ago I hadbeen keeping my true identity from her, as well as keeping our relationship a secret from my family… all of those secrets were out in the open now and so I was down to only two-ishsecrets.
Two… or maybe it was three or four?Ehh. It was all the same.
Regardless, I considered that a win.
I hadn’t yet fully divulged to her the extent of my obsession with her though: how long I’ve been pining after her and all the “stuff” I’ve done during my pining. Sure my folks and Nat had me admit that I fell for her instantly, but Scottie doesn’t know the lengths I’ve gone to… She doesn’t know about my stalkerish ways. She doesn’t know about myworkas it pertains to marketing and promoting her work, let alone how many of her pieces I’ve bought.
Oh yeah, and she also doesn’t know about me desperately trying to impregnate her.
But, ehh, it’s all fine. As time goes on, as she falls deeper into our love and this relationship - as she catches up with me - she’ll learn about these little hiddengemsof mine. I bet she’ll find it all endearing.
