Page 52 of Overtime Goal
I brushed my hair back, then did it again. Whatever this was, there was no reason to bother me with it here. “You know I’m always up for that, but couldn’t this have waited until I’m back inBuffalo? Put it on my calendar, and we’ll talk about it when I get home.”
“It can’t wait because it’s happening tonight. I put it on your calendar before I called, so take a look.”
“What the fuck?” I opened the calendar app and saw an entry for eight p.m.:Dinner with Natalie Langdon,Passi verso il mare. Natalie was one of the most famous supermodels in the world. “Is this a joke?”
“No joke, kid. She just finished a shoot in Positano, and she’s leaving for Fiji tomorrow. Apparently, she saw you on the beach, and she’s a big fan. Her agent called me an hour ago.”
“Natalie Langdon’s a fan of mine? Why do I find that hard to believe?”
“She’s a big enough fan to jump through hoops to meet you, and her agent wouldn’t have been up in the middle of the night if this wasn’t important to her. He said the paparazzi won’t give her any peace, so you’ll get a lot of coverage out of this. And…” He snickered again. “If you play your cards right, you might even get laid. That would be a fantasy to fuel your lonely night jackoff sessions for a long time, screwing the hottest model in the world.”
Hmm.Me fuck Natalie? Not a bad thought.But as soon as I’d considered that, my stomach clenched. Just because Icoulddo something didn’t mean I should. Besides, what the hell did Frank know?
“I can’t meet her for dinner,” I said. “I already have plans.”
“Reschedule. You’re going to be there for a month, and she’s leaving tomorrow. Whether you get her into bed or not, it will be good for people to think maybe you did.”
“Frank, I can’t do it.”
He scoffed so hard I pulled the phone away from my ear. “Listen to me, kid. This is an unprecedented opportunity to put you on the map in a big way. You don’t want to be ‘one of thetalented young players’ forever. You want to be a star, a player the Warriors will offer a ninety-million-dollar contract when you come up for renewal. So, you will go out with Natalie tonight, and I’ll hear no more complaining. I can’t be your agent if you don’t trust me enough to do as I say.”
I looked outside where Logan was waiting for me. “I hear you,” I told Frank. “I’lltryto reschedule what I have for tonight, but no promises.”
His voice went cold. “You will go out with her, or you’ll be looking for another agent. This is an easy PR opportunity for you, and you will take it. In the morning, I’ll check social media for the photos. And hopefully, you’ll call me up telling me what it’s like to fuck a supermodel.”
Shit. Would he really quit if I didn’t see Natalie? And why did he have to keep talking about fucking her? My dick, the brainless troublemaker, told me to shut up and go along with the program, but this was one time I wouldn’t let it win. “Like I said, Frank, I’ll try.”
“I’ll tell her agent you’ll pick her up at the Hotel Il San Pietro at seven o’clock. It’s not far out of town, but you’ll need a car. Your dinner reservations are at eight, so you’ll have time to get acquainted and drive back to town for dinner. Good luck, kid.” The line went dead.
Fuck me.How the hell was I going to tell Logan without having him assume the worst? He’d almost freaked out over Giorgia, and I hadn’t talked to her for more than five minutes. The idea of me spending the evening with a beautiful woman might drive him over the edge. I wanted to be with him, so whatever happened, I wouldn’t be fucking Natalie. Hopefully, I could find the words to make him believe that.
I went to the French doors and called out, “That was my agent. Don’t wait. I need to use the bathroom, and I’ll be out soon.”
He turned to look at me. “All right. Everything okay?”
“I think so. I’ll tell you about it when I get back.”
Going into Logan’s bathroom right then seemed weird, so I went to my room and used the one there. While I turned things over in my mind, I splashed cold water on my face. Frank had felt so strongly about this that he gave me an ultimatum. Was he right? I understood how being seen with Natalie could be a boost to my image, but I wasn’t sure Logan would get it. Even if he did, he might not believe things would stop with dinner.
Fuck this.I pissed, then washed my hands and looked in the mirror again. Logan was my best friend, and as a professional athlete, he should understand my situation. He must have had to go on arranged dates when he was my age. Since I was a young player trying to make my way, I’d be stupid not to follow my agent’s advice. Frank was one of the best in the business, and I didn’t want him to drop me, something Logan should also understand. Fuck, the longer I waited to tell him, the longer I’d dread it, so I headed for the terrace.
But Ididn’ttell him.
When I walked outside, he cocked his head. “What’s going on, babe? You look stressed.”
I gazed into his eyes, brilliant in the morning light, and remembered how my dick had looked disappearing into his mouth an hour earlier. I couldn’t forget the choked sounds he’d made when he shot his load down my throat a few minutes later, how his body thrashed so hard I grabbed his hips to hold him in place.
Shit, I can’t tell him about Natalie yet. There’s nothing to gain by spoiling the entire day.
“It’s Frank,” I said, reaching for my coffee. “He’s up to his usual bullshit. Okay if I tell you about it later? I’m hungry.”
“Sure.” He stared at me for a few seconds, then smiled. “I thought we could hang out here this morning and swim. Whatwould you think about taking one of those walking tours of the town this afternoon? Maybe we could have dinner down there too.”
“Maybe. It sounds good.” I picked up my cornetto and bit off half in one go.
I’m a fucking idiot. Goddammit. I’ll tell him as soon as we get in the pool.
I didn’t tell him in the pool, or when we ate leftover steak and salad for lunch, or when he read and I flipped through Italian TV channels. My heart had been slamming around in my chest all day, and I couldn’t concentrate on anything. Instead, I kept glancing at the clock, dreading the moment I’d have to break the news.
