Page 12 of Play of Love
I didn’t want to retire, and I didn’t want to play, either.AndI didn’t want to go to the stupid ESPN show. After that it would be one public appearance after another. People would ask how I was doing and I wouldn’t know what to tell them. I wouldn’t know what to say.
It had only been six months. Jesus, just six months since the accident that took away everything from me, and everyone was acting like I’d had enough time to grieve and be fine. Make decisions and be my old self again.
And as for this PA, it was all wrong. I didn’t want her here. She didn’t need to be here. I was certain I could do whatever was required of me in my own time. Besides, look at her, she didn’t look like a PA. I turned to face her and thought she looked like one of the dolls my sister used to play with when she was little.
She appeared smaller lying down than when she stood up, almost childlike. But the silky gray blouse she wore that molded to her fully rounded breasts enunciated that she was every inch a desirable woman and showed off her shapely feminine curves.
My eyes roamed over her figure, appreciating her assets. Unlike most women I admired, she had a sort of angelic, ethereal presence about her that really stood out. Maybe it was because I was always used to loose women who threw themselves at me and hadn’t taken note of women like her. I may have been off my face drunk yesterday, but I remembered the mortified look she gave me when she saw me checking her out.
She shouldn’t be here. Truth be told, I was hoping that telling her to clean yesterday would have gotten rid of her. My last PA was a guy and he couldn’t stand the mess either. Back then I had a maid, but apparently she left because I hit on her. I couldn’t remember.
So many people came and went, and my days all seemed to roll into one. Sometimes I didn’t know what I was doing, or saying.
She stirred a little and I poked her arm again, trying to wake her.
“Girl, woman.” She looked young, like early-twenties young, so I wasn’t sure which was best. I also couldn’t remember her name. “PA person.” I shook her arm again.
Still nothing, just that stir.
I looked at her and thought she would be right at home in one of them family films likeThe Wizard of Ozor sitcoms likeThe Brady Bunch. I smiled as the perfect name for her came to me.
“Hey Kansas, wake up.” I almost laughed when her green eyes fluttered open. Her eyes widened as she looked at me, trying to work out who I was and where she was.
As realization hit her she jumped up and looked about her with that terrified expression she had earlier when the rat ran over her foot.
“You have rats,” she shrieked.
“They live here.”
She glowered at me, looking at me as if I was crazy. “How can you say that? They’re rats. And they weren’t even pet rats either.”
“Like I said, they live here. If you don’t like them you can leave.” I drew my brows together and glared at her.
“I don’t like it, and no I won’t leave. I’m here to work and if you don’t like it you can call the cops on me.”
I almost laughed again. She certainly had spunk. I kind of liked that.
“This is my house,” I reminded her. That stalled her a little, but didn’t stop her.
“I’m you’re PA. There’s a lot that needs to be done. Particularly in preparation for your public appearances, and your upcoming game. Don’t you want all of that organized so you can just worry about playing and training? Or whatever it is you do during this time?”
I thought about what she was saying and what Zelda said. They both had relevant points, but I decided I couldn’t be bothered to deal with this now. I didn’t know what I wanted and what I was going to do. Everything was a mess and I couldn’t make any rational decisions.
I’d have to think about what I was doing, but not now. I was already more sober than I usually was at this hour and I feared the impending guilt that would hit me full force if I remained this way.
Allegra and Cindy were upstairs waiting for me, and I just wanted to grab more beer and get back to them.
“Mr. Mancini—”
I held my hand up, interrupting her. “If you must stay here, please don’t call me that. Mr. Mancini is my father. Call me Josh.”
She held my gaze with those emerald eyes of hers and I found myself lost in her beauty.
“Josh, the house is a mess. You need to have it cleaned, and call pest control. You can’t have rats running around like they live here.”
I smiled at her as a plan brewed in my mind. I wouldn’t get rid of her. No, that would cause too much trouble. I’d just drive her crazy, just like the last PA, and she’d leave on her own accord. Then I could let Zelda and the senior management know I could do everything myself.
“No, you can sort that out.”
