Page 83 of Home Game

“One thing you should know about me is that I’m professionally trained in cooking delicious organic macrobiotic meals geared toward emphasizing endurance, strength, and clean health which is critical for a top athlete such as yourself. So, I would be happy to purchase your groceries and cook for you.”

Ryan sat back. “You don’t have to do that.”

She touched her throat and giggled. “It would be my honor. Besides, I’m going to be here already. Now what about laundry and dry cleaning? I know for a fact that all other PAs do that for their athletes.”

Ryan gave me a trapped look. “I can do my laundry.”

“Ryan,” she reached forward and touched his hand. “Please. I’m here to serve and make your life easier.”

“Are you going to have time for all that?”

She flicked her hair. “You have no idea how organized I am. I can do all that in my sleep.”

“Okay.”

“So, since I will work from here, do you have a desk or someplace I can set up? Preferably I would like an office, but if that is an issue, a dedicated table would be fine.”

“We have another spare room. We’d just need to get you some furniture.”

“Leave that up to me. If you show me the room I can buy the desk myself.”

“Yeah. That’s fine.”

Her eyes lingered on Ryan. “Now, is there any chance I can go to some of your games? I can’t stress how important it will be for me tobe an intermediary connection with the media, other PAs and other family members of the team.”

“I can arrange that.”

She shook her head and smiled. “I knew you’d be perfect to work with.”

Ryan’s phone rang. He glanced up at Bianca. “I need to take this. Just give me a minute.”

“Take your time,” her voice lilted in a fake sing-song.

We watched as he walked out of the room towards his bedroom. Bianca leveled me with a look.

“So, Zoey, what are you doing here so early?”

She scared me. There was something dangerous about her. “I’m staying here.”

One perfectly manicured eyebrow went up. “You live here?”

I nodded.

“But you’re not dating Ryan, are you?”

“No.”

“Are you related to him?”

“No.”

Her eyes narrowed. “So why are you here?”

I really didn’t want to tell her. “It’s a long story.”

She crossed her arms. “Well, anything related to Ryan is now my business. So, please enlighten me how someone like you can be living with someone like Ryan.”

Someone like me?“We’re friends.”

---