Page 56 of The Fadeaway
Pussy coated bacon… my new favorite.
She rights her clothes and sits up looking adorably rumpled and shy. “Give me two minutes to distract Christian and then you’re clear to make a run for it.”
* * *
“Moreno,” Coach calls out from the sideline and motions me over.
Practice is basically over and all that is standing between me and a hot shower is ten more free-throws.
“What’s up?” I ask, wiping my face with my practice jersey.
“Tough game this weekend. How are you feeling?”
“Good. I’m ready. Team is looking good too.”
He nods. “Got a couple more calls from Sara Icoa. She’s going to be here Saturday and she’s got a good relationship with the Lakers.”
Lakers are my top choice. Ever since I was a kid, I’ve bled purple and gold. There are lots of good teams in the league, but anything other than LA is going to feel like the second choice. Sara Icoa is Z’s agent but has been pursuing me hard this year too. I want to finish college – even if this year is my best shot at displaying my talents. With Z and Malone graduating, next year is looking like a rebuilding year for Valley. Not the best year to try and get a spot on my dream team.
I’m silent as I consider my future against another year at Valley.
“With the new NCAA rules, you can talk with an agent without declaring for the draft. If you want me to set anything up, just let me know. I know I’m not telling you anything you don’t know, but as much as I’d like to keep you here next year, it might be good to keep your options open.”
I glance around my favorite spot on campus, maybe in all of Valley, and try and picture tomorrow being my last time playing in Ray Fieldhouse. “Thanks, Coach.”
“Also.” He clears his throat. “I wanted to apologize for last night. I didn’t mean to steal your reservation.”
I smirk. “Araceli’s is the best, right?”
He chuckles. “It was perfect.”
“And the woman?”
“Well, I’m not sure there’s going to be another date, but she was less awful than the last one. Do yourself a favor and when you find a good woman in your twenties, marry her. Dating after thirty is awful.”
“Well, I’m in no rush for marriage, but the advice is noted.”
“And the young woman you were with last night? She aware of that? She looked pretty smitten.”
“She’s aware.”
Maybe too aware of my past. She seems to be constantly waiting for me to move along and maybe I should before things get too messy.
“Can I ask you a question?”
He nods, eyebrows raised. “Sure.”
“Ever date a single mom?”
Understanding dawns on his face and he eyes me with something like pity as he puts the pieces together.
“Yeah, I have. Nothing serious, though. My experience with dating women with kids is there’s no half ass. It’s either serious or it’s not and they usually go into the relationship already expecting one or the other. If your girl really is aware that you’re not looking for anything serious right now, then I’d say she’s already made her peace with that.”
I consider that. Has Kitty put me in the nothing serious column? She should. Isn’t that what I’ve done to her and every other girl since Polly?
But fuck, why does that annoy me so much?
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