Page 20 of Playing the Field
“Not in one at the moment.”
I wait, expecting her to give me at least a few details. She stares me down, lips sealed shut.
“Vow of celibacy? Yeah, I get it.”
A flicker of a smile tickles her lips. I’m itching to get under her cool facade, and I sense progress.
“Focusing on work. Same difference.”
“Ouch. Come on, Gracie. Surely there’s room for romance. I saw what you were reading at the airport. Tell me you don’t believe in being swept away by a duke.”
She scoops a bite of lentils, and I feel like I can see the pleasure centers light up in her brain as she savors the bite.
“I mean, sure. If you know any dukes, send ’em my way.”
“So that’s a categorical ‘no’ on relationships except for dukes. So we’re clear.”
“Correct. Why do you want to know so badly?”
“I’m just trying to figure you out, Gracie. Ky tells me you hate sports. I’m curious why you took this job.”
Caught, her eyes go wide. “I don’t…it’s not that I…”
I chuckle, watching her face go pink straight through to the tips of her ears. “It’s fine. Not everyone’s a fan.”
“I don’t hate sports,” she corrects, smoothing the napkin on her lap. “I’m not a diehard, but things change. I do like the job so far. It suits me.”
“You didn’t answer the question. Why the move?”
“Um…” She chews her bottom lip. “I got fired.”
Staring at her lap, she seems ashamed, and I hate that I’m the instigator of it. “Hey, listen, everyone gets fired at some point. It’s a bump in the road, not the destination.”
“Fine. You want to know about my romantic life? Here’s the deal. I’ve had relationships. They were good until they weren’t. In particular, my last one was with a guy in the Bay Area. I recommended him for a job, made a bad judgment call, and ended up unemployed because of it. No job, no relationship.”
“Sounds like bullshit to me.”
“Thanks for your opinion, but the company had a strict policy on relationships.” Her lips pull down in a frown, and I can see how hard she’s taking this perceived failure. It makes me want to pummel her former boss and anyone else who ever made her feel small. “Anyhow, I won’t be making that mistake again.” She sits up straight like a grade-school student, proving her seriousness. I can see this is important to her, and I can’t help finding her prim insistence adorable.
“Sounds like you checked the fine print over at the Devils organization before signing on.”
“I didn’t have to. I’m only going to be here as long as it takes to earn back some respect and wait out the non-compete. Then I’m headed back to a better job in the Bay Area tech world. Relationships are not going to be a thing because I’m here to work. Running analytics for the Devils is my life. That can only benefit you and your team, so you should be thrilled. Do I get to ask a question now?”
Her sudden outpouring of candor catches me off guard, and I lose focus. I want to digest each kernel of information she spewed on its own, but she’s so fired up that I don’t want to sleep on the moment. The power of her stare throws me.
“Um, sure.”
“Relationships? Fiancées? Hookups? What’s your jam? Who can I expect to run into in the kitchen in the mornings?”
“None of the above. No one.”
“Haha.” She tilts her head and waits out the lie. But it’s not a lie. “Please. I should believe that?”
“Why wouldn’t you believe it?” I lean back and cross my arms, challenging her to admit to what she’s googled and why. Even if whatever information she found is old and giving her the wrong impression.
“You’re a soccer star, you’re extremely attractive, and you’resingle. You…you must know you have a reputation for, um, dating a lot of women. Or whatever.”
”Sorry, I’m just stuck on the words ‘extremely attractive,’ but what’s this ‘or whatever’ business?”
