“It’s not about ego or namesake. It’s because I can handle a boy, I can guide him, educate him, and teach him right from wrong. I’ll be gentle, but he’ll be raised the way I was. That’s all I know to do.”
“What if it’s a girl?”
“I’m scared shitless. I know nothing about girls, and her mother will fill her mind with superficial and meaningless things. Not to mention, how she will teach her to be toward other girls. From her past discretions, I’m scared Sasha will be a terrible influence on a daughter.”
“It’s so sad.”
“Bizzy, hear me when I say this. I mean it to the bottom of my soul. If this was us we were talking about, I’d pray for a little girl, because you will be the best influence I could ever ask for in my daughter. I’d want her to be exactly like you. When you and I start our family, we won’t stop having kids until I have that little girl.”
“Shaw—”
“No,” I stop her. “It’s going to happen. Have faith.”
She snuggles into me and kisses my chest. “Okay, Shaw, I’ll have faith.”
Why I didn’t propose in that second is beyond me. It was perfect.
My cell phone rings, and I see it’s Perry. “You calling to brag, or to tell me tonight’s going to be
better?”
I refer to his performance last night on the ice. He was on fire, scoring two goals.
“You bet your ass I’m going to fucking kill them. Last night was a warm up.”
“There’s the cocky attitude all the ladies love.” I laugh with him.
“Yeah, speaking of ladies, that’s why I’m calling.”
“Tell me this isn’t going to become a PR nightmare.”
“This isn’t about me. This is about you.”
All laughter stops, and a chill shoots up my spine. “What about me?”
“You and Bizzy break up? I ask, because I respect the hell out of you. Is Bizzy fair game?”
“Hell fucking no! Why would you even say that?”
“Chill, I’m only asking because a few of the players came to a bar for a low-key dinner. Imagine my surprise when she walked up and hugged me. Guys are fighting left and right to get to her.”
Crenshaw Bennett, the sports agent, wants to scream at him for leaving the hotel hours before a game and remind him he needs to be in the zone. Crenshaw Bennett, the boyfriend, wants to know exactly what is happening in this bar in Charlotte.
Guess which one wins out?
“I will kill any fucker who touches her. You need to relay that message.”
He chuckles and I no longer find his cockiness appealing. “I’m serious, Perry.”
“Okay, man, I’ll take care of it. But she’s with some hot chicks. You going to rip my head off if I offer them tickets to the game tonight or Sunday?”
“No, she’d probably love to go.”
“What’s so different about her? Something’s changed since we met. Not just her looks, but her whole attitude.”
I’ve put her through hell is the first thing that comes to mind.
“Her looks aren’t that different at all. But did she tell you what she’s doing there?”