“So you’re saying he can continue to look like a rapper, or he can look like a mental patient.” The Frenchman shrugged. “Tough decision.”
Erik set his coffee cup down with a loudclack. “It’s that bad?”
“Yes,” they both replied.
Jamie sat up, holding his cup cradled in his hands, between his legs. “We came here to be incognito and find a nice girl for you, Erik,” he began patiently.
The kid nodded. “I know.”
“With hair like that, it’s going to be hard to go unnoticed. And you don’t look like someone who’d want a nice girl now,” Jamie explained just as patiently.
“What do I look like?”
“Like you’re Eminem’s younger brother.”
Erik ran a hand over his head, his expression worried. “I’m sorry, guys. I didn’t mean to ruin our chances before we even started.”
Jamie had doubts about that, but he wanted to assess the situation a bit more before he acted on it. “Don’t worry. We won’t let this dictate our success.” What was done was done, and there wasn’t anything they could do about it. Jamie patted the kid’s shoulder. “Come on. Let’s go out and get a drink. We’ll set up a game plan.”
Erik perked up. “I saw a bar on my way back from running that looked nice. It’s a few blocks away.”
They had a light dinner from the groceries that had been stocked for them and then went to clean up. Jamie told them to keep it casual so they wouldn’t attract too much attention the first night. He needed to get the lay of the land.
As a concession, he decided to leave off the coat from his three-piece suit and roll up his sleeves. Hipster chic, Coco would call it. He ran a hand through his hair and called himself ready.
He glanced at the picture of her he had on the dresser in his room. “Wish me luck. I have a feeling I’m going to need it.”
Downstairs, Erik was already waiting. He’d changed out of his sweaty workout clothes into a suit as well. It was an expensive suit, if understated, but the kid looked uncomfortable in it. No woman was going to want him if he looked like he was wearing his father’s clothing, especially if he was wearing it badly. And with the hair… Jamie shook his head. “Take your coat off.”
Erik looked at him askance, but he did as Jamie said without comment.
“The shirt too. Do you have a clean T-shirt?”
“Yes,” the kid replied, his brow furrowed as he undid his buttons and slipped his shirt off his shoulders.
“Go put it on.”
Didier jogged down the stairs, moving to the side to let Erik pass by him. “Are we going topless?” the Frenchman asked.
“Not tonight.” He eyed Didier’s purple velvet blazer and matching loafers. “That’s casual?”
“Bien sûr.” Didier ran a hand down its lapel. “Otherwise, I wouldn’t have worn it.”
Erik took the stairs two at a time, tugging a T-shirt into place. “Is this okay?”
The kid had on an Adidas T-shirt. To Jamie it looked like sponsor swag. To the casual observer it’d look like a random sports T-shirt. Not super fashionable, but not terrible either. Jamie nodded. “You’re good.”
They left their townhouse, walking out of the building and down the street, following Erik’s directions.
The neighborhood wasn’t like he’d expected it to be. There were apartment complexes punctuated by houses in need of refurbishing. Mixed in every now and then were houses that looked like they were converted into flats. The streets themselves weren’t as clean as he’d expected, and there was very little greenery.
They walked to the bar, chatting about their seasons and some of the players they knew in common. He and Didier had known each other for over a decade and had played together and against each other here and there over the years. He could almost predict what Didier would say regarding certain people.
Until a couple months ago, Jamie had only known Erik by reputation. The kid was fierce on the field and always kicked the ball with surgical precision. But since they’d been planning this trip, he’d gotten to know Erik pretty well too. The kid was quiet, but thoughtful, and never spoke ill of people.
They rounded a corner, and he saw the bar on the corner. It had an old sign with faded letters readingClancy’sjutting out over the door. There were a couple windows in the front, but they were hazed over with age and grime. But the door was open, and there was an inviting glow from within.
Jamie led the way in, slowing down to let his eyes adjust to the dimmer lighting inside.