Page 76 of The Virgin Game Plan (Rules of Love 2)
* * *
Grant: Do you know what this weekend is?
* * *
Reese: Obviously.
* * *
Grant: And who are you rooting for in the first Dragons versus Cougars series of the year?
* * *
Reese: That is an excellent question. Can I plead the fifth?
* * *
Grant: Only if you don’t want tickets for the first baseline.
* * *
I nearly jump for joy, squealing with excitement.
* * *
Reese: The Cougars. Definitely the Cougars.
* * *
Grant: That was the right answer. I’ve got four tix for you. By the way, how’s everything with you-know-who? Do I dare to ask?
* * *
Reese: We’re seeing each other.
* * *
Grant: Oh, so it’s all official now?
* * *
Reese: Kind of. Almost. Soon it will be.
* * *
Grant: Ah, got it. Think you’ll level up?
* * *
Reese: I do. I hope so. At least, that’s the plan.
* * *
I send the text, then stare at it. Why do I sound like I’m trying to convince him?
Or am I trying to convince myself?
The next afternoon, I meet my mom during my lunch break, and we grab Indian food at a street vendor she’s been wanting to try. As she moans in culinary delight over the chana masala, she asks me how everything’s going at work.
“Jillian is a mile a minute. Adriana is hilarious. They’re both smart and strong and fun.” I want to add that neither ascribes to rules that would limit love, but that’s not entirely the point of this mother-daughter talk.
“It’s so great to work with good people,” she says. We sit at a picnic table in Hayes Valley, and she digs into the dish. “It’s good to have a job that speaks to your heart. Because sometimes when other things aren’t working, you need that—your career—to find your way through.”
I pause my fork in midair. “Is that another one of your adages? Words to live by?”
“When things were tough with your dad, I was honestly glad I had my job. It centered me, gave me focus.”
“I’m glad I have my job too.” A voice in the back of my head asks if I’ll be glad I have it when things go sideways with Holden. Then I dismiss it. There’s no reason to think things will go in any direction but forward. That’s the plan.
My mom asks more questions, wanting to know how Tia is, how Layla is, how Grant is. I answer all of them, updating her on my friends. “And this weekend, the Dragons are playing the Cougars. Do you want to go with me? Grant got four tickets. Or would that be weird, with Dad coaching and all?”
She shoots me a don’t be silly look. “I still like baseball. Don’t worry. Your father didn’t ruin baseball for me. And he definitely didn’t ruin spending time with you and your friends. I would love to be your baseball date.”
I smile, glad she’s up for it. But at the same time, I want to ask her more—like should I root for the Dragons or the Cougars? Should I root for the guy I’m falling for, or should I root for my best friend?
Instead, I guide the conversation to other topics. That’s so much easier than telling her about the guy I’m kind of dating and kind of not.
But not telling her makes him feel like a secret.
And I hate secrets.
28
Holden
The next afternoon, I meet Josh at a dive joint near the ballpark to grab a light meal before the game. We sit at the counter, and after we order, he dives into business. “And now, do you want to know why I’m really in town?”
I flash him my best pro-baller grin. “Because you missed me?”
“That and I have news for you,” he says with a glint in his eyes. “Potential good news for you.”
Now’s my opening. “I have news for you too.”
His shoulders tense. “You better not be dropping me.”
I crack up. “Paranoid much?”
“Damn straight. Every good agent is.”
“Relax. I’m not dropping you. But you go first.”
With a satisfied grin, he points at me. “You are doing damn fine work with your media image.”
I give a slight bow of my head. “Thank you.”
“So much so that advertisers are noticing.”
That piques my interest, and I sit up straighter. “Tell me more.”
“I’ve had a few meetings about you. About potential deals for a range of clients.”
He shares a few more details until the food arrives, and when he wraps up, I give him a small smile. “Good to hear.”
“We’re not going to celebrate yet, but it looks promising. I knew once you worked on your surly media attitude, we’d have more interest from sponsors, and it’s started to happen already. You did some fast work. Now you just need to maintain your choirboy rep.”
I nearly choke on my chicken sandwich.
I grab my glass of water, down some, and take a breath.
