Playing the Game by Queen Stephanie

Author:Queen, Stephanie [Queen, Stephanie]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Published: 2012-02-19T23:00:00+00:00

Stepping from the locker room after the game, Barry was only moderately surprised to see Roxanne.

“You’re turning into a regular groupie, Rox,” Barry said as he moved quickly through the crowd of media people and headed toward her. He’d spotted her instantly. He put his arm around her and swept her with him swiftly past the poised pens. Then he remembered.

“Shit.”

“What? Did I foil some prior plans?” Her smile looked as if she hoped she did, as if the evening wouldn’t be as enjoyable unless she claimed his attentions over everything else. Or it could be his imagination.

He smiled down at that mischievous twinkle he saw and shook his head. “Yeah. You did. I did have other plans. And yes, I will change them to accommodate you.” He shook his head again, and leaving her standing in the dark corridor, he walked back toward the dressing room. Then he threw over his shoulder, “Don’t bother apologizing.” He heard her laughter bubble as he walked back through the crowd. The sound brought a fresh grin to his face.

“Hey Barry. Great game. Good to see you back in form,” Kevin said to him as he walked by. Then Kevin nodded his head in Roxanne’s direction. “Be careful, though.”

Barry laughed. “Jealous, Kevin?”

“Sure. But I mean it.”

“Don’t worry about me.” He ducked back into the dressing room. Some of the guys were still there, outnumbered by reporters three to one.

“Dave,” he called to his friend. Dave was always one of the last ones out. He never seemed to be in a hurry.

“Yo. I’ll be with you in a minute.”

“No. I won’t be making it after all…” Barry didn’t want to explain why.

“Why the hell not?” Dave stood and buttoned his shirt. Barry noticed the reporters who’d been sitting with Dave taking an interest, listening for his answer.

He sighed and swiped a hand through his damp hair. “I’m going with Roxanne instead.” He didn’t keep his voice low. Dave raised his brows. He hoped to hell his friend wasn’t going to make an issue of it here. It really was no big deal. Yet he felt that twitch of defiance as he stood there.

“So. Bring her with you. We’d be glad to set another place at dinner.”

“Thanks. I’ll take a rain check.” Barry turned, but not before seeing Dave’s face crack into a grin.

“Oh, I get it. You two want to be alone. Is that it?” Dave spoke a little too loudly. Barry grimaced, turned back to his friend. “Fuck you,” he mouthed, as the reporters were getting up and coming over with big smiles, mumbling amongst themselves about a budding romance.

Barry disappeared fast. He got through the crowd in record time and swept up Roxanne on his way. He was a thirty-one year old man and he didn’t need the adolescent baloney that Dave seemed to thrive on. But he couldn’t help smiling at the thought of his friend.

He wondered, not for the first time, what the hell he was doing and whether she was worth it.

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