The One & Only(48)
I glanced at the table, assessing the situation, and laughed. “It’s a game, not a sport. And no, thanks,” I said, tossing the stick back to her as Neil hugged me hello then knocked in his last two stripes, followed by the eight ball, finishing Lucy off.
“So how long have y’all been here?” I asked casually, trying not to look judgmental about them missing the end of the game.
She winced, then put an index finger to her lips. “Shhh. Since halftime,” Lucy said. “Give or take.”
I shook my head. “Did Chuck even let you turn the channel?”
“A couple times. Don’t tell Daddy! It’s just that we only have a babysitter once a week and we really needed some alone time,” she said, taking off her cropped teal cardigan and exposing a black silk tank underneath. I noticed that she had gained a little weight back since the funeral and was starting to look healthy again.
“Which is why you invited me here?” I said. “This place is called the Third Rail, not the Third Wheel.”
Neil laughed and said, “Yeah, but Lucy tells me you have a boyfriend now.”
“I didn’t call him that,” I said, looking at Lucy. I had, of course, told her that we had slept together for the first time, then again after the Silver and Blue Debut, the Cowboys’ public practice and dress rehearsal before their first game. I had gone at Ryan’s request, even mingling with a few of the other wives and girlfriends, which made Lucy positively giddy. I turned the subject back to the Walker game, telling them I’d nearly had a heart attack. “Like literally. Symptoms of angina. I honestly don’t know how your dad does it.”
“I know,” Lucy said. “I don’t either.”
“He had a great press conference. He was on fire. Really relaxed and funny …”
“Did he tell anyone off?” Neil asked. “I love when he does that.”
“He doesn’t do that after wins,” I said.
“Omigod! Your boy just walked in!” Lucy said, staring behind me. I followed her gaze and saw Ryan sauntering toward us, in jeans, a just-fitted-enough white T-shirt, and a black Under Armour baseball cap. A five o’clock shadow and dog tags completed the Texas-meets-Malibu look. In short, he was ridiculously hot. Everyone in the bar, of both genders and all ages, stared, his presence causing an immediate, palpable ripple, much less subtle than the impact he’d had at the Ritz, where people knew to play it cool.
“Did you know he was coming?” she asked.
I shook my head, smiling. I had told him I was going to be here, but never imagined that he’d show up. He made his way over to us, high-fiving two guys in his path. When he reached our pool table, he paused for dramatic effect, his hands out to the sides, as if waiting for an embrace. I laughed and shook my head, not wanting to appear overly eager.
“Wow. Nothing? I drive an hour to see you and get no love?” Ryan said with a seductive grin before leaning down to kiss me, the bill of his cap obscuring the exact placement of his lips on mine.
Lucy said hello to Ryan, then sidled in to give him a hug as she introduced Neil. The two shook hands and exchanged manly pleasantries. Meanwhile, a curvy young waitress in black Lycra and stonewashed jean shorts scurried over to us. Beaming and flustered, she reminded me of a kid who finally gets to the front of a line to meet the mall Santa Claus, only to forget what she wants for Christmas.
“Um, hello, Mr. James, can I get you something to drink?” she asked him. “Or some wings or nachos or … anything?”
“Call me Ryan,” he said with a grin so charming that I couldn’t help thinking that it undermined any look of affection he’d ever given me. “Ladies first,” he said, gesturing my way.
I held up my beer and said, “I’m good, thanks.”
The waitress giggled for no apparent reason.
“I’ll have a Jack and Diet,” Ryan said. “But make sure you cut me off after my second.”
“Right. Don’t you have a big game tomorrow?” she asked, biting her lower lip in an overtly sensual way, then giggling again.
“Monday,” I mouthed to Lucy, as Ryan told her, no, he had two more days to get ready.
“Oh. Right. Monday Night Football!” she said with more nervous tittering and a promise to hold him to his limit.
Ryan winked his thanks, then turned back to Lucy, who began bombarding him with questions, seemingly riveted by every response, no matter how bland. It reminded me of how she used to act in high school around boys, even those she had no interest in whatsoever, giving them all the impression that they were the most witty and brilliant and fascinating creatures she’d ever encountered. Of course they’d fall hard and fast in love with her, which really just meant that they were in love with themselves, and she always pretended to be completely floored by the result, explaining that she hadn’t been flirting; she was only trying to be nice. Tonight, though, I was pretty sure her motivation was different and that she was only trying to compensate for my apathetic reaction to Ryan’s cameo, a hunch that was confirmed when she dragged me to the bathroom and gave me a stern lecture.