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“I hope Isaiah means what he’s telling you. That’ll help if you’re together and not just hooking up,” Vicki said.
Angela sighed and sipped the creamy caramel Frappuccino. “He says all the right things. Sometimes I think he’s just as excited and nervous about our relationship as I am.”
Vicki raised an eyebrow. “Angela, he’s a professional basketball player. The guy probably has women coming at him constantly. I doubt he’s shy about how to be with a woman.”
“But he’s not one of the ones in the news all the time with a different woman on his arm. He doesn’t come across as a dog.”
“I’ll agree with you on that.” Vicki reached over and rubbed Angela’s arm. “Look, I’m not telling you to not sleep with him. I mean…that would be crazy. Just take things slow. Don’t get yourself in too deep. He did just break up with the perfect woman his family loves.”
“So?”
“Family pressure is a bitch, especially a family like his. I bet you money they’re going to give him a hard time and they’re going to want to examine you. If he’s as into you as you think, they’re going to wonder what magic spell you pulled out of your punanny—” she leaned back and pointed down “—that made him give up years of off and on with Ms. Wonderful to be with you.” Vicki tilted her head and gave a know-what-I’m-saying look that Angela couldn’t ignore.
“If anything they’ll see I’m falling way too hard and fast for Isaiah and feel sorry for me.”
Vicki laughed, but it wasn’t unkind. “Sure. Wealthy privileged folks always look for the good side of the underdog.”
Angela’s phone vibrated on the table. “Maybe Cory is ready to go,” she said. Vicki snorted and Angela grinned. She picked up the phone, but the call was from Nate.
“Hey, Nate, what’s going on?”
“One of the guys who works at the local station mentioned an exposé he and his team are working on,” Nate said in a grim voice.
“Okay,” Angela said warily. “What kind of exposé and why are you telling me?” She took a sip of her drink.
“They’re talking about what really happens at local strip clubs. That men don’t just get dances there. He mentioned Sweethearts and that they have witnesses who can vouch for the fact that Gators players come in and can, and I quote, ‘have sex with any of the girls—even the bartenders—in the back offices.’”
Angela choked. The burn as the caramel-flavored coffee skipped her throat and skidded down her windpipe brought tears to her eyes. She coughed uncontrollably. While mortification stole what little air she could take in. Vicki was up and around their table in an instant. She pounded on Angela’s back.
“I’m okay,” Angela wheezed and held up a hand. Vicki stopped pounding but she placed a hand on Angela’s shoulder.
“I really hope that coughing fit is because you’re outraged and not because you’re surprised you were caught,” Nate said.
Angela cleared her throat but her stomach churned. Her lunch may not stay down. “Are you sure?”
“I’m very sure. They’ve been working the story for months and he said they got this latest tip on yesterday. Including cell phone recordings.”
“Did they give names?” Angela asked.
“The name Angel was mentioned,” Nate said grimly.
Angela dropped her head into her hand. “Sweet Jesus.”
Vicki’s hand tightened on her shoulder. “What?”
She couldn’t answer that right now. “This has the potential to be terrible. I could lose my job at the advocacy center.” Could? No, she would lose her job if the director got word of this.
“I just thought you needed the heads-up. You might want to tell Isaiah, too. This won’t be good with the season starting up.”
Angela nodded even though Nate couldn’t see. “I will. Thanks for telling me. Did he say when the story would air?”
“Next week. They’re going to start running promos for it this weekend.”
Angela cursed, not at Nate, but in general. She then thanked him again and got off the phone. Vicki watched her with wary eyes. Angela took a deep breath and told her what Nate had said. Vicki sat heavily on the seat next to Angela.
