AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“You know the celebrity type.” Macy rolled her eyes when Duke looked over at her. “Always having someone doing things for them.”
He touched his heart and sank bank into the cushions of the couch. “Athle-tante is what you called it, right?”
Macy shrugged and hid her smile.
“So what happened to your usual helpers?” Mario asked, perching himself on an arm of the couch just above Monique.
“They got tickets and a hotel for the Miami game.”
“The Miami game?” Pablo leaned closer, scratching at his chin. He cut his best friend a glare. “You don’t say?”
Duke shot his friend a glowering smile. Pablo knew about the tickets, as well as the hotel. Before seeing Macy, Duke had planned on taking Pablo down for the game. Of course everything else fell into place for him with Andy and Spencer. Now was not the time for a confession, but eventually he’d tell Macy the truth. It was best to change the subject. He looked up at Mario and guessed that would be a great way to start. “So what line of work are you in, Mario?”
“Landscaping.” Mario whipped out a business card from the small square pocket of his tank top. “Let me know if you need any help.”
“God, Mario,” Monique groaned, “only you would try to make connections at a birthday party.”
Mario blew a kiss at Monique. Duke took the card and looked at it briefly before slipping it into the back pocket of his jeans. “Are you ready for work, Mo?”
“A little bit. I’m enjoying the time I have with Lucia.”
The longer he was covering her position, the more time he got to spend with Macy. The room filled with the rest of their guests. Francisco Cuomo, Macy’s paternal grandfather, came over for a little while, just long enough to share a few stories of Macy’s childhood and her bad temper. As soon as he left, Macy begged Duke to forget everything her grandfather said and just remember that she’d learned to overcome her anger through her mother’s side of the family.
Duke got a chance to meet the younger Mario, MJ, when he and Wellinson, Pablo’s son, came inside to see how much longer the food was going to take. When the kids opened the door, Duke’s stomach growled at the delicious smell of the grill going. After a while the men, Duke included, went outside to check on the grill. Apparently Mario was manning it and seemed to be doing a good job.
Typically when Duke was gathered in the center of a male conversation, everyone wanted to know about his history with the Yankees. Since Duke’s passion was baseball, he didn’t mind it too much. Growing up, he’d always felt he was best at the sport. Before he hit eighteen, the pros were already calling. Instead of jumping into the major leagues, Duke opted to get an education first. He missed the days of living in the DR and being able to play all the time, all year long. When he became a sports reporter, he was still connected to the game, even though he covered all sports from baseball to golf to football. Most of his friends who weren’t in the business were always curious about his ability to get tickets for games, whether for the Super Bowl, the World Series, or even big-time college football, like the one last night in Miami.
Pablo was staring at his best friend when Mario brought up the game this weekend. “You aren’t fooling anyone,” Pablo said once Mario left to bring in some cooked meat. “I know you got rid of Spencer and Andy.”
Coyly, Duke smiled and took a long gulp of his beer. The sun was shining brightly. He was glad he’d worn a T-shirt and jeans, but wished slightly to have worn some shorts as Pablo had.
Macy had a huge backyard. Pablo’s kids and other children were playing a game of tag, screaming and running around like crazy. He remembered those days when he and Pablo used to run around like that. There wasn’t much he and Pablo didn’t share. “I’m pleading the fifth.”
“Because you’re guilty.”
“Of being infatuated,” Duke admitted.
“So what is the deal?” his friend asked. “You’ve obviously found your way in with her. Now what do you plan on doing with it?”
Duke leaned against the brick wall near the grill. “I’m not sure. She strikes me as hesitant about going any further with me, other than a few kisses here and there.”
Pablo choked on his beer. “You kissed her?”
“I’m not going to kiss and tell.”
“But you will with me.” Pablo grinned and took another sip to clear his throat. “I told you Macy is special. Don’t pull any stunts with her.”
He didn’t have to be told that Macy was special. “I know that. And I’m fine with the way things are right now. I really enjoy just being able to spend time with her. She’s unlike anyone I’ve ever met.”
“And speaking of people you’ve met, Kristina called the station looking for you. She’s been getting a bit testy with my secretary, too.”
Duke guessed Kristina had given up on contacting him by phone after he let her daily calls go straight to voice mail. Daily turned into weekly. After a few weeks of this, Duke just blocked her number and sent her emails straight to the trash. He half expected Kristina to give up on contacting him, but being the reporter that she was, she wasn’t going to let go until they spoke. But he had no desire to speak to her
and he had no desire to think of her right now, now that he was finally enjoying himself. He made a mental note to eventually call her back. Pablo’s secretary, Desiree, didn’t deserve harsh treatment from Kristina. But he didn’t want to think about that today, either.
Blatantly changing the subject, Duke sighed. “So the kids are doing great with the new baby?”
“Just fine. As a matter of fact, Lucia will be christened the week after New Year’s. I know your deal with Orsini says you have to return New Year’s Day to renegotiate with MET. Do you think you can make it back?”
