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Jamal rolled his eyes. “Which is why I can’t get her out of my head. Anderson, she’s funny and smart and beautiful and, well, I think she’s way outta my league. But JJ really likes her. That’s enough to try, right?”
Trevin walked down the court and slapped Jamal on the back. “Are you sure JJ is the only one who likes her?”
Jamal laughed. “You got me, big guy. Now, are we gonna work on our game or sit around and chat all day?”
“I thought we were working on our game. Well,yourgame. Playa.” Trevin winked.
“Mygame doesn’t need any work, man. I got it. I just don’t know what to do with it yet,” Jamal responded.
“You just keep tellin’ yourself that, mister. Just feel free to holler at me when you get totally lost in the process of trying to figure out how to bring her over to the dark side.”
“Dark side?” Jamal questioned.
“The dark side of convincing her she isnotoutta your league. Which she totally is, by the way.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence, man.”
“That’s what I’m here for. That and to catch all your half-ass passes that I save with my magic hands from rocketing out of bounds.”
Jamal laughed. His frienddidneed work on his catching ability, but he sure was good at advice. And nagging.
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CHAPTER FOURTEEN
“What do I do, kid? To call or not to call, that is the question.” Jamal had been sitting with the phone in his hand for what felt like an hour, trying to decide if he should call Cassie. He didn’t really have a reason to call, but damn, if he didn’t want to hear her voice in the worst way possible.
Practice had slammed him all week and before he knew it, it was the day before the Thunder’s season opener and he hadn’t managed to talk to Bambi at all. Between preseason games, extra practices and JJ’s fall softball season, Jamal barely had time to sleep, much less call the woman he couldn’t get out of his head since the wedding. He tried to go to as many games of JJ’s that he could. He couldn’t make all of them because of his life as a professional athlete, but JJ understood that. Irma never missed one, though, which made up for the fact that he couldn’t always be there. Besides, if he didn’t call he didn’t have to hear Cassie turn him down. He was scared that she had been lost in the romanticism of the wedding and then realize she wouldn’t want to have anything to do with him.
He looked at his daughter who was sitting across the bar from him, scarfing a huge bowl of Frosted Flakes, her favorite cereal.
“I tell you what you do, Mr. Jenkins,” Irma said, slapping him on the back of his head as she walked toward the sink to load the dirty dishes into the dishwasher. “You call that woman and tell her how you feel,” she finished with a Spanish accent that was still strong even after all the years of living stateside.
“Yeah, daddy-o,” JJ agreed, reaching over the bar and punching him in the arm. “I agree with nanny. Quit being a chicken.”
“Who said anything about being a chicken?” Jamal said, rubbing his arm. Damn, his kid really knew how to throw a punch. “I’ve just been really busy.”
“Just call her, you stupid, stupid, stubborn man,” Irma said, trying for another head smack. Jamal jumped away just in time.
“Jeez, Irma! Stop hittin’ me! I’ll call, I’ll call.”
JJ smiled at him. “Dad’s got a cru-ush,” she sang between a mouthful of cereal.
Jamal rolled his eyes. “Whatever,” he muttered under his breath.
“Just dial the number, Jamal,” Irma said, one hand on her hip.
“Did I hear correctly? Did you just call meJamal?You haven’t called me that since I moved into your house all those years ago.”
“When you started paying me a salary, there had to be a sense of formality. After all, Iamyour employee.”
Jamal pulled her in for a hug. “You know you’re so much more than an employee, Irma. You’re my adopted mom. Surely you know that.”
Irma pulled his head down so she could kiss his forehead. “I know that, silly boy. But it’s much more impressive to other people when I tell them I cook and clean for the great Jamal Jenkins. Now go call your lady friend.”
Jamal smiled. He and JJ were the luckiest people in the world when this woman walked into their life. “If you insist,” he said, planting a kiss on the top of her head.
“He’s a goner, Irma,” Jamal heard his daughter say.
