Chapter 57
Seth
I hand Layla my phone so she can talk to my dad. I’ve had enough of him congratulating me and crying, but he says these are tears of joy today after he apologized for not being able to be here. He assured me he was working on it, and his next milestone would be coming to visit me in the big city.
Normally, I would have rolled my eyes and said I’m used to him not being there for me, but not today. I’m too happy today. Instead, I told him that I would be here waiting for him. That we would be here. He was satisfied with that and seemed to sigh in relief.
Once Layla’s done talking, I take her to the corner of the room. The things Coach said to me stick out in my mind. Could he be right? Am I on the cusp of having it all?
“Do you know when dinner is?” she whispers. “I’m hungry, and all I’ve seen so far has been appetizers.” Just as the words leave her mouth, a server walks by, and I take a plate off his tray. It’s a fruit plate, and I feed Layla a piece of cantaloupe.
“Why are you blushing? I’ve put bigger things in your mouth,” I whisper. She gasps at my words and playfully punches me. “So,” I say, after I nervously clear my throat, “Coach showed me some pictures on his phone. In all of them, you are looking at me like you want to have me for dessert. You looked like you wanted to gobble me up like this cantaloupe.”
Her eyes widen at my words then she starts to cough on her fruit. I whack her on the back until she regains control of herself. She stands and grins.
“Huh,” she says. “That’s funny because Jeannie showed me some pictures and in all of them you looked like you have it bad for me.”
I offer her another piece of fruit. A strawberry this time. When she inches closer to get it, I move it out of her reach. “Not so fast,” I throw in. “I think you have something you want to say to me. Say it, and you can have this.”
“Excuse me, but I think it’s you who has something to say to me.” She points at herself and reaches for the strawberry again, but I take a step away. She moves closer.
“Just say them. Three little words. Three syllables, and you can have this and we can go. Jasmine’s staying with the Chastains, and I get to do you every which way at the Plaza.”
“The only thing you’ll be doing tonight is yourself. Come on Seth Herman Wakowski. Confess.”
I look around, shocked that she would use that middle name in public where other people might hear. “Don’t ever call me the H word,” I hiss. “I hate that name.”
“Say it,” she taunts. “Or I’ll tell everyone your middle name is Herman.”
“You say it,” I say back, “and I’ll deny that’s my name.”
“Nope.” She crosses her arms and looks away. I put the plate on a nearby bookshelf and put my hands on her shoulders.
“Have I told you how beautiful you look today?”
She looks up and bats her long eyelashes at me. “You have,” she says, smiling so wide she shows off all her teeth.
“I never realized how big your teeth were before today,” I say as I pretend to study them. She closes her mouth and pinches my arm. “Just say it, and I’ll give you the name of a good dentist.” I start to laugh, and so does she. She laughs so hard she snorts.
“Well, I’m on your dental plan, so I can find my own dentist. And you gave me a credit card.” She sticks her tongue out at me. I bend down and gently bite the tip.
“Say it,” I command.
“You first.”
I let her go, and she takes an involuntary step back. “Fine,” I concede. She gives me a smug look while she waits. “We’ll play for it. The loser says it first.” The smug smile drops from her face like I knew it would. “Unless you’re scared you can’t take me,” I taunt knowing full well she won’t back down.
She huffs again, and that competitive edge that lurks under the surface rises. “Oh, please. We’re the same level skill-wise.” I try and succeed in holding my snort. I let her score last time. I won’t let that happen today. “I’ll be right back.”
She walks off and whispers something in Jeannie’s ear. Jeannie shakes her head, and a minute later, Layla disappears from my sight.
She’s not gone long. She’s back less than two minutes later in the same beautiful dress and a pair of white sneakers.
“Aren’t you going to change your shoes?” she asks.
“No need. You’re not exactly competition.” I gesture toward the sliding glass door to the small yard. Of course, there’s a basketball hoop and a basketball. Everyone follows us, but they don’t come outside. They stand on the opposite side of the door. “You’re playing in your wedding dress?” I take off my suit jacket and drape it across a chair.
“This won’t take long,” she says, and this time, I don’t hold back my laugh.
“Okay,” I say. “You’re right for once. It won’t.” I toss the ball at her with more force than I did last time. She catches it, but I don’t miss the step back she was forced to take.
She takes a shot, but I block it, and the ball flies past her head. I run toward it, but she manages to catch it before I do. She tries to go around me, but I block her. She veers to the other side, but I manage to block that too. She attempts to throw the ball over my head, but I catch it and toss it without bothering to look behind me. I know I score because the crowd cheers, including Jeannie and Vickie.
“What are you two rooting for?” Layla asks Jeannie and Vickie.
“For love,” they both say at once.
She runs for the ball, but I get it first. I give her my back as I bounce it and score again.
“We’re playing to ten,” I say. I loosen my tie and unbutton my shirt, ready to play the most important game of my life.
“Give up now, Wakowski. That was the last basket you’re going to make.” I scoff at her overconfidence. To prove to her how little her words scare me, I throw the ball at her.
“Let’s see what you got, Wakowski,” I taunt. “Don’t worry. After you lose, I’ll still let you wear my championship ring around your neck.”
She dribbles and runs toward the hoop at the same time. I stand in front of her to block her. We’re both breathing hard. She goes around me, then fakes it and goes to the other side. She shoots and misses.
Having enough of this, I take the ball from her, determined to end this in the next two minutes. I make three more baskets in less than a minute. I toss her the ball. She shoots and misses. I score two more baskets and finally get ten points.
When we’re done, I stand there with my hands on my knees while I pant. The game wasn’t very vigorous but what’s at stake is what’s causing me to sweat.
“Go,” I say. “I’m ready. I’ve been ready for this.” I stand tall and take a few steps toward her and cup her face. “Maybe since the first time I saw you.” When all she does is look into my eyes, I say, “Speak, loser.”
“Oh, shut up,” she says. “I let you win.” She juts out her chin as she lies. “I didn’t want to embarrass you in front of your colleagues and the owner of the team. You should thank me.”
“Will you stop babbling and say the three damn words already? You’re so annoying.”
She stands tall and squares her shoulders. “Fine. A deal’s a deal, even though I let you win. So,” she says after taking a deep breath, “here goes. You have surprised me. I went from hating you to tolerating you to liking you.”
“Jesus, three little words, woman! Enough with the blabbering. I don’t need a speech.”
“I’m gonna take as long as I need to take, so shut your trap and listen for once.” She takes a deep breath before she continues. “You’re a wonderful loving dad. The most loyal and caring son. I guess it was inevitable that I would get here. So, Seth Wakowski, I have fallen in love with you.”
I take her hands in mine and kiss the back of them.
“God, you talk too damn much. That’s always been your problem. All you had to say was this. I love you. See how that works.” She bites her lip and tears spring into her eyes. They fall down her cheeks until I wipe them away.
“You love me?” she chokes out.
“How could I not?” I ask. “Even though you’re shit at basketball. You really are. You’re like the worst basketball player I’ve ever seen. I don’t know how you made the girls’ team in high school. They must have taken everyone who showed up.”
She lets out a loud wail and flies into my arms. I wrap them around her and kiss the top of her head. “She loves me!” I announce, and the crowd on the other side of the door cheers. I lift her off her feet and spin her around. She throws her head back and laughs. I then throw her over my shoulder and walk inside with her.
“Put her down, Seth,” Jeannie says. “It’s time for your reception at the Pierre.” That’s the hotel where Jeannie and Layla worked. The first time I ever laid eyes on her was at that hotel. “Layla, let’s go change. Aid, you’re in charge of getting everyone to the hotel.”