13. Queenie
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
QUEENIE
RECOMMENDED LISTENING ‘DANGEROUS WOMAN’ BY ARIANA GRANDE
“I mean it, Dumaine. If you’re not signing it --” Relief squiggles through me at the idea of ending this farce before it begins. Maybe leaving town is not a bad idea. Everyone does it one time or another…
“I have a few conditions of my own… to add to the contract.” Noah drops down on one of the couches and stretches his legs. He locks his bare ankles together.
His basketball shorts ride up at the movement.
I resolutely keep my eyes on the slight dip in his chin (did he have one before?) and avoid looking at his biceps gleaming with sweat under his muscle tee.
“Name them.” I remain standing. Even sitting, he’s almost at eye-level.
“You come to all my non-practice matches.”
“Done. I love cricket, you don’t have to twist my arm. I’ll work my shifts around the matches.”
He adds it to the list with a nearby pen. “We kiss in public whenever we see each other.”
“On the cheek,” I snap.
“On the lips,” he retorts. “A quick peck will do. I’d prefer if you went on your toes, but I am willing to meet you halfway.”
“Fine. But no tongue,” I add mulishly. The idea of mashing lips with Noah…is loathsome. It’s loathsome, I tell myself.
“No tongue,” he repeats as he scratches on the paper. He looks up and says, “You’ll attend team events with me. If there are any.”
“I’m not going to put on a short dress and heels for you, Noah.”
“Come naked, for all I care, Queenie.”
I growl at his crude words. “You’re vile. I hope your friends know that.”
“And under no circumstances will you tell Coach Devgan or anyone else about this arrangement.”
“Your friends know,” I point out nastily.
“I trust them with my life.”
“I don’t trust anyone.”
“That’s a shame,” he murmurs. “It must be a lonely life indeed if you don’t trust anyone.”
“It keeps me safe.” I turn to look out the window to the backyard brimming with shrubs and flowers. “My best friend, Mischa…I told her. And…” I swallow as a terrible thought strikes me. “If Rohit Chachu tells my parents, you’ll have to play the devoted boyfriend. I won’t have my parents hurt by this, Noah.”
“I won’t let you down, Queenie.”
I look at him steadily over my shoulder. “Then can you swear to me nothing happened the other night I didn’t want?”
“I swear.” Noah puts the paper down. “I swear, Queenie. Nothing happened between us.”
Relief spreads in my chest, weakens me. I want to slump on the couch and collapse into wax. But I know better. I’ve seen better. Words cannot be trusted.
I just sit down on the other end of the couch. “Why was my tee shirt back to front, then?” Stupid, omnipresent tears sparkle on my lashes.
“You—” Noah shakes his head and sighs. A lock of his hair falls forward. He pushes it back impatiently. “I am okay with whatever you want me to do. Regardless of what’s happened between us, I don’t…” Now, he swallows. “I’m not a bad guy.” He sounds desolate. Nothing like an asshole.
“You made Veronica Washington shit bricks.” I smile weakly and banish the tears. “You’re definitely a little bad. Especially because you used your power for good.”
“Happy to help.” He signs his name on the contract.
And I feel silly. Like this is pointless. “Wait.”
Noah stops mid-signature.
“About rent…”
“No rent,” he says shortly and finishes signing.
“Is your dad paying the rent here, then?” I am genuinely surprised and a little bit intrigued by the Dumaines.
“We own the place. There’s no rent. Or utilities. You can buy your own food or share ours…” He grins. His first easy movement since the first night. “But we eat a lot of protein.”
“Eww. No.” I shudder. “I’ll buy my veggies. There’s protein in veggies too, Dumaine.”
“But you’re not cooking them for us, are you?” Noah finishes signing the agreement. “I could have this drawn up properly and filed too, if you want.”
I take the paper from him and sign under his scrawl. It’s a bold signature. Nothing coy about Noah Dumaine, fast-talking Aussie cricket player with a menacing side.
“On this matter, I trust you. The one thing I know about the filthy rich?” I dot the I over my name. “You guys can be trusted with agreements.”
“I’ll see about getting you a spare key. But for now.” He grabs his own set and takes the key out. “Use mine.”
“What about you?” I take it gingerly from him. It’s still warm from his thigh pocket. “Don’t you need it?”
“I’ll get Ares or Fox’s. Don’t worry about it.” He gets up and walks away. Then stops and says, “I know you don’t believe me, Queenie. But you’re safe with me. I…yeah. Okay. I have to get ready for training now.”
Weirdly and just like with his hugs, I feel safe. Protected and cared for. Which is illogical because he is the reason I’m in this mess in the first place.
I hurry up to keep pace with his long strides, down a long corridor.
“Yeah?” He stops at a tiny door.
“This camp…what’s so great about it? Is it just the chance to be coached by Rohit Chachu?”
“And Padric Alastair and Aiden Gilcrest.” His lips twitch. “I thought your uncle would have given you all the details by now.”
“I am just a fan, Noah. And family. But this is fantastic .” I put my hand on his bicep. It immediately clenches but I don’t care. Just hearing about the legends puts a fizz in my blood. “They’re great. Both of them. The best of the best. This camp sounds like a big deal.”
“And at the end of it, they’re going to call a National Selection Board official to come watch us play so one of us has a chance to get selected to play internationally for our country.”
“Oh!”
I now immediately and specifically understand why this camp is so special and unlike any other. Getting to play internationally is a dream few can fulfil. And the three legends running this camp can definitely make it happen for a new player.
I nod softly. “I promise you; I’ll not mess this up for you, Noah.”
Noah searches my eyes for a long second. Then he nods too. “Sorry, I can’t give you a tour of the house. Your room’s on the top floor, next to the gym. And then it’s the roof. I’ll see you in the night. What time’s your shift end?”
“I’m not going to work today —”
“Good, I’ll see you at home then.”
He shuts the door in my face before I can tell him he won’t.
I stare at the contract for a few minutes after Noah disappears, slumped on the couch. I’m exhausted from the jumble of feelings. Truth be told, I’ve been running on emotion for far longer than I can admit.
I don’t even know when my eyes drift shut, and I fall asleep.
I wake up with a start to a heavy weight on my shoulders. A scream forms in my throat, before I realize it’s just the throw from one of the couches. There’s a plate of cookies and a glass of orange juice on the coffee table near me. I am starving so I snatch a cookie and inhale half of it before I spy the signed roommate contract under the orange juice.
Fox and Ares have signed it too, true to their word.
I trace Noah’s name above mine. There’s another note next to the contract.
The orange juice and cookies are a welcome home gift. The kitchen’s next to the living room. Coffee’s there. Hope you get settled in just fine. – ND.
I crumple the note in my fist because it is so sweet and thoughtful, and Noah is supposed to be an asshole. Then I smooth it out and tuck it in my jacket. I go into the massive kitchen – with red doors and copper pans and gleaming appliances – and make myself a fresh pot of coffee. A small vegetable garden grows right outside, now overrun with weeds.
Then, I wander through the rest of the cottage. There is a formal dining room with a curved table which comfortably seats twenty. The kitchen also has a breakfast bar with remnants of the boys’ breakfast.
I debate with myself, then I do a quick wipe-down of the surface. Ants are an everyone problem.
I take my large coffee mug shaped like a penguin and check out the mud room. It’s larger than my dorm room.
I go back to the family room and check out the door Noah disappeared into. It’s locked. I decide against invading his privacy, so I take the stairs and go to the next floor. It has two oak doors, identical. One of them is open and looks like a tornado hit the room. Clothes and sports equipment occupy every single surface, so I can’t even see any furniture.
But the view from the balcony deck is precious. I am tempted to brave the mess and check out the view up close, but I close the door and go further up.
The next floor has only one door and a massive open plan gym. A professional set up that takes up more than half the space. I almost gasp at some of the torture equipment set up in the room, including a boxing ring. A jacuzzi is tucked in the corner in full view of the gymming area which…ewww…germs. But the gym is definitely an athlete’s heaven.
I correctly guess my room’s next to this gym. I open the door and gasp out loud.
Directly across is a set of French doors leading to a beautiful deck and a stunning view of the Bay and the cliffs. I almost leap across the room to get to the view. I breathe lungfulls of air and experience a moment of true peace, true bliss.
It’s worth it to live with Noah Dumaine just to experience the drama of the cliffs and the water. Dashing and crashing over the rocks in an eternal, ethereal dance.
I step back still admiring the view. Then I turn around to take in my new room.
It’s pretty, ridiculously so. The entrance has a slim, ceiling-tall unit, hiding the queen-size bed on the other side. It’s freshly made up and fluffed with pillows.
The help here must be prompt, to provide such service.
There is not much in the way of furniture otherwise, just a functional desk and chair I intend to use as my vanity. The mirror shines in the spotless cream bathroom and the carpet is squishy as I walk on it. True. Bliss.
I touch all the expensive surfaces; they even feel different.
And I again wonder at Noah’s family net worth that they can afford this place for their son’s training camp. Some people have all the luck in the world.
The bathroom is a delight with curtained windows fluttering in the morning breeze and let in natural light. The fittings are gold-plated with a sunken bathtub. The shower cubicle is all glassed-in marble and extremely glamorous. And I’m pretty sure, those shower jets are for professional athletes and billionaires. I turn one on just to check the water pressure and almost end up getting drenched.
I did not expect the cottage to be so friendly and charming…and so sweetly female in its touches.
I bring my stuff to the foyer before my stomach grumbles. I make instant noodles in the classy microwave and eat it standing up before moving my things up.
With my stomach full, I carry my clothes bags to my room and dump them on the floor. The bed lulls me too. So, I close my eyes for a moment and lie down on the comfy mattress.
Just for a moment…