I learned something new today. It turns out that that the water bath for the chicken was called sous vide, and when the wings came out Skye dropped them into the fryer before coating them in some soy sauce, honey, and sesame oil mix that had me licking my fingers clean when I was done. The fries had been fried up too, and I knew I was being unhealthy, but I didn't care. I'd eaten back at the bar, and it was starting to get busy again, but Skye still found time for me.
"The shoes aren't going to be enough," she said while I finished off the food. Did I make sure I didn't wipe my face enough, so she had to help me clean my lips again? Maybe. Can I plead the fifth on that?
"Why won't they be enough?" I wondered. "That will have to get people to start believing."
"Yeah, but the people that need to believe won't be convinced by you having a pair of shoes. You already said you couldn't play there again, right? So that means you need to convince the NCAA that you should be allowed to immediately transfer to another school, even though you're out of the transfer portal. Now, that can happen, they've given waivers like that in the past. But it means getting more evidence."
"What kind of evidence? The shoes are all I have!"
"You're right. But I'm hoping that Tegan will provide the rest. See if you can get her here later this week, and we'll try to trap her."
"I doubt she'd meet me; she has the restraining order after all," I pointed out.
"True, but she'd be coming to you, so it isn't your fault if she is close. Just remind her you have her shoes and can prove your story about spring break and you're going to the coach unless she meets you here."
"You seem pretty sure that she'll show up." I hoped she was right, and it would be nice to at least know why she'd done everything, but I wasn't convinced that she'd give us anything.
"She will. Whatever is going on, she's got some elaborate plan, and those shoes are the only thing that can fuck it up. Hopefully she doesn't expect anything beyond the obvious." It did make sense. Tegan had a carefully crafted narrative, and other than that one blip it all looked perfect to an outside observer. But if I got her to slip up, even a little, then I had a chance.
I nodded slowly. "I could have Leah pass her a message. Would Wednesday be, okay? I know they have a scrimmage that day, but they could come afterwards. Tomorrow I could go to Charlotte to get the shoes."
"Wednesday is perfect. I have a few things to work out between now and then anyway." She put another Shirley Temple in front of me with a grin. "How about Sunday for dinner?"
"Sunday? Yeah, I'd like that. But you know I'll be here almost every night before then." I couldn't help but hide a grin. I already planned to leave for Charlotte early enough to be back here for dinner the following day. "Oh shit! I still owe you for Friday's dinner! And today's!"
She waved a hand. "Don't sweat it. I know the owner, and she might like keeping you around with free food so she can check you out in her spare time."
I could feel myself heating up as she said that and couldn't help but smile. She got me every time with her flirting, and I loved it. I knew that there was every chance she could flirt a lot with other customers, but I hadn't seen it. There had been several women flirting with her both last Friday, and again tonight, but she always ignored their comments and came back to my side when she was free. It felt good. It was hard not to overanalyze everything and not be scared after the Tegan betrayal, but it was a virtual impossibility to not be drawn to Skye. The way she stuck her tongue out in concentration as she mixed the drinks, or the sound of her giggle when another patron said something funny, or even better the mischievous twinkle in her eye when she leaned in and said something flirty to me.
The first time she'd said goodbye, she mentioned that she had a shoulder that I could put my head on or drape my legs over. I'd used that shoulder several times as a source of strength, and I couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to take her up on her other suggestion.
But right now, wasn't the time to bring things like that up. I wanted to get past everything else that was happening before I tried doing something crazy like jump into an honest to goodness relationship that wasn't based on sex. And I knew this was one wasn't going to be that. Hell, what I had with Tegan wasn't even a real relationship, but I could see things with Skye that I'd never anticipated before. I wanted to support her like she had already supported me. No, not that I want something bad to happen to her to cause her to need it, but maybe getting her dinner when she was studying for the bar exam. Rubbing her shoulders when she was tense, and then letting her drape her legs over my shoulders too.
Hey, I didn't say no sex at all!
"I'm going to pay you back for all this you know," I told her as I realized once more just how grateful I was for everything. I'd never worried about money up here because when I was a baby my parents had started a college fund for me, and I got what Florida called a Bright Futures scholarship for my SAT score. I had access to the money for those, and I could use them in addition to my full ride athletic scholarship, so I could have easily afforded to pay for my meals, even if Skye was trying to make it so I had one less thing to worry about.
"I'm not worrying about being paid back. I just want to see you on the court and playing basketball again. When that happens, I'll consider all this an investment well spent."
"An investment in me?" I was a bit shocked at that.
"Of course. The moment you walked in here I knew I had found someone special. I wasn't sure in what way, but I could tell. You've been beaten down a lot in the last few days, and maybe it is my job to help you stand back up. But I have little doubt that once we get past all of this, that you're going to be a force. It doesn't hurt that I looked up the recruiting tape on you over the weekend, you're an amazing player."
"So, what do you get out of this investment?" I wasn't sure if she was doing this for money, or something else, and I needed clarification.
"I thought I made that clear. I want to take you out. I don't date much, and I get hit on all the time by people I really don't want to be with. I can't remember the last time I asked someone out or met someone that makes me want to both protect them and kiss them at the same time," she explained with a smile. "What I hope to get out of this is you."
"But you don't even know me! I don't know you either!" I protested.
"Of course not, we just met. That is why we go out, to find out more about each other. But tell me you're not wanting to try. Tell me you don't want to spend time with me and see if we could have a relationship that really works." She was looking me right in the eye, and I could feel exactly what she meant. She was absolutely right too. I did want that, and I wanted it with her. "I felt an immediate attraction to you, and it has only grown since then. The things you're going through would have made a lot of people give up, but you haven't. They got you down, but you're still here. I want to be by your side when you get past them, and see what things are like when you don't have to worry anymore."
"Maybe you're investing not just in me, but in us then," I replied in a whisper. I couldn't believe that she'd been feeling all that, but damn if I wasn't feeling incredibly motivated right now. And yeah, sexy, aroused, and happy too. "How old are you?"
"I'm 25, is that too old?" Her eyebrow raised up as she asked.
I just shrugged. "I have no idea. I've never thought about age when it came to dating. I know that I'm attracted to you too, and beyond that, does it matter?"
She quickly smiled at me. "Not to me! As long as you're over 18, I'll be happy to date you."
"Skye, I really do like you. I think with everything going on, I want to take it slow, but I really do want to try dating. I just don't want there to be anything hanging over our heads. I don't want you to think I'm doing this because you're helping me or feeling some sort of rebound stuff." I really wanted this to be clean. I just hoped what I was feeling stayed. I was so messed up I didn't want there to be some part of me that worried I only liked her for the help she was giving me.
"I'm fine taking it slow. I don't think we're in a hurry, this isn't a race. I'm just as nervous as you that the situation drove us together, but I think it is real."
"Then I guess we're fine. Wednesday Tegan. Sunday dinner. I don't have any classes anymore since they kicked me out, so you'll probably have me hanging out here all the time after I get the sneakers, if that's okay." I was happy with that plan. Who knows what might happen if I got the information from Tegan too!
"Oh damn, a stunning young woman wants to hang out with me. How will I ever make it through the week."
"I'm sure you'll find a way!"