Page 45 of Tuxedos and Tinsel

“Not really,” he replied.

Until this moment, their arrangement had been conceptual. She hadn’t thought about the fact that in order to be taken for a real couple, they would have to behave like a real couple. Which made this evening a date complete with all the touching and other date-like behavior. Lewis was going to have to pretend he was attracted to her. Did he really think they could pull this off?

They were blocking the stairs. That was one way to attract attention. “Never mind,” she said. “It doesn’t matter.”

“If you say so.”

Their seats were in the middle of the row, close to the front, but high enough they could see the entire court. They also had a clear view of the giant electronic screen that hung over center court. It was like having a one-hundred-inch television in your living room.

She looked around at the people milling about. “I doubt anyone will notice us in this crowd,” she commented.

“Oh, they’ll notice us,” Lewis replied. He leaned closer, his nose practically nuzzling the outer shell of her ear. “My agent has arranged for us to be outed after the third quarter.”

Outed? This time she had to lean into him. “What do you mean?”

“You’ll see,” he replied with a grin. “Just keep your eye on the scoreboard.”

She stared at the screen, which at the moment was playing an advertisement for a Christmas concert. “I don’t like surprises,” she told him.

“You’re going to have to get used to them if you’re planning to hang around with me.”

Why? Was he that spontaneous?

Check that. They were talking about a man who had once jumped naked off a boat into the Thames.

Susan looked at the man folded into the seat beside her. His eyes were shining as he watched the action below. He looked back and forth, taking in everything that was going on. “You’re not going to do something outrageous are you?” she asked.

“Yeah. I’ve got the wordsI love Susan Collierpainted on my chest. I’m planning to tear off me shirt so everyone can read them.”

She rolled her eyes. “Very funny.”

“You’re the one who asked the silly question.” Before she could respond, he reached over and patted her knee, his large hand warm and firm in its touch. “Relax. This is about changing my image, remember? Plus, I’m sober,” he added. “I’m far less outrageous without the alcohol.”

Ironic, then, that they should meet because of her drunkenness.

“What made you stop drinking?”

It was a question she had wanted to ask. He looked so at peace with the decision, she was curious. She wasn’t surprised when he shrugged as though the decision was no big deal. “Forgot one too many names. Jumped into one too many fountains.”

“I would think one fountain would be too many.” She gasped when he held up three fingers. “You’re kidding.”

“We can go for four if you’re feeling adventurous. Seriously though,” he said, the smile leaving his eyes, “when my career ended, so did the party. When you’re on top of the world, being a wild man makes you cool. When you’re out of the spotlight, you’re just a washed-up drunk. I decided I’d rather try to climb back to the top and maybe remember it this time.”

As offhand as he tried to sound, there was no mistaking the regret in his voice. Susan took a good look at the man to whom she’d bound herself for the upcoming weeks. If you looked past the chiseled features, you could see the signs of a life lived hard. She spied tiny scars on his chin and cheekbones and the bump of a broken nose.

“Do you miss playing?” she asked.

“Only every bloomin’ day.” He pointed to the court where the American players were shooting basketballs at the basket. “See that player there? Number twenty-three? He’s the best basketball player in the world.”

“Okay.” He looked like all the other players to Susan.

“Everyone in this building is here to see him,” Lewis told her. “Sure, they care about the other players too, but him…he’s the reason they came.”

“Because he’s the best.”

“Exactly. I can’t begin to describe what it’s like. Being on the pitch, knowing everyone is pinning their game hopes on you and your ability. Feeling the love of thousands. There’s no high like it. And when you’re in the middle of playing, it’s like there’s nothing else in the world. There’s you, and the ball and the match.”

His faraway gaze was so beautiful, it made Susan’s throat catch.