Page 9 of Who's Loving You

“I’m in agreement with Monty. Whatever it takes, we’re in. And by we I mean all three of us. Right, Nic?” Coach’s pointed look burns a hole through me, and I know I’ve got no fighting chance at changing their minds.

With a sigh of defeat, I slump my shoulders and fall back into my chair. “Does it really matter what I think? I’m not the one signing my paycheck or calling the plays. So I guess…do with me what you will.”

With a saucy smile and a shake of her head, hershiny black strands rippling like water, Val regals in her victory. “Perfect. We begin tomorrow.”

Maybe I should make a little visit toLasciviousand do a preemptive stress relief.

I have a strong feeling I’m going to need it.

4

VALENTINA

Me: Hi Carrigan! Do you have time to talk?

Carrigan: Uh, can I call you a little later? I’m kinda busy.

Me: Of course. I’m so excited to hear about your date.

Carrigan: Sure.

Nico Loving is going to send me to the nuthouse where I will live out my days in a padded cell.

Day one of projectMake Nico Respectablestarted out well enough. I had three women for him to get to know and hopefully, pick one to go on this journey with him. The ladies all knew this was a temporary situation and agreed fully to it.

The rules were simple. Show affection in public –holding hands, hugging, smiles of adoration– but under no circumstances were they to sleep with him. And Nicowas under strict rules of the same, except we extended it to no sleeping with womenperiod. At least for the first couple months of the season.

Once he looked like the nice young man that any woman would want to take home to meet the parents, they would be free to explore their relationship further. But the point of this “exercise” is to calm his philandering ways. I expect that, by the time a few months have passed of spending time withonewoman, he’ll start to see that a monogamous, tame relationship is what he needed all along.

After meeting and speaking with the women, he chose the one he felt was most compatible.

“So…what do you think?”We sat in my office after the last girl left, their profiles laid out on the table in front of us.

Nico studied each photo along with notes I had made with my personal opinion. He slid the papers around then placed his finger on one and pushed it forward.

“This one. She’s pretty enough, and I think she could talk about more than just herself.”

I picked up the picture of the busty blonde, Carrigan, that I knew would grab his attention. However, I didn’t pick her just because she had the features that a man of twenty-two may gravitate towards. Carrigan is a first year Ph.D student in cancer biology as she works towards her end goal of cancer researcher.

Being a dedicated student means her party nights are behind her. She spends her days studying and her evenings attending charity events to further her standing in the cancer research community, or doing things like going to sporting events, tame dinner with friends, or easy-going nights at home. There is no chance of finding her at a wild and rowdy party where nudity is apossibility. Especially with Nico, since that seems to be his forté.

He phoned Carrigan and asked her out for dinner at an elegant Italian restaurant, and I tipped off a few reporters who would catch him in action.

Like a gentleman, he picked her up from her apartment, gifted her a lovely bouquet of flowers –that I picked out– and did the whole hand on lower back as he escorted her into the restaurant.

Just as I had hoped, cameras flashed and pictures of the two of them were posted on social media sites along with online articles, talking about the new woman in the star receiver's life. Her resumé is impressive, and I was correct in assuming it would make for good press.

When I followed up with Carrigan the next afternoon, I was not prepared for what she told me.

“So…how did it go? Did you and Nico fare well?”My smile was wide with hope that a match was made and stage two of my plan would be set into motion.

“It was nice. We had a very pleasant evening.”The tone of her voice had my hackles standing on end.

“Was he disrespectful? Did he do or say something?”Thoughts swirled through my head, picturing him proposing something crude.

“No no. Not at all. He was so nice and funny and we really did have a wonderful time.”

“Okay, so what’s the problem? I can tell something happened.”