“Coach Wagner. Pleasure.”
She shakes his hand, a polite smile on her face, and I wait my turn like a little boy who’s next in line for the ferris wheel. But that joy quickly fades when her warm smile turns to ice when she turns her attention to me.
“And you must be Nico.” She does not smile or hold out her hand for me to take, and the glare is like a spotlight shining on a suspect during interrogation.
“Nico Loving. Nice to meet you Mrs. San Ramón.” I play the part of the gentleman my parents raised, and hold my hand out to her.
She stares at it like my hand is coated in biohazard material before finally sliding her palm against mine. She has a firm grip, one that comes from years of keeping up in a man’s world and not wanting to appear weak, and it’s such a contradiction to her soft skin.
“No missus. Just Valentina, please.” She drops her hand and Mr. Montgomery pulls out a seat for her, directly across from me.
No doubt so she can stare into my soul and find out all of my secrets. That is her job, so I’ve heard.
She sits and places a leather bag on the table in front of her, and reaches in, producing a notepad and pen. It’s very old school. I expected some high tech laptop that, with the click of a button, all my dirty deeds would be projected across the room.
“Monty. Coach Wagner. I have done some research about your…situation, and come up with a plan to turn Nico from a reckless playboy, to a respectable community role model.”
Reckless?Who said I was reckless? I’ve had some fun, sure, but I have never endangered anyone. I mean, there was that one time on the freeway and Emily’s head got stuck under the steering wheel when my thighs flexed as I shot off in her mouth. But when my muscles relaxed, she was just fine.
“You must be a miracle worker if you can pull that off,” Coach muses, looking at me from the corner of his eye.
“And tell me, Val. Exactly how do you plan to turn this young man into one this organization can be proud of?”
“Well, Monty,” she replies and I wonder who the hell Monty is. “This may seem counterproductive to what we are trying to accomplish, but I think our best route is to make him a committed man.”
“What?” All three of us men reply, each in various degrees of shock.
“Hear me out. Nico is seen as a womanizer. A man who is using his new found fame as a free pass to slip in and out of women’s beds. Think about the type of attention that draws.”
“The wrong kind,” Mr. Montgomery quickly adds.
With the tip of her pen she pokes it in the air at him,dotting the exclamation. “Exactly. That image has young men wanting to mirror the bad behavior, and the wrong type of women flocking to him. We need him to project an image of stability, reliability. Let’s get the kids striving to be like their hero which, in turn, will have parents buying the jersey’s. Sponsors will want this cleaned up man as the face of their product. He will become a leader, on and off the field. Throw in some well-timed pictures during community service and events, and you have the new and improved Nico Loving…Houston’s Hero.”
She ends her speech, spreading her hands wide like she’s revealing a sign behind a velvet curtain. Mr. Montgomery and Coach Kiss-Ass begin applauding. This isn’t some fucking Broadway play.
This is my life.
She wants me, at the fresh age of twenty-two, to settle down with one woman and give the illusion of a happy, monogamous and committed relationship? I’d sooner pluck out my ball hairs one by one than settle for one chick.
“So do you have a list of available women who are willing to participate in this image makeover?” Coach asks.
“I’ve got a great-niece that’s a peach and would be the perfect candidate.” Mr. Montgomery pulls his phone from his pocket and makes like he’s about to make the call, right here and now.
“There are a few ladies I already have in mind. They’ve all agreed to a meet and greet this Tu–”
“Hey wait a minute.” I push up from the table, my voice rising to a very non-respectable decibel. “This is my life. Don’t I get a say in it? There are plenty of other ways for me to fix this.”
Valentina’s eyebrow arches and she purses her perfectly pouty lips. “Is that right? And what would you suggest?”
I square my shoulders and stiffen my neck, ready to fight for what I want. “Community events are a great way to be seen as the good guy in the public eye. You know, the kids stuff. I can help a few grannies out with groceries, maybe plant a garden with a local school. Things like that. My buddy, Nik Papas, is a saint. He does stuff like that all the time, and he has a great reputation.”
“Sure, but has he been seen getting a blow-job from a woman while speeding down the highway?” She’s blunt, paying no mind to the company we are in the presence of.
I grapple for words, knowing there is no explaining myself out of that one.
“That’s what I thought. And since I’m the expert at cleaning up messes people like you make, I say we stick to my plan. That is,” she moves her gaze between each of us. “If Monty and Coach Wagner approve.”
“If you think this is what will get the job done, you have my backing.” Mr. Montgomery pats the top of her hand and tosses her a wink.
