For the next two and a half days I was focused on the Arizona sun, filling my sexual cup, and frothing over items I didn’t need but made me smile.
Aldridge’s phone was blowing up and he was declining incoming calls. Didn’t the world stop for everyone else when we were together? Like in a video game only Aldridge and I mattered and the blonde lady with the bob looking at cookbooks in the corner was just a NPC (Non player character).
I pointed at an item on the table. “This is cute.”
“What is it?”
“Measuring cups that look like citrus. I bet they’re hand-painted.” I picked up each showing them to him. “You have a grapefruit, an orange, a lemon, and a lime.”
“You should get it.” He never looked up from his phone to take in the hand crafted wonders.
“I don’t need them. They would just be a fleeting serotonin boost.”
His eyes were still focused on his phone and not where they should be, locked in on me.
“Hmm.”
“Everything okay?”
“Uhm. TMZ reached out to my publicist regarding a breaking story they’re working on.”
“Not about you and me?” Us dating shouldn’t be headline news.
“No, my dad.” He scratched the length of his jaw, and his voice was stiff, less relaxed as if he were masking anger or hurt.
“Full sentences, Aldi.”
He returned his phone to his pocket and finally looked at me. “Apparently, he’s been betting on my games.”
The blood drained from my face from the initial shock, but then I went into fix-it mode. After all, I did have a few weeks of law school under my belt. “Okay a parent placing bets on their child’s professional NBA games, while some would argue is morally wrong, isn’t illegal.”
“They want to know if I was in on it.” There was a tightness around his eyes and the vein in his forehead was visible.
“That’s ridiculous.”
“The money he used to place these bets came from a joint account. An account I set up so he’d have a monthly allowance. I knew he was blowing through money quickly, but we barely talk, and I never thought to ask him where the money was going. Iknew it was being wasted on dumb shit … but gambling on my games.”
“He should’ve known better. But his inability to identify the conflict is solely on him. Your father is a grown man who, and I can’t stress this enough, should’ve known better.”
“You and I both know Lamonte is a piece of shit but when this story breaks people are going to start looking at me and asking questions about the level of my involvement.” Aldridge pressed his fist to his mouth. It was clear he was mentally processing this shocking news and all the possible scenarios that could follow, up to and including losing his job. “My publicist is setting up a meeting with my lawyers in thirty minutes. I have to join.”
“Okay let’s head back to the hotel.”
“No, you stay here, buy your measuring cups. I don’t wanna ruin your trip.”
“Aldridge, I’m not letting you go through this alone.” I squeezed his hand. He nodded absentmindedly. “We’re in this together.”
Back at the hotel, I listened in as Aldridge and his team strategized. The plan was to immediately distance himself from his father and this scandal. He couldn’t control the actions of others, and he wasn’t responsible for his dad being a major fuck up. After the call I helped Aldi draft a well-crafted statement.
“How does this sound?” Aldridge took a deep breath. “While it is disheartening to think my father would be involved in something like this, I must admit I’m not surprised. Unfortunately, my father has struggled with addiction and gambling for many years. I’ve paid for treatment facilities and witnessed him navigate twelve-step programs only to fail. Our parents are supposed to be our heroes, but occasionally they’re fighting battles that make it difficult to be present for their children in the way most would expect. While I love my father, Idon’t support his actions and hope he’ll be able to get the help he needs.”
“I think it’s concise and you come off sympathetic but not culpable.”
Aldridge hit send on the email to his team for final review. Standing, he straightened his shirt. “Let’s go to dinner.”
“Dinner? Do you want to talk about this?”
“I’m done with this. There’s nothing more to talk about. We’re on vacation, and we shouldn’t let the fact that my father is an op ruin that.”
