“It’s not that easy.”
“Didn’t you come here to beat me up just because you thought I’d tried it on with Jordan?”
“I’d never have beaten you up. At worst I’d have put my fist through your nose – just to reclaim some of my dignity.”
Tyler sips at his whisky, looking at me.
“What’s the problem now, then?”
“We signed an agreement.”
“Another one?”
“This one is much more interesting.”
“Go on…”
“If I win the tournament, she’ll go out for dinner with me.”
He studies me, waiting for me to go on. “That’s it?”
“A proper date.”
“Haven’t you already slept together twice?”
“Exactly.”
“I’m not sure I’m following.”
“A date means a chance.”
Tyler doesn’t look convinced.
“If I win that damn tournament, she’ll give me a chance. In the meantime, we have to stay friends.”
“Friends.”
“I want to prove to her that I’m not the man she thinks I am.”
“You want to prove it to her? Or to yourself?”
I smile. “Both.”
“I thought so.”
“I’ve never done anything like this. I’ve been out with women, for dinner, to parties, events… But I’ve never wanted to take someone out. I don’t know if you get what I mean.”
“More or less.”
“I want to work out whether she likes this: the new me.”
“Have you considered that you might hurt someone in the process?”
“That’s not my intention.”
“It could happen anyway. Are you sure that she knows this is some sort of experiment?”
“She doesn’t want a man, Tyler. Not after Steven Hill.”
