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“I hope she isn’t.”
“I know you worry, Ma. But I’m not worried about Nicole.”
“Well, I’m your mother. I want to know she’s with you for the right reasons.”
“I know. But if it’s about money, she’s got plenty of her own.”
His mother set her fork down. “What does her family do?”
“Her dad’s Melvin Wright.”
His father choked on his water again. “Melvin Wright? The basketball player?”
“Yeah.”
“Jesus Christ, son. Why didn’t you say that?”
“Because I was telling you about Nicole.”
His father grinned. “You lucky bastard.”
“Tommy,” his mother said.
“What?” He looked back at Drew. “Wait, so she’s Melvin Junior’s sister?”
“Yeah.”
His father shook his head, still smiling. “Well, I’ll be damned.”
Drew hadn’t even told Nicole her brother had called about representing him. He didn’t know yet if he wanted to go with MJ, but he was going to have to bring it up with her.
His mother’s shoulders had eased a little. “Well, I wouldn’t think she’d need anything from you, then.”
“No. She doesn’t. Trust me.”
His mother reached for her water, and Drew let her have a drink before he said the rest. “I want you two to meet her while you’re here. She’s coming back tomorrow. We could all get something to eat after the game Saturday.”
She lowered her glass. “You’ve already asked her?”
“Yeah.”
“Oh. Well, with everything you’ve got going on Saturday, is that necessary?”
“What do you mean, necessary?”
“It’s your last home game. You’ll have interviews afterward, and I’m sure there’ll be parties. I figured you’d be busy.”
“We still have to eat.”
“I know that.”
“Then what’s the problem? I just told you I’m seeing somebody, and you don’t want to meet her?”
“I didn’t say I didn’t want to meet her.”
“What are you saying, then?”
She looked at his father. Drew kept waiting.
