To Love a Man (8 page)

“You know in that light you look like a Greek God.”

Ramón remained focused on the camera but once it stopped flashing he turned towards Aj.

“In about five minutes this is gonna be you and I am gonna make fun of you and see how you like it.”

Aj stood up from the chair tossing his basketball in the air. “I should have went first to show you how it's done.” He said grinning from ear to ear.

“Boys play nice.”

They looked over to Mandy Collins their Manager. She was 5’3 110lbs of pure genius. At 41, Aj and Ramón were her only clients and with the money she made off them, she didn't need any others. To prove her worth, when they both were signed around the same time she went straight for their parents. Knowing the best way to get through to hardheaded new super stars was through their moms. She stood next to the guys and looked like a hobbit in comparison.

“Now when you guys agreed to do this shoot you said you would do it without the attitude.”

Ramón shook his head “Mandy I am holding a ball over my head how many different angles can you get from that?”

“I understand but it's what they want, you wanted ESPN you got it.” She said not looking up from the forms in her hand.

Aj laughed. “You sold them on a two for one special didn’t you? That’s why we both are on the cover?”

Mandy took the ball from Aj and handed him his gold Rolex. “They wanted a power house I sold them on two. Even though you both have different endorsements I thought it would be fun for you guys to do this together.”

Ramón sighed and rolled his eyes.

“Fine.”

Ramón straightened out his brown leather jacket and moved back into position. Glancing back over to his best friend he laughed to himself. While they were alike in so many ways they had two completely different styles when it came to clothing. Underneath his leather jacket he donned a bright blue vest, a black-tie with white strips and a white shite. He work dark blue jeans and completed his look with a pair of full grain gray leather timberland boots. Aj wore a three piece grey double breasted pinstriped suit with matching vest. He finished the outfit with a white collard long sleeve shirt with tan parallel lines a silk dark brown tie and matching suede shoes.

Ramón adjusted his Rolex which was identical to his best friends as he placed the ball in front of him holding it with two hands and looked directly into the camera. He left his face blank as he often did. He found when he did that people came to their own conclusions. He let his mind wonder off to thoughts of Desiree. Why she was on his mind, he didn't know. Her beautiful eyes haunted his thoughts. How his heart skipped a beat when they touched baffled him. And why he got so aroused looking over her curvy body threw him for a loop seeing how he preferred girls with a more slender body.

But no matter how many times he tried to put her out his mind there, she was smiling up to him as they sung. With camp starting this week he made a mental note to get any and everything out of Zack. He wanted to know all about Ms. Desiree Holloway. As they called for five, he sat down Aj smiled widely at Ramón.

“So guess what?”

“What?” he asked curious at the growing smile on his best friends face?

“Gia and I have decided it is time for us to start a family. We are gonna try for mid-season so that when it's time for the baby to come it will be during the off season.”

“That’s great!” Ramón patted his shoulder congratulating his best friend.

“So I feel there is something we need to talk about.” He said with an air of seriousness.

“What?” Ramón asked.

“Why didn't you tell me you got your butt handed to you in church last Sunday I have to find out from my mom?”

“It was no big deal.”

“Uh huh well Aunt Rachael thinks it was, she said you were so stunned you had stars in your eyes.”

“I did not. She was new to church and I was just wondering if she knew who I was. By the way she did.”

“So was she cute?”

“I didn't notice.”

“Which means you did. So did you get her number?” he asked lifted an eyebrow.

“No I didn't she had a super smart mouth and she was not my type.” He said smiling at the thought of her.

“Uh huh” he said in disbelief. “So why didn't you get the number?”

“She left before I could even get her number.”

“So you were interested?” he asked knowing the answer.

Ramón stood pacing back and forth “Tell me why when I went out with sunny or sandy or whatever her name was last week she was so beyond beautiful I mean model figure body and did whatever I asked her and I didn't feel a thing. Then this loud smart mouth woman comes into my life who isn’t my type at all I mean she was curvy big breast round butt thick thighs and I can’t stop thinking about her.” He turned and looked at his best friend wanting Aj to help him understand.

“It’s always the women you don't expect to knock you off your feet. You know Gia wasn’t my type. She is 6’1 and a sweet ebony color and I used to only date women of a different race than I was. And when she came into my life she turned it upside down but I loved it. She challenged me. Made me feel like I was more than a ball player.”

“Yeah but I just didn't expect the woman of my dreams to be kinda like my mom.” He sat back in his chair and sighed. “She is opinionated and stubborn and there is just something about her that makes me want to get to know her better.”

Aj gave a little chuckle. “Well your mother is an important woman in your life. Gia is like my mom she is smart and beautiful and like your mom and new friend she is stubborn and hardheaded and strong and you know that you are the one who told me.”

Ramón shook his head, “I don’t know why but I have got to see her again. Man it's like I want to get her off my mind but I cant.”

“Well just find out where she is.”

Ramón exhaled rubbing his temples “I know where she is. She’s in Florida.”

“What? Why was she here?” he questioned finding this story to be more and more interesting.

Ramón looked at Aj. “Bringing her son to his dad. The only good thing is Zack will be in our camp.”

Aj stood stretching his arms out getting ready for his turn. “Well find a reason to get her up here and when you do keep her here as long as you can to see if she is someone you can see yourself with.”

“And if she is?” he probed still wrestling with his own inner thoughts.

“Well then you will do anything you can to keep her.”

Ramón smirked letting his inner demon win this round, “Why are we even talking about this? She isn’t the one she can’t be.”

“Why not?” he asked walking towards the mahogany desk they were using as a prop.

“Because I refuse to have a long distant relationship.” He said sighing deeper in the chair.

“If she is the one then it's worth it.” He said sitting on the edge of the table.

“Ok guys rest time is over let's going only two hours left.”

Ramón looked over to Mandy and smiled.

“Oh goody.”

***

With the phone in his right hand and Desiree’s number in the other Ramón wondered if calling her was the right thing to do. He wanted to see her and he knew that Aj was right. But the inner demon in him fought the urge. He began to doubt that calling him would help. He placed the phone down but again decided to pick it up. He deserved to see if she was the one. He exhaled and dialed her number.

Desiree ran to the phone placing her white black rimmed dinner plate on the table and swallowing.

“This is Desi talk to me.”  The sound of her voice made his stomach do a flip.

“Desiree.” He asked as if not knowing the second he heard her voice it was her.

“Yes who is this?” she asked checking the time on her clock on the wall.

“Hi, this is Ramón.”

“Ramón?” she asked sure it couldn’t be the same Ramón she had met in Church.

“Ramón Norris.”

Butterflies crept into her stomach at the sound of his name. Suddenly she felt nervous talking to him. Then she thought of Zack he had to be calling about her son there is no way he could be calling just to talk to her. He brought her out of her head.

“Hello are you there?” he asked fearing she hung up.

She straightened out her hair and shirt as if he could see her. “Oh Ramón is everything ok. Zack?”

“He is fine I was calling because I thought you might wanna know about his progress. He told me how close you were and I know you just talked to him the other day but I thought you would like to know.” He said trying to stay calm. The sweetness of her voice traveled through the phone and he could feel her warmth from sitting next to her in church all over again.

“Yeah of course can you hold on for a second though?” she asked.

“Yeah sure.”

Ramón sat back in his chair as Desiree ran into the kitchen and grabbed a cherry Pepsi.

“Ok I'm back sorry I had to get something to drink with my dinner.”

“Oh what are you having?” he asked wondering if she could cook.

“My famous potato salad.” She beamed.

“That’s it? Isn’t that a side or something?” he laughed.

“It’s not what you think. It's cut up baked potatoes with cut up pieces of chicken mixed with sour cream, butter and cheese.”

Ramón stopped laughing and thought about what she just said. “Wow I would have never thought to do something like that.”

“Yeah I can be creative when I want to be.” She shook her head hearing how it sounded coming out of her mouth. He must
have thought she was a fool.

“Zack must get that from you.” He said paying her a compliment.

“What do you mean?” she asked unsure how to take it.

“He gets really creative on the floor. I honestly think he has a great shot at making it to the NBA or to be a great college ball player with the right amount of coaching and work.”

Desiree extended her feet as she attempted to get more comfortable, she smiled thinking of Zack running up and down the court.

“I always knew he had talent.” She said taking a bite from her meal.

“Well you should be proud of him.”

She took a sip of her drink to wash down her food. “I have always been proud of him. He is a great kid that’s why I miss him so much. He means so much to me.” She beamed at the thought of him again.

“I can tell.” The line went silent and Ramón cleared his throat.

“So what have you been doing without him?”

“Nothing much just working hard taking care of business as usual.”

“Yeah Zack said you do that a lot.”

“It’s a tough job being a single mom but you gotta do it.”

“It’s not easier being a single dad.” He chimed in.

She inhaled thinking of his daughter. “And you have a girl at that so I know it must be tough.”

Ramón’s face lite up thinking about Madison. She was a handful but he wouldn’t trade her for the world. “It is. But she is my little angel.”

“All dads call their daughters little angels.”

“I guess so. But not all dads have to worry about their daughters taking after them. She is determined to be a ball player.”

Desiree stood from the recliner to head back into the kitchen. “She admires you and I don't say I blame her. You are a very talented man.”

She smiled thinking about how wonderful she felt he was. He smiled to himself.

“Thanks for that. With all the traveling I do I don't get to see her nearly as much as I would love to.” He smiled thinking about how happy he made Maddie allowing her to come to the camp.

Desiree lifted her drink to her lips “See me I get to see that boy everyday that’s why
he being so far away kills me.” She took a sip and then fought the urge to burp. She couldn’t let anything embarrass her while talking to this man.

“He talks about you every day. My mom did this or my mom always does that. He adores you too so much and I can see why.”

She glanced down smiling at the compliment wanting to hear more. “Oh? And why is that?”

“Because you are a strong amazing woman, and you show it in every way.”

“How can you tell?” she asked shyly.

“The way you talked to me in Church.” He said strongly. “You showed it then no problem.”

As she placed the fork she just loaded with food back onto the plate her stomach did a flip. She had hoped that day would have long been forgotten but no such luck. “Yeah about that.” She said wanting to claim temporary insanity for the way she acted.

“No not the telling me off thing even though that was a first for me” he said laughing. “It’s the way you were in church so open and honest and wise.”

Ramón could hear her smile through the phone and couldn’t keep the smile from forming on his face. Desiree shifted in her seat to get comfortable as Ramón leaned back in his chair.

“So did you always wanna play in the NBA?” she asked wanting to know as much as she could about this man.