To Love a Man (7 page)

“I was going to wait to tell you but I signed you up for the Eagles basketball camp.”

He looked at Ramón.

“Did you hear that I am coming to your camp?”

“That’s awesome I am going too.”

Zack looked at Madison.

“You like basketball?”

“Duh you see who my dad is.”

“Right then I guess I will see you guys next week I gotta go tell mom.”

He walked away at a fast pace followed by Charles. Ramón looked at his mom as she hugged Madison.

“Maddie why don't you go tell grandpa how great he did.”

“Ok.”

Madison walked away and Rachael looked at her son.

“Interesting service huh?” she said with a grin.

“You can say that.”

“Desiree is a very interesting woman.”

“She is.” He said not trying to engage her.

“I have never heard you get that kind of response from a fan before.”

“That is because that was a first for me.”

“But it’s not like you didn’t deserve it.” She gave him a knowing look.

“I know.”

She patted his arm.

“What got into you I have never seen you so worked up over someone not recognizing you?”

“I
don’t know mom I just really do not know.” Ramón rubbed his head looking at the door.

“So what about the stars in your eyes?”

“What stars?” he asked looking at her.

“I saw the way you couldn’t stop glancing her way during service and that smile just won’t leave your lips.”

Ramón touched his face.

“Mom she just caught me by surprise.”

“You like her.” His smile widened.

“Mom.”

“A mother knows.”

“Mom I don’t mess with married women.”

“And what makes you think she is married?”

Ramón looked around the church but couldn’t keep his mind from wandering to thoughts of Desiree. He didn’t see Maddie smiling behind her grandmother. He was preoccupied with thoughts of her, even being mad she was breathtaking. He didn’t understand why she affected him in a way that no other woman had and he couldn’t help but pray right then and there that he would see her again.

Chapter 2

Desiree smiled as she walked towards Nikki. She hugged her best friend and walked out of the airport with her.

“So how was the trip?”

Desiree thought back to that morning and bit her lip. Why she blew up at Ramón was beyond her. He was right though she was one of those fans who loved everything about him. And after meeting him she was sure more than ever that he was a sexy Adonis who made her body crave him. As she was deep in thought Nikki brought her out of it.

“Ok girl spill did you give it up to Charles or something?”

“What no.”

They got into the car.

“Then why do you look like that?”

“Because something so amazing happened then I blew it with my big smart mouth.”

“Ok what happened?”

Desiree let a wide grin come across her face. “I met Ramón Norris.” Desiree squealed in excitement as she told Nikki.

Nikki shrieked. “Wait thee Ramón Norris? Eagles center Ramón Norris? Sexy People’s Choice magazines, hottest bachelor Ramón Norris?” Nikki asked feeling herself grow excited at the thought of her best friend meeting a mega star.

“Yep I sat next to him in church today.”

“Really? That doesn’t happen.”

“I know especially to someone like me.” Desiree sighed.

“Did you talk to him?” Nikki squealed.

“We talked for a little bit during church.”

“Wow so did you get an autograph a picture or something?”

Desiree smacked her teeth and sat in the car.

“No. We sat next to each other and instead of doing what I wanted which was screaming and jumping on him I acted nonchalant which must not happen to him often. Because he figured I didn’t know who he was and because he acted like that, I lost my mind and yelled at him for getting upset at the fact I didn’t jump all over him which I wanted to do in the first place. Then here comes Zack telling him that I told you he was the best-looking man in the NBA. So I politely excused myself.” She said sadly.

“Wow.” Nikki shook her
head; her best friend did have a smart mouth on her there was no doubting that.

“Yeah and now super dad got him into the camp and without me there everything I have ever said about Ramón Norris is going to be put out there.”

Nikki’s smile widened. “I can’t believe that you met Ramón Norris.”

“Is that all you heard?”

“Basically so tell me? Is he sexier in person?”

Desiree glanced at Nikki and gushed, “Oh you have no idea. Girl he is! When I saw him I literally lost my mind.”

“I bet you did. You are so lucky.” Nikki looked at her and smiled. Desiree sighed happily.

“Lucky? Dude I met the sexiest man in the world I would say luck doesn’t cover it.”

“So ok what is this about a camp?”

Desiree let out an angry humph. “Charles got him into the Eagle’s summer camp. It starts next week and lasts half the summer so you know what that means?” Desiree whistled through her lips.

“Yeah Charles gets to be super dad without any of the work. But look at the bright side?” she said with a sneaky grin.

“Yeah and what is that?” Desiree asked her best friend.

“You get a month and a half child free.”

They both laughed. Desiree rubbed her hands on her lap.

“Yeah well that almost didn’t happen. I thought he was going to be gone for three weeks not almost two months. Charles tricked me knowing that if he asked me while Zack was there I wouldn’t be able to say no. now Charles gets out of being a dad and paying child support. He is a crafty bastard.”

Nikki laughed at her “You know what you need?”

“What?” she asked glancing at her best friend.

“You need a drink.”

“You know I don't drink.”

“I know but maybe you should start.”

“No thank you.” Nikki took her best friends left hand in hers seeing the sadness in her eyes.

“So what about some ice cream?”

Desiree smiled broadly. “Ok that I can do.”

“Good.”

Nikki started the car and pulled out of her parking spot. Desiree sat back and smiled.

“So where are the kids?”

“With Bryant I told him you were coming back from dropping Zack off and were in need of a girl’s night out when really I just wanted to get out the house. Girl he is driving me crazy.”

“Why?”

“He has just been working so hard and we haven’t had any time together. I guess I feel like he is taking advantage of me like I am there all day and it doesn’t make a bit of difference.”

“It doesn’t?”

“No it doesn’t. He still expects me to do it all.”

Desiree looked at her with sad eyes “Have you talked to him about it?”

“No I haven’t. I don't wanna start a fight.”

“You can’t just hold on to this. That’s where the problems lie. You need to go home and talk to your husband.” She said voicing her concern.

“Ok you are right.” Nikki said feeling a little bit of weight lift off her shoulders.

“I know I always am.”

“I know and I hate it. Why can’t you just let me be miserable for one day?”

Desiree exhaled looking at her best friend. “Because I love you. And you deserve to be happy.”

“So do you.”

“Yeah well when that happens I will be but until then I am fine just the way I am.”

“Are you really?”

“I want to be so that’s my mind frame. I want to be happy so I will be.”

Nikki stopped the car and they walked into cold stones creamery. Desiree smiled as she saw a tall man standing in line. He was really cute his hair cut short dark brown eyes he looked to be mixed with many things but that was working for her. She wanted to say hi but before she could speak, he was all over Nikki.

“Man you are beautiful. Can I have your name and number please?”

“You cut to the chase don't you?”

“I see what I want and I go for it.”

“Well you are gonna have to see something else because I am taken.”

Nikki waved her ring-covered left hand and walked away. Desiree sighed and followed.

“It never fails.” She rolled her eyes feeling frustrated.

“What?” Nikki looked over to her best friend as they moved closer to the register. Desiree looked at her.

“Look at me and then look at you. Men fawn all over, you and I don't even get a first look. How am I supposed to believe there is someone out there for me when all I get is hey can you introduce me to yo girl over there.”

“Well if you keep thinking like that what do you think is gonna happen? Nothing. You are never gonna get what you want. Take Craig.”

“Craig?” Desiree snorted

“Yes Craig from high school. You saw him the other day said you thought he was still as fine as ever but you didn't bother to talk to him.”

“Yeah that would not have happened. He was everything in high school. He was older than us, homecoming, and Prom king. He played basketball and football and I played in the band and sang in the choir.” Desiree said looking up at her choices. Nikki followed her lead and looked at the menu as well but continued to speak.

“Stop limiting yourself. The problem is instead of taking a chance you allow yourself to be put down.”

After they ordered and grabbed their food they took a seat in the creamery, Desiree frowned playing with her strawberry cheesecake ice cream. “Ok if you know so much how can I get a man to notice me?”

Nikki took a bite of her vanilla and apple pie ice cream. “Well first off you need to stop putting yourself down and second you need to let me hook you up.”

Desiree laughed. “No thank you. The last time you hooked me up I went to jail.”

Nikki chuckled “I told you he was a cop and he had a short fuse.”

“All I said was that he needed to back up off me.”

“No you said he better back up off you before you maced him.”

“Well he didn't have to think I was playing! When a man pulls a woman to him and she clearly states she would mace him and he still messes with her he deserves what he gets.”

Nikki shrugged her shoulders and shook her head. “That is not the point.”

“At least he didn’t press charges.”

Nikki pointed her spoon at Desiree. “And what about what happened to Eric?”

“What about it?”

“When you were with him and you were so happy. Then all of a sudden it’s over?” Nikki looked at her with eye brows
raised.

“I liked him so much but when he got shipped to Iraq we realized it wasn’t gonna work. So we broke up.”

“But he proposed to you.”

“Yeah and I said no. it's not that I didn't care for him it's just we had only been dating three months and he only asked because he was afraid of losing me but we both agreed that being his wife after such a short period of time wasn’t what was best for us or Zack.”

“I understand but he was cute.” Nikki grinned

“Yeah our kids would have been cute with his sexy Hispanic self.” Desiree said thinking back on the three months of happiness.

“I know that couldn’t have been easy.”

Desiree finally took a bite of her ice cream. “He seemed to have it all but three months wasn’t long enough for me to make that commitment.”

Nikki could see sadness enter her eyes and felt bad for her best friend. “So let me fix you up. You are child free and young.”

Desiree looked away from Nikki. “I don't know.”

“Come on I have the perfect guy for you.”

Desiree sighed heavily. She wanted to go out but she wasn’t so sure this date would be different from the others. She let a deep breath expel from her lips. “Fine if it will get you off my back then ok.”

“Good I will call him tomorrow.”

“Well make it for the week after next I told Becca I would work doubles all this week. And next week I had already planned on doing nothing.”

“Ok and don't make any excuses either.”

“I won’t. I promise.”

***

Ramón smiled with the basketball over his head for the fifth time and just about had enough. He always knew there was a reason he hated photo shoots. He shifted again wanting nothing more than to put his hands down and grab something to eat. At the thought of food his stomach rumbled. Aj smiled widely and shook his head.