Believe in Me

“What do you mean ‘we broke up’?”

“I mean we’re not together.” Patrick told Brandon. The two were at breakfast and since Brandon hadn’t heard Patrick bring up Lilly, he decided to ask about her. “It’s been a week. She came over after getting coffee and we argued for hours. I decided to end it then and there.”

“This…this won’t affect you during the game, right? Its playoffs, man. You have to focus. This could be it. We could be out.”

“Relax, Saader. I’m fine. Look, would I be acting like this if I wasn’t? I was fine two days ago, I was fine yesterday at practice, and I’m fine now. My head is in the game.” He lectured. Brandon felt bad for doubting him, but he knew how much Patrick liked Lilly. Things just didn’t seem right.

“I was just making sure.” Brandon muttered, taking a bite of his pancake. “Relax, man. We’re two single men now. The city is ours. Now let’s go kick some ass against San Jose, yeah?”
________________________________________

“Lilly, are you seriously going to lay in bed all day? I flew from California to see you. Can we do something?” Taylor bitched at me. I rolled my eyes, not in the mood to deal with her. I told her about the breakup and she offered to come mourn with me, not to take walks around the city like a tourist. The last thing I wanted to do was walk around and look at everything that reminds me of him.

“Patrick and I broke up and you’re concerned with yourself? Go ahead and fly back home.” I shot back.

“Who’s Adam Henderson?”

“Huh?”

“Why do you need a lawyer?” Taylor asked me, turning around to show me the little white card in her hand. “Are you in some sort of trouble? With Patrick? Is that what this is about?”

Oh god. “No…that’s for this guy I met at Starbucks.” I told her. Her eyebrow rose and she sat down next to me on my bed.

“You didn’t tell me about a guy at Starbucks.”

In all honesty, I didn’t want to. I didn’t want to mention Adam to Taylor. It was nobody’s business. I’ve met the guy once, it’s not a big deal. It’s not like we slept together. Nobody needed to know about him.

“I went to Starbucks after Pat and I were arguing, met the guy, and talked for a bit, he gave me his number. It’s nothing big.”

“Was he attractive?”

“….yes.”

“Call him.”

What?

“No. I can’t. What would I even say?” I panicked. I wasn’t good with guys. Especially older, handsome ones. “I doubt he’ll remember me, too. Not worth it.”

“Lilly, just call him. I’ll do it for you.” Taylor smirked, a deceiving smile on her face. I knew she would. That’s how Taylor is. She’s fearless. I grabbed my cell phone and dialed the number on the card. It rang and rang, until a women answered.

“Adam Henderson’s line, who am I speaking with?” She greeted.

“Um, Lilly? Lilly Palmer?” I answered awkwardly. The line went silent for a few moments, and I began to worry. I probably look like an idiot. Oh god. He’s not going to even know who I am.

“Lilly?” I heard on the other line. “It’s Adam. Sorry, that was my assistant.”

He would have an assistant. What a shocker. “Oh, that’s okay. Um, hi.” I told him. My hand was shaking, I felt like a child.

“How are you?”

“I’m great, actually. Thanks for asking. Yourself?”

“Eh, things could be better. Work is hectic, I need a break.” He chuckled.

“I bet.” God, Lilly. You’re so stupid. Make conversation. Say something funny.

“Would you like to get dinner with me tonight?” He asked suddenly. I was taken aback, I didn’t expect him to ask. I didn’t expect him to even want to take me out. “If not, that’s okay. I’d love to get to know you more. I don’t know if you have plans though, with a boyfriend or something.”

“That sounds great. Want me to meet you somewhere?”

“I’ll pick you up. Where do you live?”

“Ridgestone Apartments.”

“Great, I’ll get you at 7.” He said. I could sense a smile on his face.

“Sounds good…by the way, I don’t have a boyfriend.” I told him, then ended the call.

I looked at the clock, 5:49. I immediately jumped up from my bed and ran to the bathroom.

“YOU’RE GOING OUT TONIGHT!?” Taylor shouted, shrieking with laughter on my bed. “I knew this would happen! I knew it!”
“Taylor, get me an outfit!” I shouted back. I turned on my hair curler and pulled out my makeup box. “He’s getting me at 7!”

“Formal or not formal?”

“He’s a lawyer coming from work and he drives a Maserati…I don’t even know.” I replied. I forgot about that. The guy’s loaded. It’s not that I’m not used to dating someone wealthy, since Patrick’s a millionaire, but this guy is different. He’s not a professional athlete. He’s all business.

“Here, thank me later.” Taylor smiled, throwing me a pair of white skinny jeans and a peach colored blouse. “Wear nude heels with it and a nude belt. Gold earrings, your hair curled, and your nude Chanel bag.”

“Patrick bought me that bag…”

“Patrick didn’t ask for it back, did he? Don’t think of him! Tonight is your night to move on!” She advised. She was right, but it was hard. I couldn’t stop thinking about him. Hell, I couldn’t even open the Photos app on my phone because all I’d see were photos of us or him.

Taylor did me a favor and finished my hair and makeup, putting on just enough to make me still look naturally pretty. I was amazed by my hair, I’d never curled it like that. The clock hit 6:48 and I decided to go wait in the lobby. I slipped on my heels and headed for the door.

“Good luck.” Taylor smiled, leaning against my kitchen counter.

“I feel bad for ditching you.” I frowned. She was here to support me, yet here I was going out with another man. “Tay…does this make me a bad person?”

“Going out?” She asked, “No. I mean, yes it’s early, but that doesn’t make you a bad person. You don’t even know if this is a date. Think of it as dinner with a friend, and don’t sleep with the guy. You’re fine.”
__________________________________________

“Nice place you got here.” I heard from behind. I turned around to see Adam behind me, smiling.

“Thanks.” I giggled. “Nice car you got there.” I told him when we walked out of my complex.

“It’s my baby.” He opened the door for me to get in, so I did. It smelt like a new car when I sat down; my favorite smell. “So, are you a French food kind of girl? Mexican? Chinese? Cuban?”

“I’m up for anything.” I grinned. “Surprise me.”

He drove to a steakhouse, of all places. It looked nice, so I didn’t feel too dressed up. I mean, Adam beats me. He was in another suit, and he looked amazing.

“Is this okay with you?” He smiled, pulling into the Valet line. I nodded. “Great.”

We walked in and the place was packed. The host looked as if he knew Adam, so we got a table right away. We sat across from each other in the middle of the place. “I’ve never been here before.”

“It’s one of my favorites.” He winked. “Champagne, shall we?”

I grinned, “Of course.” I knew he knew I was younger, but it made me comfortable how he didn’t ask exactly how old I was. Instead, the waiter carded me and I mentioned how I was nearly 23.
“How old are you? You seem to have a pretty established lifestyle.” I asked him. He chuckled, taking a sip of his drink. “Older than you, if that’s okay. I’m 31.”

“That’s fine.” I grinned. “I’m not one to worry about age.”
________________________________________

“Shawzy, is that Lilly? I think that’s Lilly.” Brandon panicked. He was at dinner with his teammates Andrew, Marcus, and Nick. “Over there in the pink shirt.”

“I think that’s more of a peach color.” Marcus added. Brandon rolled his eyes, ignoring the Swedish humor. “Who’s she with? Should we call up Kaner?”

“Wait, did they break up?” Nick asked, taking a sip of his beer. He wasn’t very close with Patrick or Lilly, but he knew about their relationship and how in love they were. Andrew looked at Leddy as if he were an idiot, “Obviously they did. She’s at dinner with another guy.”

“It could be her relative.” Brandon defended. “Or maybe it’s a job interview.”

“Stop staring, he will see.” Marcus told them. The guys kept looking over to her table and the man with her was starting to notice. “Call Patrick, see what’s wrong. Why Lilly with him.”

All eyes turned to Brandon. “Fine. If he goes off, it’s not my fault.”
Patrick was at home eating Chinese takeout watching Sports Center when he got the call. He didn’t expect it to be about Lilly. She was the last thing on his mind, and he wanted to keep it that way.

“Hello?”

“Kaner? Hey, uh, where you at? Whatcha doin’ man?” Brandon asked nervously. He wasn’t good at dropping bombs on people, especially a teammate.

“I’m at home. Where else would I be? Why? What’s going on? You sound like you’re talking to the goddamn President.”

“We’re, I mean, Marcus, Shawzy, Leddy and I are out to eat and, well, Lilly’s here.”

“Okay?” Patrick responded sarcastically. The conversation was going nowhere and he was getting bored.

“She’s with some guy.”

“What? Where are you guys? I’m coming.” Patrick told him immediately.

“We’re at Gibsons.”

“I’m on my way.” Patrick said. Click.

“Well…” Brandon sighed, “He’s on his way.”