Full Court Press (36 page)

Car smiled. “Yeah, it was a lot of fun.”

Alli agreed. “The way you gave that chick a taste of her own damn medicine, it was about damn time.”

“You can thank Beck for that. He chewed me out for letting her push me around.”

“He was right, you can take her. She was pissed.” Alli laughed.

Carmondy couldn’t help but smile wider. “I know, right!” She yanked on a clean pair of sweats and an old basketball T-shirt. “Hurry up, guys. I don’t wanna miss the start of the game.”

The boys were amazing. She’d never seen any high school team play with such chemistry. These boys had obviously been playing with each other for a long time. They all knew each other’s habits perfectly. There was never a missed pass, never a miscommunication.

The game was a shut-out. They won by almost 30 points.

Beck played amazingly well. He got rebound after rebound and made a good amount of the team’s shots. He was always the first one down the court and always knew what play to call.

After the game, she wanted to congratulate him, talk to him, anything, but they went straight to the locker room and the girls were ushered onto the bus to wait for them.

When the bus got back on the road, Carmondy attempted to partake in her teammates’ girl talk, but she kept glancing back at Beck. The girls had dragged her into the gossip and she had yet to find a way to excuse herself politely.

Beck sat in the back seat alone, listening to his music.

She finally just stood up and made her way to the back of the bus, stepping over bags and climbing over people lying across the aisle.

She slid into the seat beside Beck, but he didn’t notice her. He was staring out the window and from this angle, the line of his jaw seemed even more prominent. His eyes were softer this way, when he wasn’t actually looking at anything, less piercing.

“Beck?” Her fingertips brushed his leg and he looked over.

“Hey.” He tugged his earphones out.

She smiled and glanced around. No one nearby was listening. Everyone was sleeping, talking, or listening to their own music. “We’re still about an hour out. You said we were going to talk about that favor, right?”

He sighed and dropped his iPod into his bag. The all too familiar lines of stress seemed to crease his face and he looked older within seconds. “Yeah.”

She frowned. “I’m sorry. If you don’t want to talk about it, that’s fine, I just thought—”

“No.” He sat back up. “So here’s the deal.” He stretched an arm out over the top of the seat behind her head. “My idiot parents are throwing this big multi-corporation function. It’s pretty much just a high-class, rich snobby thing. Suits, cocktail dresses, the whole thing.”

“Okay, that sounds incredibly boring and not somewhere I would ever want to be.”

“I know. All they talk about is business, and money, and whose kid is gonna go to the best school. It’s fucking torture listening to all those guys pretend they are above the rest of the society.”

“So, what’s that got to do with me?”

“I have to go. I have to bring a date.”

“You want me to go with you?”

“I need someone who has money.” He ran a hand through his hair. “You have to understand. This is the one thing that keeps my dad off my back about everything. As long as I make a good impression with his clients and colleagues, he leaves me alone. The reason I need you is because, like I said, I need someone who has money, some connections. Your dad’s a business owner, so it’s perfect.”

“Okay, and this is the big favor?”

“It’s four hours long. The assholes are going to accept you but...they’re going to be rude as hell since you’re not filthy rich. I need someone who will agree not to talk back to them. I have to make a good impression. If they think I have a girlfriend, it’ll be—”

“Wait, girlfriend?”

“Well, I can’t show up with a girl and tell everyone that you’re my fuck-buddy, now can I?”

“No, I guess not. So, I pretend to be your girlfriend and deal with a bunch of snobs. Doesn’t sound so bad.”

“We have to sell it though. My dad has to believe it.”

She scrunched up her face. “Okay, I can probably do that.” But it definitely didn’t sound fun, staying on her best behavior while rich snobs insulted her.

“Like I said, you get a favor, you name it.” His voice sounded strained. “I would really appreciate it.”

“Are you not telling me something?”

He glanced around. “My dad hosts one of these once a year. I have to go because image is everything to him, which means that I have to pretend it’s everything to me too, at least in front of his clients. This is the only thing that keeps my dad paying the bill for my sister.”

Carmondy blinked. She didn’t understand. “What?”

Beck’s mood turned dark. “The place she stays at is...well, you’ve seen it. It’s top of the line, expensive. My dad can afford it, but it’s the only advantage he has over me. He needs me to look good. I need him to keep Lily in a good facility.”

“But...doesn’t he care about her? She’s his daughter.”

“No, she isn’t. My mother cheated on him. He knew from the beginning, but didn’t want it to get out, so he raised her as his daughter.”

“But still...”

He shook his head. “My dad’s an asshole, simple as that. There is a less expensive facility across the state. He would do it just to keep me in line.”

“God, Beck, that’s terrible. I’m sorry.”

He shrugged. “So that’s why I need someone who can pull this off. It’s going to suck, but I don’t want to owe you anything. So, what do you want?”

Carmondy had thought about this for a while, but she’d known what she’d wanted since the first time he mentioned it. “It’s a really big favor.”

“Good. So is mine, we’ll be even.”

“Okay, well.” She fidgeted in the seat. “I know we haven’t really talked about this yet, but you visit your sister, Lily, every Sunday, right?”

A look of suspicion covered his face. “Yes.”

She turned in the seat to face him and curled her legs under her. “I’d like to go with you.”

“We already went down that road once.”

“I know. But I mean...I’d like to meet her.”

“What?” Beck hissed, his eyes narrowing.

“I’m sure that with her condition you’ll have to clear it with her doctor. Of course, if he says it’ll be detrimental to her then I won’t push it. But...I’ve been thinking about it and I have some theories.”

“No, we’re not discussing this,” he snapped. “That’s out of the question.”

“I understand why you are against this, but if her doctor clears it then—”

“Why would he clear it? She has a schedule. You should know that.”

“I do. We won’t be affecting her schedule. I’d go with you, during the time that you’re supposed to be there anyway. So it won’t alter her schedule, it’ll just be an additional person.”

“Why would you want to do this?”

“I think I can help.”

“She’s had the best doctors that money can buy.”

“I’m not talking about her medical problems. Beck, listen.” She moved a little closer. “On top of everything else, whatever problems she has, she’s a thirteen-year-old girl.”

“Yeah, so?”

“So...thirteen-years-olds are emotional. Does she have any friends?”

“What do you mean, friends? She can’t even handle being around the nurses.”

“But that’s what I’m saying. I’m no doctor, but I have been her age, and she needs friends, entertainment, things to do. As far as I can tell, she doesn’t have any of that.”

“No, she doesn’t. She likes to read but we never know what kind of books will set her off. We’ve tried a few. Some upset her, some don’t. Same with movies and games.”

“What kind of stuff have you tried?”

“Everything. We’ve tried children’s books and videos, classics like Charles Dickens, non-fiction, informational, even some poetry and cards and board games. Some of it sets her off, some doesn’t. They haven’t found a pattern so they’ve had to keep it away from her. It’s too risky.”

“So...what does she do all day?”

Beck shook his head. “Nothing, really, other than medical stuff here and there.”

That was so sad. Lily sat alone in her room, all day long. She nodded slowly. “Okay, what do you think her doctor would say about me as a visitor?”

“He would probably be okay with it,” he admitted. “He asked if she had any other friends or family members who could visit.”

“Will you ask?”

Beck looked out the window, into the darkness. “I don’t know.”

She waited.

“What if I said no?”

“I’d still go to the other thing with you. I promise.” She touched his arm. “I’m not trying to blackmail you, Beck, honestly. I’d go to the party with you either way. I just had to try. I would really appreciate it if you could at least ask her doctor. Then we could go from there.”

Beck assessed her for what seemed like several minutes. “You really just want to help, don’t you?”

“Yes.”

He nodded. “Well, I’ll think about it.”

Silence stretched out for a while.

“You’re tired,” Beck stated.

She shrugged. “Yeah, first game of the season, I’m exhausted.”

“You should sleep,” he said curtly.

“Do you mind if I sit here?”

He shrugged and settled back against the seat, getting comfortable. “Whatever.”

She smiled and got comfortable too, leaning against his shoulder slowly, giving him a chance to shrug her off.

But he didn’t, and she didn’t push her luck. Soon she felt her eyes drifting shut and welcomed the sleep.

T
he next day at school seemed a little too calm. There was no drama. Beck had been civil, no snapping at her or anything. Actually, he had stood at her locker with her while they had waited for the bell to ring that morning.

In the hallway after lunch, Beck managed to get her away from the girls to talk to her.

“Hey.” She smiled. He had asked to talk to her, instead of dragging her away. “The girls just told me we don’t have practice.”

Beck shook his head. “Nope, not the day after games. It’s the only break we get.”

“That’s cool.”

“Yeah, it’s what I wanted to talk to you about.”

“Okay?”

“Did you plan anything for after school, or are you free?”

She shrugged. “I’m free, just homework and stuff.”

“Good, I’m taking you to Othello.”

“And that is...?”

“A town, about 20 minutes south, not far.”

“What for?”

“Dress shopping.”

She laughed, thinking it was a joke, but then realized he wasn’t kidding. “Uh, what?”

“You need a dress for the function.”

“Yeah, I figured as much, but I have a dress I can wear at home, I’m sure.”

“No, your dress needs to be the newest fashion, hottest style, whatever you call it and expensive, really expensive.”

“Beck, I don’t—”

“Don’t worry, I’m buying it.”

“Okay, but... I mean, do we really have to?”

“Yes,” he insisted. “I told you, we have to sell it. The expensive dress, snobby attitude, everything.”

“Right.” She nodded. “Of course, then...dress shopping...fun.”

Beck leaned forward and tugged on the fabric of her V-neck, looking down her shirt.

“Hey!” She swatted his hand away and glanced around, but no one seemed to be watching.

He smirked. “Just makin’ sure you have some sexy lingerie on.”

She blushed. “Yeah well, ever since...you know, that one day...I’ve actually started wearing stuff like that more often.” She shrugged. “I like it now.”

“Yeah? Maybe we can do a little extra shopping while we’re there then, hmm?”

“Oh...no, you don’t have t—”

“I want to. I can picture it now: lace...the see-through kind, a corset, a little tiny thong. Something really sexy and skimpy, you’ll love it.”

His tone made her wish that they were alone. “That sounds...okay. I guess.”

“Good, head to your apartment after school. I’ll pick you up.”

She nodded and he left for his class, leaving her with an all-too-familiar feeling of wanting more.

The boutique Beck picked out was very high class and very expensive, filled with beautiful dresses. It was silk and lace overload.

Beck went straight for the desk before the woman could come around and greet them.

“Hello, sir. Is there something I can do for you?”

“Yeah.” He turned and motioned for Carmondy. “We need a dress...black, sexy, and expensive.”

The woman nodded and headed toward a section of the store. “Any preference on the cut? Strapless? Length?”

“Umm, above the knees but not too short, something tight, to show off her ass.”

The saleswoman smiled slightly. “Yes.” She surveyed Carmondy. “How do you feel about a backless dress, dear?”

“Umm, sure?”

Beck nodded. “Backless is good.”

“I don’t like strapless dresses though,” Car said.

“Okay.” The woman picked a couple dresses off the rack. “What kind of neckline do we want?”

“Nothing too low,” Beck said.

Carmondy nodded. “Yeah, but still sexy.”

“All right, why don’t you two lovebirds head back to the fitting room? I’ll bring back some dresses for you to try.”