Haley’s eyes widened, and her lips spread into a devilish grin. “They’re great. After that night on the dance floor, ooh-wee did we have some smokin’-hot sexin’. We got to talkin’, and he really opened up about what he likes and asked me what I like, and well . . . let’s just say the dam got to burstin’ and it’s been really smokin’ hot ever since.”
“That’s just excellent,” Elizabeth said, really happy for Haley. “Have to keep those fires of lust burning.”
“I’ll say.” Haley fanned her face with the game program. “And as far as you and Gavin, honey, if you want him, then you have to be honest with him. Tell him how you feel.”
“I don’t think that’ll work for me.”
“Why not?” Shawnelle asked.
“Our situation is complicated.”
“Bullshit. You’re just scared.”
She laughed. “That, too. But I’ll think about it. It might just take a little time.”
She focused her attention on the game, and that got Shawnelle and Haley off her back about Gavin. She checked his stats, and his batting average had plummeted to the basement during the few days she’d been out of town. As soon as she’d gotten back, though, he’d been hitting at almost every at bat.
Interesting.
She seriously doubted there was any correlation, though.
Elizabeth didn’t believe in luck. The players she managed had success in their respective fields because they were good at what they did. Luck played no part in it. If Gavin sucked, it was because there was a glitch in his swing. If he started to play better when she came back from Saint Louis, it was purely coincidental, because she was no one’s lucky charm.
“We’re going for manis and pedis after the game. You interested?” Shawnelle asked.
Girl stuff? With girls? So not Elizabeth’s thing. Then again, she liked these women, and that was a first for her. She had no girlfriends, could never relate to women at all. But there was just something about Shawnelle and Haley that made her feel comfortable.
“Sure. I’ll buy lunch.”
“You are so on, honey. We’ll leave the men in the dust and have ourselves a ladies’ afternoon out.” Shawnelle whipped out her cell phone. “I’ll text Dedrick, and he can pass the word on to Tommy and Gavin.”
“I know this great spa,” Haley said. “I’ll call and make us appointments.”
Elizabeth smiled. “Sounds absolutely perfect.”
She did text Gavin and let him know what she’d be doing, even though Shawnelle told her Dedrick would pass the word along. She just felt better about telling him herself. By the time they arrived at the day spa, he’d texted her back and told her to have a good time.
She intended to.
The spa was heavenly, private, and deliciously decorated in creams and beiges. They were whisked away and pampered by their own personal attendants. They were seated next to each other for their pedicures and manicures, and Haley had them laughing hysterically with stories of her backwoods life back home and the girls she’d gone to school with, who thought the hottest thing to do was to get pregnant before you graduated high school.
“I’m telling’ ya, it was like a contest with these girls to see who could get knocked up first. Those poor guys didn’t know what hit’em. The smart ones dumped the girls as soon as possible and offered up child support. The dumb guys married the hos.”
Elizabeth was appalled. “That was their long-term plan? Babies and marriage?”
Haley nodded. “Yup. And they were mad when I said that’s not what I wanted. I was dating Tommy by then, and he was older than me. They thought I should get pregnant so he’d marry me. He loved me and wanted to marry me anyway, but we didn’t want to get pregnant. I went to Planned Parenthood and got me some birth control. No babies for me for a long damn time. I want a degree first, and want to be self-supporting. No way do I want kids for a while.”
“I knew there was a reason I liked you, Haley,” Shawnelle said. “You have a brain. That’s how I did it. I went to college, fell in love, got married, had a career, then had my babies. And I still have a career.”
“I don’t know how you manage it all,” Elizabeth said to Shawnelle. “You’re an attorney. Your husband plays Major League Baseball, and here you are supporting him, plus you have two children under the age of six.”
Shawnelle smiled. “I have a wonderful, supporting family. We both do. His mother is watching the kids right now, so I can be here for a couple weeks and enjoy a little vacation. When I head back to Saint Louis, it’s back to work for me. And when Dedrick travels and I have to work, my mom and his mom and my aunt pitch in to help with the kids. I couldn’t do it without them. We’re very lucky he got drafted in the city where our families are from.”
“You’re very lucky to have such a great family.”
“Believe me, I know. They’ve allowed me to have it all. The man, the kids, and the career.”