Give Me Something (5 page)

I picked up a picture of Tucker in a baseball uniform. 
I knew he was a jock.
  I let my fingers trace the outline of his perfectly structured jaw line.  I stared into his piercing blue eyes.  Even in only two dimensions, they still cut straight through the wall I was frantically trying to build up.  I pulled my eyes from his and noticed the cute way that his hair curled up around the back edge of his ball cap.  When I looked in front of me at the full length mirror that hung on the back of my door, I realized I was smiling.

“
That's it, Lila Garrison,” I said, scooping up the papers and shuffling them back into the folder.  “Time to put on your game face.”  I stood up and walked over to the mirror, continuing my pep talk to myself.  “It doesn't matter how cute he looks in a hat or how he made you feel when he touched you last night.  Now, all that matters is making him fall in love with you, getting the money and saving Nick.”

I went back to the bed, picked up the folder, and went over to the closet.  Buried deep in the corner was a black duffel bag.  After unzipping it, and pulling out the countless wigs I had worn over the years, I shoved the folder on top of my money and my stash of fake IDs and replaced the wigs.  I reminded myself that this was it as I zipped it back up.  This was the last job I was doing; then that con artist supply kit was getting burned.

I heard my cell phone vibrate across the nightstand and walked over to pick it up.  The screen lit up with a text from an unknown number. It read:
I know what you're doing.

I felt my heart race as I looked around the room and out the window.  Did someone see me looking through the information on Tucker.  It was impossible.  I lived on the third floor and there was no one in my room.  I pick up my phone and my fingers began firing back:
Really?  That's funny seeing as how I barely know what I'm doing most of the time.

I smiled at my reply.  Two could play this game mystery texter.

Mystery Texter: LOL.  You're just as funny as your are beautiful.  And don't feel bad about not knowing what you're doing...  I have that effect on women.

The arrogance of the text seeped off the screen. Of course it was him.

Me: Not LOLing.  You're just as arrogant as you are full of shit, Tucker Kline.

“
Take that,” I chuckled.

Tucker:  Just as smart too and I know you are LOLing just a little bit.

Me: How'd you get my number?

Tucker: Let's just say your friend is a “presh.”

Me: Brynn = Traitor.

Tucker: Don't blame her.  I would have gotten it one way or another.

Me: So... you said you know what I'm doing.   What is that exactly?

Tucker: Dreaming about going on a date with me.

Me: ROFLMAO!  You really are full of yourself. 

Tucker: You know you love it.  So when are we going out?

I needed to make him chase me.  If I knew one thing, guys like Tucker weren't used to being told “no.”  He was probably used to girls falling at his feet.  If I'm going to make him fall in love with me, and hand over the purse strings, then I was going to have to make him work for it.  Then, he'd be putty in my hands when he finally thought he had me.

Me: What makes you think I'm even interested in going out with you?

The phone sat silent for what seemed like eternity. 
Shit. Maybe I was playing this all wrong
.  When my screen lit up with his name I quickly clicked over to the message screen.

Tucker: What makes you think you're not? ;-)

I tossed the phone on the bed, grinning ear-to-ear, and grabbed my shower gear.  If Tucker Kline thought I was going to bend to his will, he had another thing coming.  Nick had mentioned that the Sigmas were practicing for an intramural baseball game.  All I had to do was show up and, if I knew Tucker, he'd take the bait and chase right after me.

As I ran a thin line of charcoal colored liner across my eyelid and worked on my game plan, Tucker's blue eyes kept flashing in my mind.  It was going to be a challenge not to fall for his charm.  I would have been more confident about this particular job if Tucker didn't look the way he did. 
Nick, Nick, Nick,
I repeated internally to remind myself of the job I needed to do.  I channeled my inner Evelyn and continued to prep for my date.  Did I mention Evelyn's day job?  She was a dancer. Yes,
that
kind of dancer.  In that line of work you learn how to turn off your emotions, and that's exactly what I learned from Evelyn.  She managed to work her way out of the strip clubs and into a very powerful, wealthy circle of acquaintances.  She'd bounce around from guy to guy, letting each one of them provide for her until she'd had her fill. Then, it was on to the next. It made for a shitty childhood for Nick.  He bounced around with her and the money, but as soon as he was old enough he had as little to do with his mother as possible.  I think that more than anything the two of us just wanted security.  The idea of not having to worry about money was always in our minds.  Maybe when this thing with Tucker was over we could settle down, but for now, I'd just shut down my soul and do whatever it took to wrap that boy around my little finger.

I opted for a pair of turquoise skinny jeans and layered gray and black tanks.  I slipped my feet in a pair of black flats.  I let my hair air dry and used a little hair product to scrunch up the natural waves that I usually straightened out.  I pulled on a long, three-stranded silver necklace over my head and walked out the door.

When I arrived at the baseball field, the end of summer air was still thick with humidity.  Even after living here a year, I wasn't used to the weather.  Being only an hour and half south of Chicago, I still missed the cool breezes that blew in off Lake Michigan and hated the stifled breeze out here in the middle of nowhere.  Nick waved at me from the outfield with a smile and pointed over toward a group of girls sitting on the bleachers.  I immediately shook my head at the notion.  He was insane if he thought I was going to sit with them.  I recognized a few of their faces from the party last night.  My guess was they were glorified booty calls or stalkers. 
Not gonna happen.
  After the dirty looks I received from them last night, I was not about to try and be a part of their group.  I leaned up against the fence behind home plate and watched the practice that was taking place.  All of the guys were in the outfield, so it was hard to recognize who was who.  The only reason I could pick out Nick was because of the tattoos that covered his arms.   Then I saw the Tucker.  His back was to me, but I recognized the way his sweaty hair flipped up around the back of his ball cap.  I fought back the thought of seeing him sweaty in other places, namely the bedroom.

 
I wasn't sure what they were doing out there, it just looked like a bunch of guys standing around waiting for something to happen.  Everything I knew about baseball, I'd learned from a Chicago Cubs player one off season, which was pretty much just the metaphors for physical contact.  Unfortunately for him, he rewarded going to second base with a pretty impressive set of diamond earrings and I was out of there like a batter on the third strike.  I never even went to a game.

“
Come sit with us,” I heard a sweet little voice say from behind me.  I turned around and matched the voice to the girl.  A petite blond with a big smile patted her hand on the bleacher seat next to her. “Those girls are Sigma groupies,” she laughed. “You don't want to sit with them.”  I smiled and climbed the three steps up to where she was sitting.

“
Thanks.  And you're right.  I do not want to sit with them,” I added, taking the seat she'd offered.

“
I'm Jenna,” she said as she extended her hand.

I shook it. “Lila.”

“Nice to meet you, Lila.  This is Kennedy and Vanessa.” She motioned to the two brunettes sitting next to her.  They greeted me in unison, which normally would have creeped me out, like the two girls in
The Shining
, but somehow they made it seem endearing.

“
Nice to meet you,” I repeated.  “Thanks for letting me sit with you.  Those girls rub me the wrong way,” I scoffed and nodded toward to groupie section.

“
They rub most girls the wrong way,” Kennedy said.

“
They only rub guys the right way,” Vanessa added, causing us all to laugh.

“
So, who are you here to watch?” Jenna asked.  Her shiny blond chin-length bob whipped around as she turned her attention back to me.  Her cute, little button nose wrinkled up as she smiled, waiting for my answer.

“
You don't think I'm just here to enjoy the sport of baseball?” I asked her with a hint of sarcasm.

“
Well, if you are you came to the wrong place.  Tucker's the only one with any experience. The rest of the guys are pretty pathetic,” she laughed.  “Can I assume that you are here to see Sigma's golden boy, Tucker Kline?” she lilted.

“
Why would you assume that?”

“
Well, when I mentioned his name your eyes lit up a little.” Her contagious smile spread across her face.  The sunlight must have reflected off my eyes when she looked at me, because there was no way I was excited to see Tucker.  Unless, of course, my eyes lit up in anticipation of cleaning him out.

“
No, he wishes I was here to see him,” I laughed.  “I don't get what all the hype is about with him, anyway.  I came to see Nick.  My friend,” I added before she started making assumptions about our relationship, too.

“
Hmmm... interesting.” She pursed her lips and nodded.

“
What's that supposed to mean?” I'd assumed from our shared use of sarcasm and dislike for the groupies that Jenna and I were going to get along, but if she had a problem with Nick we may not be fast friends.

She shook her head. “Nothing against Nick.  He's great.  I've just never seen a girl act the way you just did about Tucker.  I guarantee if I went over and asked any of those groupies who they were here to see they'd say him.”

“Well, what about you three?” I pointed down the bleacher at them. “How are you immune to the Kline charm?”

“
I'm with Duncan,” Vanessa smiled.

“
Sam,” Kennedy added.  “And, Jenna here is the Sigma first lady.”

“
Haha,” Jenna said.  “Matt is my boyfriend.”  Matt was the fraternity president I met last night.

“
I met them all at the party last night.  They seemed really nice.”

“
I knew I saw you there!” Jenna exclaimed.  “You left with Tucker!”

I laughed at her exuberance, “I did, but not for the reasons you think.”

“Oh,” she said, deflated.

“
Don't mind her.” Vanessa pulled her attention from whatever was happening in the outfield.  “She's just bummed that you aren't dating him.”

“
It's true,” she agreed.  “I've been trying to get that boy to settle down for two years now, and you seem nice.  Thanks for getting my hopes up,” she joked.

“
Oh, sorry...and thanks.  I think,” I chuckled.  “Why do you want him to settle down?”

“
Aside from the fact that he really is a good guy,” she stated, popped her feet up on the bleacher in front of her and rested her arms across her knees, “he's been a little out of it since his dad died.  It'd just be nice to see him with a steady girl instead of a different one of them every night.” She motioned toward the groupies.

“
I see,” I uttered as I felt a bit of panic set in.  I didn't need him to be a really
good guy,
and I certainly didn't need the added guilt of scamming a grieving son.  I wished she would have told me that he was an arrogant asshole who treated girls like shit.

“
Anyway, Nick huh?”

By the time practice was over, I'd filled the girlfriends in on my relationship status with Nick. 
Platonic. 
They all seemed really nice.  If I was going to become Tucker's fake girlfriend then at least I wouldn't have to hang out with a bunch of bitchy girls the whole time.  When the guys finally came out of the dugout, I watched the girls run down to meet them as Nick made his way up the bleachers to where I remained seated.

“
What are you doing?” he asked, with a bit of an irritated look.

“
What do you mean?  I was waiting for you.”

“
You're wasting time,” he said as he grabbed my hand and pulled me up. “Go down there and work your magic.” He looked over his shoulder at Tucker, who was surrounded by gaggle of groupies.  They were pathetically pawing at him and giggling like idiots.
Ugh.

“
No offense, Nick,” I said, patting him on the shoulder, “but I think I've got this.  You just let me worry about reeling Tucker in.”  He squinted his eyes at me with a questionable look.  “Are you doubting me?”  I scoffed.

“
Maybe a little,” he replied.

“
Watch and learn,” I said with a smile.  I ran my hands through my hair and sauntered down the bleachers, keeping Tucker in my peripheral.  He watched my every move like a puppy waiting for a treat. 
Here boy. 
Before my feet could hit the sidewalk, I heard the deep, raspy voice I was waiting for say my name.