“Kasey, we got a problem. Jackson is stuck in court all day. So we only got nine players. We’re one short.”
“Well, shit. Anyone else wandering around the gym?”
He shook his head. “Already checked.” Jim cocked his head at the woman playing at the other end. “How about that redhead. Looks like she’s got a killer jump shot.”
Kyle furrowed his brow as he looked at her. “She’s only a little thing. Might get hurt.”
“You know, at five-seven and one-fifty you’re not exactly LeBron James and we let you play.”
“Very funny.”
“Well, it’s either ask her to join us or one of us sits out. And you know damn well no one wants to sit out.”
“Fine, let’s see if she’ll play.”
The two men got up and headed toward the slender woman, who was totally focused on the basket. Kyle couldn’t help but note she was beyond cute, despite being soaked with sweat, flaming red hair gathered up behind her head, matching headband and a ton of freckles, while her movements were incredibly fluid. “Excuse me…”
She took a shot, made it and turned to face them.
Damn, what spectacular eyes … they look like the Caribbean.
“Yeah?”
Jim took the lead. “We’re short one guy for a game. Wanna join us?”
She mopped her brow. “If you’re short one guy, why you asking me?”
“Cause you look like you’ve got game,” said Jim.
She scrunched up her face a bit as she tapped her chin with one finger. “Let me guess. There aren’t any other men in the gym, right?”
Kyle rolled his eyes and put up his hands in surrender. “Hey, forget it. Sorry we bothered you—”
“No, please forgive the attitude. It’s already been a rough day. Sure, I’ll play.” She moved closer and looked up at him. “But only if this one thinks he can guard me.”
Jim started to laugh. “Ooooh, she’s thrown down the gauntlet. I want Little Red on my team.”
She locked eyes with Kyle for a moment and smiled. “Okay then. Let’s rock.”
Jim stuck out his hand to shake. “He’s Kasey. I’m Jimbo.”
She shook Jim’s hand, then did the same to Kyle. “Nice to meet you guys.”
“And you are?” asked Kyle.
“Didn’t you hear your friend? Just call me Little Red.”
***
The redhead moved toward Kyle as the game started, at one point dribbling between her legs and behind her back, like one of the Harlem Globetrotters, while totally focused on him. He couldn’t help but be impressed as he moved forward to guard her. Her eyes looked at him for a moment, then darted around the court as it was obvious she was going to pass the ball. She raised her hand slightly and he knew she was about to pass to his right. He reached for the ball and found nothing but air as she dribbled behind her back in the other direction and left him in the dust, then pulled up and sank a long three-pointer as his feet got tangled up. He hit the floor and one of his sneakers came off.
Everyone laughed as her teammates moved forward and gave her a high five.
Jim offered a hand to help Kyle off the floor as he put his sneaker back on. “Damn, Little Red faked you out of your shoes.”
Kyle glared at Jim as he took his friend’s hand and stood up, finding the redhead looking at him while she had the ball pressed between her forearm and her side. She didn’t say anything to rub it in, didn’t smile. Just looked at him.
“What?”
She shrugged. “Your ball.” She tossed it to him.
Then gave him a wink.
Okay, the gloves are coming off.
Kyle took the ball out of bounds, then started dribbling up the court. She moved forward to guard him, her arms wide. He stopped and held the ball up over his head, where she couldn’t get it since he guessed she was a couple inches shorter. He turned away for a moment to look for an open teammate—
And she jumped, slapped it out of his hands, headed in the other direction and sank an easy layup shot.
Everyone laughed again.
Jim slapped Kyle on the back. “Never thought I’d see the day when you got your ass kicked by a hundred pound woman.”
***
Kyle sat on the bench after the game, totally exhausted with his head against the cool concrete wall, dripping sweat and out of breath. The redhead had totally wiped the floor with him. He looked over as everyone gathered up their gym bags and headed for the showers. The woman was smiling and laughing as she shook hands with the guys, then headed in his direction.
She stopped right in front of him. “You need some oxygen? Paramedic? CPR?”
“Funny.”
She stuck out her hand. “Hey, I’m kidding. Good game.”
“Yeah, right. Maybe for you.”
“I said good game. You’re supposed to shake the hand of your opponent after we’re done. Unless you’re some sort of sore loser.”
“No. You played great and I admit you kicked my ass.” He shook her hand as he studied her face. “You play in college or something?”
“Nope.”
“High school?”
“Uh-uh. Just the court in the old neighborhood. And I’ve got four brothers well over six feet tall. So I had to learn to shoot three-pointers and control the ball or I was toast.”
“Well, you’re a hell of a player.”
“Thank you.”
“You come here often?” he asked.
“That the best line you can come up with? We’re not in a bar.”
“I didn’t mean it that way—”
“Again, I’m kidding! I like to shoot to blow off steam and, like I said, the day got off to a really bad start. Anyway, this was fun. Hadn’t played an actual game in a while. Thanks for inviting me.” She waved at him. “Well, see ya—”
She started to walk away. “Hey. I didn’t get your name.”
She turned and smiled. “Sure you did. Little Red.” She winked and headed for the women’s locker room.
Jim came over and patted him on the back as they both watched her walk away. “Girl sure had your number today.”
“Yeah. Wish I had hers.”
***
Lexi looked out at the crowd of about two hundred in the large hotel meeting room and grabbed the sides of the podium. “Okay, that’s my take on spin doctoring, and we’ve got a few minutes left, so I’ll be happy to take questions.”
A woman in the front row raised her hand. “You didn’t mention that you handle the PR for Congressman Bensen. How are you going to deal—”
“Handled, past tense.