Free Playing the Game by Stephanie Queen

short. His mouth dropped and Barry could swear he turned a shade of pink.
    Was it so incredible? Yes, Barry thought, it was. He wasn’t exactly known to be an impulsive person. He was more the compulsive type by far. But not this weekend.
    “You got it,” Barry said.
    “But…”
    “Don’t worry. It won’t happen again. Just one of those things.” He didn’t sound convincing to himself either. Dave laughed at him.
    “So, the great Barry Dennis has clay feet big time. You cheat on your girl, miss an entire weekend of working out and then oversleep for an important event—she must have been some woman.” The teasing smile on his friend’s face creased in lines around his eyes and mouth.
    Barry looked at his best friend on the Celtics team—hell, his best friend period. He hadn’t seen much of his boyhood friends in years. Hadn’t had time or much in common. His life had been basketball 24/7 since he could remember. Judging by the look on Dave’s face, he was going to have to spill some details soon.
    “She was. Who knows, maybe we’ll continue the affair—someday. But not until long after I’m retired from basketball. Then I might have half a chance at handling a woman like her.”
    “That wild, eh?” Dave prodded, and leaned closer on his huge elbows.
    “It was intense.” Barry didn’t want to say more. He thought about her. He liked thinking about her. But could he risk seeing her again? What was he really afraid of anyway? Of course he had to see her again, professionally, that is, for the interview he’d promised. He frowned now, worrying that maybe he shouldn’t have made that promise. Another impulsive move. He didn’t want to lead her on, but then he almost laughed at himself for worrying about her. She was definitely a big enough girl to take care of herself where men were concerned. He figured she had an abundance of experience. Not likely anything to worry about there.
    Now Susan was another matter. Their relationship had been convenient for him, but she wanted more. He didn’t have any more for her. It was over and he knew it. He’d been restless and he supposed that’s part of the reason he took Roxanne home with him. But only part of it.
    While Barry thought about Roxanne while he ate, Dave kept on a steady stream of play-by-play on his golf game that day.
    “What happened to your last putt?” Dave asked with a grin.
    “Me? I thought you said you’ve been living on the golf course this summer. If this is how you play when you practice you definitely ought to stick to B-ball,” Barry chided as they walked outside when they’d finished.
    “Yeah? What about your drive on the eighth?” Dave reminded him.
    “I planned it that way. I ended up with a par on that hole didn’t I?”
    “Yeah, but who’s going to pay for that poor guy’s operation since you hit him with your flying two iron?” They both laughed at his exaggeration.
    “Seriously, come out and play golf with me tomorrow morning. You could use the practice,” Dave invited him.
    “I think I could use the hoop practice even more.” Barry resigned himself to getting back to the reality of his work regimen. Dave slapped him on the back.
    “That’s what I like to hear. The old Barry’s back. Watch those wild weekends now.” Dave and Barry parted, walking to their respective cars.
     
     
    It wasn’t until after he walked into the house that Barry realized Susan was home. Her bags were on the floor in the foyer. She must have caught an earlier flight than expected, because he was supposed to pick her up at the airport later that night.
    He also remembered, with a groan, the condition he and Roxanne left his bedroom in that morning in their rush to leave the house. He suddenly felt pity for Susan. He knew that she loved him. They had lived together only five months because it was the only way he could maintain a relationship with a woman. She had always been loving and understanding from the beginning. He now knew