Free Fair Play by Deirdre Martin Page A

been happily married to the same woman for fifteen years and had a great family. Michael admired Kevin and thought he might be able to give him some valuable insight into how the female mind worked.
    He found Kevin lying face-up on a massage table, his left thigh being kneaded by the team’s top massage therapist.
    â€œHey, Gilly. Got a minute?” Michael approached the table.
    Kevin chuckled. “Does it look like I’m going anywhere? What’s up?”
    Was it possible he was a total loser asking Kevin’s advice on this stuff? Michael cleared his throat, stalling for time. Well, he’d find out in a minute or two. “I need your input on this woman I’m interested in.”
    â€œAnyone I know?”
    Michael hesitated. Kevin did know Theresa. He was Ty’s best friend, after all. And thanks to the sexual assault case a few years back, the whole team at the very least knew Theresa’s name. Kevin was there the first time Michael had offered to buy Theresa a drink and she turned him down, and he’d been there at Ty and Janna’s wedding when she’d repeatedly refused to dance with him. If he told Kevin who it was, chances were he’d tell him to get the hint and move on.
    â€œNo one you know,” Michael lied.
    â€œWhat’s the problem?”
    â€œThis girl—this woman—won’t go out with me. Not even for a cup of coffee.”
    Kevin gave a small growl of pain as the trainer moved farther down his leg and began massaging his shin. “Any idea why?”
    â€œShe says she never dates Italians.”
    â€œHuh?” Kevin looked bemused. “That’s a new one.”
    â€œI know that if she’d just give me half a chance, she’d realize we could really hit it off. But I’m not sure how to get her to see that.”
    Kevin closed his eyes. “You know, when I first met Abby she didn’t want anything to do with me.”
    â€œReally?” This was good to know. It made Michael feel hopeful. “So what did you do?”
    â€œI wooed her.” Kevin’s mouth curled into a smile of remembrance. “I sent her flowers, I turned up where I knew she’d be. I was a real pest.”
    â€œAnd she fell for it?”
    â€œNot right away.” Kevin opened his eyes. “ln fact, I remember her threatening to call the cops to have me arrested for stalking. But eventually, she was flattered. Or maybe just tired.” He turned his head to look at Michael. “I can’t believe you need advice—a dog like you, out on the town every night.”
    â€œYeah, I get around. But I haven’t had a serious relationship in . . .” He paused, trying to think of the last steady girlfriend he’d had. Christine? No, that was four years ago. So, it had to be Dory. Dory was before he met Theresa. “Two years.”
    â€œWhat happened?”
    Michael shrugged. “She wanted to get married. I didn’t.”
    â€œSo you’ve just been screwing around since then?”
    â€œPretty much.”
    â€œWell, if you’re serious about this woman, try wooing her in some way.”
    â€œWhat if it doesn’t work? I mean, she seems like a pretty tough nut to crack.”
    â€œIf it doesn’t work, it’s not meant to be.”
    â€œI guess,” said Michael unenthusiastically. He went to the head of the table and patted his friend’s shoulder. “Thanks for the advice, Kev. I appreciate it.”
    â€œLet me know how it turns out. Oh, and Mikey?”
    â€œYeah?”
    â€œDon’t be late for warm-up tomorrow night. Ty’s loaded for bear.”
    â€œGotcha.”
    Woo her. Two simple words, a not-so-simple woman. He had a gut feeling that flowers might be coming on too strong when it came to Theresa. But there were other weapons in the romantic arsenal he could use.
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    Though it was not yet nine, Theresa’s morning had already been a