Just Rules Read Free Page A

hall where she was walking down.
    “You look gorgeous,” he said to her from behind.
    Susan let out a sigh of relief and turned around.
    “You too,” she responded, noticing how handsome he looked, freshly showered and in his suit. She sighed and moved closer to him. “I’m sorry you lost.”
    “We played well,” said Tim shrugging his shoulders. “We’ll win the next one.”
    “Sure”
    Tim placed his hands on her waist and bent down to give her a gentle kiss on the lips.
    “I don’t want to mess up your makeup,” he said, pulling away.
    “I’ve got lipstick in my purse,” hinted Susan, moving in closer to him.
    “Journalists from every sports channel in the country are at the end of the hall, including the one from your program, Miss Lobato.”
    Susan looked at him for a second. Tim’s calm demeanor was probably the first thing that attracted her to him when they met, and one of the reasons she agreed to marry him. However, barely one hour before, that same man practically ripped the head off of one of the players on the Giants because he had snatched the ball from him.
    Where was all that passion now? Was he saving it for the game?
    You’re being stupid, Susana, you shouldn’t have spent so much time reading that novel last night. You don’t want him to kiss you right now.
    And it was the truth.
    Besides the fact that she had started it, and that she was even flirting with him, Susan didn’t want him to kiss her there in the middle of that hallway where anyone could see them.
    “You’re right.” She pulled back and settled for holding Tim’s hand. He returned the gesture and together they walked out to face the microphones.
    Whenever Susan accompanied Tim she made an effort to stay in the background, although it didn’t always work because certain journalists insisted on asking her about the wedding. That night, however, it wasn’t the case as everyone was ready to take pleasure in, with more or less elegance, the loss of the Patriots. Tim responded to a few questions, and when a member of stadium security told him that his limo was waiting for them, he said goodbye and pulled Susan toward the exit.
    Just like the taxi that she had arrived in, the black vehicle was waiting for them right at the entrance, and they managed to get inside without getting ambushed by a group of fans that practically appeared out of nowhere.
    They sat in silence on the way to the restaurant. Tim squeezed her hand on several occasions and Susan smiled at him encouragingly. They made a good team, she thought. They didn’t need to speak in order to know what the other one needed.
    At the entrance to the restaurant they had to fight off another mob of journalists, mainly from the tabloids, and the flashes from the cameras threatened to leave them blind. If it had been any other night perhaps they would have stopped and responded to such important questions like where Susan was getting her dress, or if they were going to offer vegetarian dishes, but they went into L’Escalier without stopping. They both let out a sigh of relief when the door closed behind them, and a familiar face immediately came to greet them. It was Mike Nichols, the coach of the Patriots
     
    “Tinman, I thought I was going to have to come looking for you,” he said to Tim, calling him by the nickname he had been given in his first official game. “But now that I see the beauty accompanying you, I’m not surprised that you’re late. It’s a pleasure to see you again, Susan. When are you going come to your senses and go for me?”
    Susan smiled and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
    “Never. Besides, I don’t think that Margaret would like that very much. And you couldn’t live without her anyway.”
    Mike laughed to himself and gave her a kiss on the cheek as well.
    Susan thought to herself that she had barely noticed a difference between Tim and Mike kisses.
    “You’re right, I don’t know what I would do without her,” smiled