Center Courtship Read Online Free PDF Page A

short, black man. “This is Millard, he’s just concerned about keeping me safe, and this is Carl, he’s the team’s PR guy. He’s here to take pictures of Brandon for the team’s website and social media.”
    â€œI wasn’t planning on recording the inside of your home.”
    â€œIt’s ok, let’s do the tour. Brandon will like it, right?”
    I nodded and exhaled loudly as I slowly placed everything back on the island with Elsu’s help. “I’m only staying because Brandon will like it. Not because I like it. Or you.”
    Elsu appeared to glare at me for a moment but then smiled. “You’re rather spunky, aren’t you?”
    â€œSpunky? Nah, just slightly annoyed.”
    He smiled again and held out his hand to me. “What?”
    â€œYour phone, Carl can record the tour.”
    â€œOh, I thought
I
was recording it.”
    â€œNope, you’re Brandon. You get to play the part of a 12-year old boy.”
    â€œWoo…hoo,” I forced a smile and handed him my phone.
    He quickly brought up the camera and handed it to Carl who grumbled at both of us. “This is a waste of my time, Elsu. I was here to get pictures of you and this boy for the webpage. I’m not here to follow
her.
”
    â€œYou think this is what
I
want to be doing right now?”
    â€œI’m still not sure,” said Carl.
    I rolled my eyes at him and we followed Elsu down a hallway with Millard following cautiously behind us.
    Elsu stopped at a wooden door, turned and smiled into the camera. “Brandon, this is your tour, when you come to visit, youcan do it live! This is my theater room.” He opened the large door and motioned for me to enter.
    I stepped in and my eyes were forced to adjust quickly to the blackened room. Dark red material covered all four walls and ceiling. The front wall housed a humongous movie screen. The seating was theater style with each row containing four recliners with a love seat recliner in the center. All of the seating was in black leather. The floor was red carpet and the steps were illuminated for easy navigation in the dark. “Wow,” I whispered. The feeling of being in an actual theater even affected the way I spoke.
    â€œThis is one of the reasons I bought the house,” he said to my phone in Carl’s hand. “It came with everything except…I added these,” he walked over to the wall adjacent to the screen and slid open a secret door revealing shelves of video games of all kinds, and every kind of gaming system you could imagine. “When you and your brother are here, you can pick whatever games you want to play, and we can play together!”
    I stepped out of the way as Carl took a sweep of the room using my phone. He pushed a button on the screen and dropped the phone to his side. “So now she knows what’s behind your magic door? She’s just making a list of all the things she’s going to break in and steal.”
    â€œReally?” I asked.
    Elsu ignored our conversation, pulled two controllers off the shelf and handed one to me. “Do you know how to play Mario Kart?”
    I raised my eyebrows. I was a master at Mario Kart. My hours spent babysitting Brandon and Mitchell had their benefits. “I’ve played a few times,” I lied.
    Elsu motioned for me to sit in the second row. “I find it’s easier to play when you’re a little further back,” he said.
    I took a seat on the loveseat and Elsu sat in the recliner next to me. After several races, we were tied on wins. Carl had started recording on our tie breaking race and in the last second, I beat Elsu out with a cheer. “YES!” I shouted.
    â€œOh, man! You’ve played more than a few times,” he said as he leaned back in his chair.
    â€œI’m the aunt to a 12-year old, of course I know what I’m doing,” I said.
    â€œYou’re a fibber, is what you