Center Courtship Read Online Free PDF Page B

Carl as he eyed his Rolex.
    Elsu continued to ignore everyone and looked to me. “My mom taught me to never take a woman to my bedroom that I didn’t want to marry. If you were Brandon, I would let you come in, but you aren’t, so I can only show you the room from out here.” It took me a moment to comprehend what was just said, but then the French doors were opened and I saw six steps in anarrow hallway that led up into a bright room where a four-poster bed made in white and hunter green stood at the center of attention. Light from unseen windows flooded the room and the place seemed to have a glow all its own. “There’s a bathroom, and a walk-in closet. But there is a second door to the closet, so I can take you there.”
    He turned and I followed him to another door that opened into a room of every sports fan’s fantasies. One whole wall was floor to ceiling shoes. Mostly tennis shoes, but some dress and even some cowboy boots were on display. I had never been a fan of fashion, but I knew from Brandon’s obsession, that these tennis shoes were special. Different colors, brands and styles were lit from behind the shelves. In the center of the room was a tufted bench for putting on shoes even though none of these seemed to have been worn.
    I walked into the room and followed the line of shoes around a corner where I was confronted by two walls of clothes. A number of basketball jerseys from different teams were hung on a wall for decoration, and two dressers sat beneath them. The other side of the wall had suits and coats. A separate rack stopped me in my tracks. Dresses, blouses, skirts and dress pants were hung neatly in a row. Beneath the women’s clothes was a shorter rack of high heels and other women’s shoes. I eyed them suspiciously and looked at Elsu.
    He rolled his eyes at the clothes, not at me. “Those are Saraya’s, for when she stays over. But she never does, never has. She doesn’t like it here, so she usually stays at a hotel.”
    The mysterious Saraya. “Who is Saraya?” I feigned curiosity.
    Elsu’s eyebrow rose. “My girlfriend,” he said flatly. For someone who was talking about his girlfriend, I found it hard to make a mental connection between him and the girl in Steve’s phone.
    â€œShe must be special if she gets a spot in your closet,” I said.
    Elsu nodded and turned without saying a word. I must have struck a nerve. Maybe now we were even.
    We walked out of the closet and back onto the overlook and back down the stairs. “Well, thank you for the tour, I’m sure Brandon will love seeing the video,” I said.
    â€œOh, I have one more thing to show you, I mean him,” he said as he looked at Carl.
    â€œElsu, I have to go. I have a meeting in Massillon with the coaches at eight,” he thrust my phone at me. “I think you should be done with the tour. Mr. Millard and I have both made it clear that we don’t feel this is a good idea. She got to see your place. If she
is
Brandon’s aunt she can give him the videos. I suggest having some backup here for the next few days just in case.”
    â€œSeriously?” I asked.
    â€œI’ve been looking forward to this for months. I’m going to do it the way I want to do it. If you two think it’s such a horrible idea, turn your heads and walk away. Otherwise, follow me,” said Elsu as he looked to my eyes.
    â€œI’ll see you later, Elsu.” Carl stormed away from us and I looked to Elsu.
    â€œHe’s pissy. Oh well, here…” he took my phone from my hand and gave it to Millard. “You can record, Milly.”
    Millard rolled his eyes but followed as we walked along a hallway in the back of the house and stopped in front of a large trophy case. “Millard, can you get a good shot of this?”
    â€œYes sir,” said Millard flatly as he came up and passed the camera over the various