He was late, but then, so was she, so they arrived at the door at the same moment. Somehow, she had known the ways of the gods of irony, because he was also wearing navy blue, although it looked better on him than it did on her. She'd never admit that, of course, because nothing could ever look better on anyone else than it did on her. It simply wouldn't do. Of course, she had to acknowledge his existence, since he *was* buying her lunch, and they did have the ties of a common college to bring them together. "Rip."

He smiled at her, and she got the feeling that there were a lot of women in that general vicinity who would have been very jealous of her at that moment. "Swin."

"Well, at least we know that we know each other." As the waiter seated them, Swin got straight to the point. "You know there's been rumors goin' around."

"There are always rumors goin' around. We ball. People talk about us all the damn time. It comes with the turf."

"You know what I mean. Rumors about us."

"Rumors that you don't shut up by strollin' around in my jersey, by the way. People don't think, don't you know that by now?"

She nodded, resting her elbows on the table and interlacing her long, bony fingers. "I know it's an inconvenience, but it has its advantages, don't you think? If people think we're together- which, by the way, this is even more likely to make them think than me strolling around in a Pistons jersey with my number on it- then they won't think we're screwin' around anywhere else, if you get my meaning. It might solve some problems. I've got someone I'd like to keep that particular spotlight away from, and I can't imagine you don't have someone in your life who doesn't want to be famous for all the wrong reasons."

He had never given her credit for being that observant, although he'd known enough of the female Huskies to get a vague understanding as to why she might have developed that particular sixth sense. Still, he thought he'd been circumspect enough, careful enough, sneaky enough, smart enough, that no one could guess. He played it off as best he could, making light of things. "You know my girl's been on SportsCenter. She's finally comin' home. I do feel kinda bad for having cheated on her with that synthetic crap."

"Don't pull that shit with me. I'm not as stupid as you think." She lowered her voice. "What I'm suggesting isn't a full-blown bearding, you know. I don't want that, and I don't think you do either. What I'm suggesting is… every so often, we give people a reason to think that we might be dating. Not too often. Just enough to get them assuming. And then we do the things we do without people asking questions. Hell, it's worked so far and we haven't even been doing it intentionally."

"For real?"

She laughed. "Man, we were scoping out honeys in the front row last season and no one said boo just 'cause I was in your jersey. People are just that stupid. So? Think it's a good idea?"

"Risky. And I don't know if I like you that much. But you're right. It works better than anything else I can think of. I think we have enough in common to make it work, too. UConn, Detroit…" He lowered his voice. "Finals MVPs?"

She flinched as if he had hit her, and his suspicion was confirmed. "How did you know?" she demanded, her voice sounding strangled with her fear.

"I saw you two, you know. I ain't blind. Just 'cause people who don't know you don't get it doesn't mean people who do won't. I know you got that secret to keep, and I'll be glad to do it. Shake on it?"

Her trembling hand met his sure one over the table, and they shook on the deal. Business concluded, they turned to small talk and the gossip that inevitably came from sharing a circle of friends.

They parted ways after the meal, each heading home. As Rip opened the door to his place, he shouted, "You here?"

"Kitchen!" someone shouted. Rip came down the hallway and took the glass from his lover's hand. "How did it go?"

"Perfect. She made the suggestion I thought she was going to make, and I let her talk me into it. Hope you don't mind such a pretty woman paying that kind of attention to me."

"She better be more worried about me." A possessive hand crept along Rip's waist. "You're mine. Won't let no one take that away, for sure."

"Didn't think you would. We're both protected now. Only one who's got to worry is her girl." Rip downed the glass and put it down on the table. "We've got a few days off now, right?"

"Yeah…"

"Well, if you promise to be careful and I promise to be careful, and since we're both here and all…"

"I like the way you think. But you can't wear the mask this time. That was some fucked up shit."

"You're no fun."

"You say that now, let's see if you're sayin' that in a few minutes." There was a daring, familiar grin on Chauncey's face as he drew Rip off into the bedroom.

As soon as Swin got to her apartment, she flipped open her phone and hit memory 2. Three rings later, a weary voice answered. "H'lo?"

Swin smiled, her face softening. "Didn't realize you were so out of it. I wouldn't have called you if I knew."

"Oh, I recovered from Kenya. It's Becky I'm trying to recover from. I should never have agreed to that trip. Hon, I think she's trying to make a move on me. I don't think she's interested in just friendship. I keep telling her I already have someone, but she won't listen, and when she demonstrated just how good she is with weaponry, I didn't want to push the point. She's not very good with no."

"She'll get past you. She's easily distracted."

"But so are you."

"Hey!"

"It's true, isn't it? I thought I had the privilege of telling you the things that you didn't want to hear, or did I lose that by letting Becky and her dad take me fishing?"

"You're still allowed. If you keep running off with strange women, I'll have to rethink it, though. You're *mine*, and no one else can have you." Having been sidetracked, Swin was now reminded of why she had originally called. "Hey, I talked to Rip today. He knew, by the way. Don't know how he figured it out, but he did already know. He's on for the deal. Says it'll make his life easier too. We'll just do enough to get people talking, that way they won't look at you and me twice. Sound good to you?"

"Sounds very good to me." There was a long pause, and for a moment Swin thought she had lost the connection, but then she heard Ruth's voice again. "I'm going back to my place in Miami until I get some word from overseas, but, um, I could stand to make a detour to Detroit for a few days."

"I'd like that." Swin's voice warmed as she dropped into a conspiratorial whisper. "Or you could show me around that place in Miami you talk about so fondly. You know how… warm… I prefer it, and how cold it gets up here in the winter."

She could almost imagine the smile on Ruth's face as the reply came. "I've been waiting for you to ask."