Read Online Certified Male by Kristin Hardy - Free Book Online

picture Ed Perry, the Globe ’s comfortably paunchy sports editor, his balding head counterbalanced by a neat Vandyke.
    â€œHow am I? Not nearly as good as you, I’m sure. So where’s my column on the poker life, champ? What are you doing—drinking, chasing after women?”
    Del glanced uneasily at the door. “I wrote a story yesterday. I’ll get it filed this morning.”
    â€œYou know, I send you to Vegas, plum assignment. This is not what I expect in thanks.”
    â€œHey, this was your bright idea, not mine.” Walking to the counter, Del pulled his electric shaver out of his leather toilet kit.
    â€œWho was the one bitching about another year covering the All-Star game?”
    â€œMe,” Del admitted.
    â€œIs that a razor I hear? Are you shaving?” Perry demanded. “You really have spent the day in bed.”
    â€œYou’re the one who’s always telling me to multitask,” Del reminded him. “I’m not a gambler, Perry. The last time I was in Vegas was when I played here in college.”
    â€œNot a gambler, huh?” the editor grunted. “So how was it again you fleeced me for forty bucks in last week’s poker game?”
    Del moved the razor in circles over one cheek, then theother. “Look, a friendly poker game with the guys to drink beer and shoot the shit is one thing. Out here you’re talking hard core. These people are up all night. Everything I own reeks of cigarette smoke.” He ran the razor along his jaw.
    â€œSwitch that thing the hell off, will you? It’s buzzing in my ear like a mosquito.”
    â€œBitch, bitch, bitch.”
    â€œMe? What about you? Anyway, you were getting stale. I figured something different would shake you up.”
    Del snorted. “Hardly. You just wanted to distract me from the newsroom job.”
    â€œNewsroom job?” Perry repeated innocently.
    â€œDon’t give me that. You know I want to apply for that opening in the metro section.”
    Perry sighed. “Del, you’ve got a good gig here in sports. Why do you want to gum up the works going after an entry-level reporter’s job?”
    â€œYou just don’t want to have to break in a new writer.”
    â€œI just don’t want to see you get shot down.”
    â€œWhy would I be?” Del scowled. “I’ve worked on the sports section for nearly eight years, since I washed out of the pros.”
    â€œYeah, and the whole time there’s been a crew of bright-eyed kids over in the newsroom busy building their contacts so they can get half a dozen city hall staffers on the phone for a story. You can get Felipe Alou. You can’t compete, Del.”
    â€œLet them tell me that,” he snapped. “I want stories that take work. I want to dig, not just interview a bunch of genetically gifted millionaires.”
    â€œYou’ve got a gift for interviewing genetically gifted millionaires.”
    Del sat back down and leaned his elbows on his knees. “I’ve got a little bit of one for investigation, too. What about that series I did on the BALCO scandal?”
    â€œSome good work there,” Perry admitted reluctantly.
    â€œI want to do more.”
    â€œFine. The doping scandal’s still going. Follow it up.”
    â€œIt’s not enough, Perry.”
    â€œWhat is this, an early midlife crisis? Is this about the divorce?”
    â€œNo. Maybe. I don’t know.” Del rose and scrubbed a hand through his hair. “I just know I took the easy way out for way too long and it didn’t get me anywhere I wanted to be. I want to make something happen, not just take what comes my way.”
    â€œSports not good enough for you?” A hard note entered Perry’s voice.
    â€œYou know better. I just want to do something that didn’t fall in my lap, you know?”
    â€œLife’s so tough when you’re a golden boy.” The sarcasm was rich