Reese
“So, I’m thinking of quitting the headshop,” Gemma said during our roommate brunch date. “There’s a job opening at a daycare center just down the street from the apartment. I could walk to work every day.”
Sydney and I shot each other the same look before we both focused them on Gemma. “What?” she said.
“You’re terrible with kids,” Syd said flatly.
“And this would provide my learning opportunity,” Gemma replied, acting like that made so much sense in her own head. And it probably did. “You never know when I might have an acting job where I have to work with kids. Plus, my psychic told me last week that I needed to discover my inner child.”
“You don’t have a psychic,” I said, taking a sip of my mimosa.
Gemma ripped apart the roll in her hands into tiny pieces. “Well, I just met her at a party, but it’s not like her gift only works in her shop. She was kind enough to give me a reading on the spot.”
Syd rolled her eyes at me while Gemma put her food order in with the server. We were at our favorite café in downtown Calhoun that had the best French toast casserole when you had time to sit down and the best apple cinnamon croissants when you were on the go. It was a much needed break after my insane two weeks with the team.
It was officially March Mania.
The NACA National Championship Tournament had officially begun. Every TV in every bar and restaurant had been playing non-stop games from the first two rounds for the past two weeks. Every sports network had constant broadcasts about all the teams still playing. And you couldn’t walk into a drugstore without someone talking about how well they were doing on their bracket challenge.
The entire country was going gaga over this event, and I’d had a front row seat for the show. NCU had won their first round game against a sixteen seed team in Houston by twenty-five points. Not too surprising. They’d won their second round game against a ten seed team in Denver by ten points. A little closer, but everything had been smooth sailing so far.
Except for the fact that jet lag had been kicking my ass something fierce.
I loved this job, but I also loved my sleep.
Between the planes and buses and early mornings and late nights, down time had been hard to come by. I hadn’t had much alone time with Cam since the tournament started, and that more than anything was wearing me down. He’d been busy with game film and team meetings and TV interviews and actually playing. The only time we’d seen each other lately was on the court.
“How’s work, Syd?” I asked, trying to distract myself from my melancholy thoughts.
I made sure to avoid asking her about Caleb the Cryer or the engagement situation with him and her parents. Syd had made it clear in no uncertain terms that the topic was not up for discussion, ever. She’d shut Gemma and I down numerous times when we’d tried to bring it up, so we let it go. For now. As long as we never saw a humongous diamond on her finger, we still had time to talk her out of making the biggest mistake of her life.
I had a different strategy planned for today, anyway.
“Everything’s great,” she said excitedly.
I had to give her props for loving her job as much as she did. Even if it was accounting, which, in my opinion, would be the most mind-numbingly boring job on the planet. But to each her own.
“Oh, I didn’t tell you guys!” she exclaimed. “I’m getting a bonus for that big account I landed a few months ago that I was telling you about.”
I gave a little “whoop!” while Gemma chose to pound on the table in excitement, drawing the attention of our fellow patrons. “That’s awesome, Syd,” she cheered. “Congrats!”
Syd almost looked embarrassed by the praise. “Thanks.”
“Looks like the next round of mimosas is on me,” I announced.
“I think Miss Moneybags should cover the bill,” Gemma said with a grin. “She can afford it, after all.”
“That’s not how celebrations work, Mrs. Doubtfire,” I chided, making Syd choke on her bite of salad. “You’re both still coming to the party tonight, right?”
Vaughn was having another one of his “epic ragers” and demanded that I come. NCU was hosting the Best of 16 games, so we’d be home for at least the next few days, which Vaughn was apparently taking advantage of. And since I didn’t know how things were going to go down between Cam and I with everyone around, I was forcing my girls to come with me.
“Definitely,” said Gemma.
At the same time Syd said with a sigh, “If I must.”
“You know, Syd, Boyd asked me if you were going to come.”
Her head jerked up, her blue eyes sharpening on me. “When? What did he say?”
“Oh, it was the other day after practice,” I answered nonchalantly. “He seemed interested, but don’t worry. I reminded him that even if you were able to make it, you’d probably bring your boyfriend.”
Her eager expression faded into one of poorly-disguised dismay. Looked like my theory was definitely holding water. Gemma pursed her lips, holding back a smile as she winked at me over her champagne flute.
“Right, that’s good,” Syd said, almost pouting. “Thanks for that.”
“You’re welcome.”
My work here was done for now.
“Well, are you going to finally spill about your sexathon with His Royal Highness?” Gemma asked, raising an eyebrow. “We’ve barely seen you these last few weeks, and if we haven’t seen you, we’ve heard you. And him. It breaks the bonds of sisterhood if you don’t share details.”
“I’m not sure I want details,” Syd muttered. “The noises I’ve heard painted enough of a picture for me.”
I tried not to blush, but I had a feeling I was unsuccessful. “We’re together, but we’re still keeping it a secret.”
“Any why is that again?” Gemma inquired.
I leaned back in my chair and fiddled with the napkin in my lap. “Because Cam doesn’t want the attention on the two of us right now when it needs to be on the team. The tournament’s started. They play their Best of 16 game in two days. It’s not the right time to unveil a new relationship.”
“But you guys are in one?” Syd clarified.
“Yes, so you guys still have to keep that a secret. You can’t tell anyone.”
“So, the secrecy has nothing to do with your dad being his coach?” Gemma asked.
My eyes snapped to hers. “No, why would it? I mean, it probably won’t be comfortable for either one of them once we go public, but it’s not like that’s stopping us.”
“And when does he say you guys can ‘go public’?” Syd asked, putting the last two words in air quotes.
“After the season is over, when things calm down.”
At least, that was what he’d been telling me. It had been almost a month since we’d started sneaking around, and it was already getting tedious. The constant lies, the worry of getting caught, the pretending like we were both single and happy with it. The more we were around other people and he continued not to acknowledge me, the less certain I was that anything was ever going to change.
It was beginning to feel like he was ashamed of me.
Admittedly, it did sort of feel like there was something more than just the inevitable media frenzy that had him spooked. I’d even brought it up with him one night after he’d just got done bending me over our kitchen table. Yeah, still hadn’t told the girls about that one and didn’t plan to.
“I get that you want to keep the focus on the team right now, especially since the season is almost over,” I’d told him. “But if you’re just worried about me dealing with the press, don’t be. I can handle all of that.”
His body had stiffened as we lay on the couch. “I know you can. It takes a lot to get you rattled. That’s not the issue, though. It’s just my job as captain to ensure the guys all have their heads in the right place, including me. We’ve worked hard to get here and the last thing I want is a stupid relationship rumor screwing all that up.”
I knew he made sense, but the harsh way he’d said it hurt. “Okay, I get it.”
He must have sensed my mood shift. “Aw, I didn’t mean for it to come out that way. It’s just…we’re so close. Just a few more weeks and then we’ll be free to tell the entire world. Can you do that for me?”
I’d felt bad for even making it an issue. He clearly had a lot to deal with, and he didn’t need me putting one more thing on his plate.
“Of course.”
“Hellooo, Reese!”
Gemma’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts. “Sorry, what’d you say?”
“I asked if you were okay with that. Waiting until the end of the season.”
I gazed out the window, loving the way the sun poked through the clouds after several dreary overcast days in a row. I hoped that meant spring was here. It would be a nice change. After all, spring was the season of change, wasn’t it?
“I have to be.”