34. Jordan
CHAPTER 34
JORDAN
TWO MONTHS LATER: DRAFT NIGHT
N o one ever taught me how to tie a bow tie, and before tonight, that hadn’t ever been a problem. But I’m discovering this is an art that takes years, maybe even a lifetime, to master. And I have ten minutes and YouTube.
So, I’m screwed.
It doesn’t really matter, though. No one’s looking at me. I’m the arm candy this evening. Lucy is the star of this show. Ever since winning the Conference Tournament and leading her team to the Final Four, she’s gone from regional celebrity to national celebrity.
Steph Curry even tweeted about her. It was so cool, and I’m really relieved he’s already married.
Her draft stock exploded almost overnight. It’s like every single one of her dreams fell into place all at once. She’s predicted to go in the top ten tonight, and her endorsement deals with Nike and BODYARMOR are for more money than I can wrap my head around.
It didn’t hurt that Pierson Automotive gifted us the cars we were leased. We didn’t pay a dime. Lucy’s pretty sure it was Sasha’s final peace offering after almost ruining our relationship. I’m not complaining. I’ll take it.
At this point, I’ll take whatever I can get. Considering I’m about to be a struggling law student, a free car is a godsend. Lucy has more than enough money to pay for my schooling, but I refuse to let her. Something in me needs to prove that I can do it.
It’s definitely my pride and male ego. I can’t help it. Like I told her in one of our first conversations, I know she can take care of herself—I just don’t want her to have to.
It’s actually caused some fights between us.
I’ll hold out as long as I can but once we’re married, I might have to give in.
Not that we’re even engaged yet. But I’m definitely marrying this girl—there’s no question about that. The only question is how long I need to wait before I propose to her.
I gaze out over the lights of New York City and imagine seeing her walk down the aisle. I’ve never been overly emotional, but there’s no chance I won’t cry. The realization that I will get to wake up to her every day is enough to bring a lump to my throat.
A knock on the door shakes me out of this fantasy. I pull it open to reveal Lucy. My Lucy. About to get drafted into the WNBA and looking like she just stepped out of my literal dreams. Instead of white, she’s in pale yellow. It hugs her body the whole way down, and as she notices my eyes following the curve of her hip, she turns. The dress is backless.
My mouth goes dry as I trace the soft line of her back with my eyes. The dress drops off about as low as possible, and her skin is smooth and flawless. Her hair is in some sort of loose bun with pieces softly falling around her face. The jewelry is simple, highlighting just how naturally gorgeous my girl is.
My girl.
She suddenly appears shy, and I realize I’ve been standing there like a dumbstruck middle schooler trying to talk to a girl for the first time. I open my mouth, but struggle to find the words to articulate how incredible she looks.
Finally, I get out a sound. “Wow.”
Her smile returns.
“Lucy, you are the most beautiful human I’ve ever seen. You look drop-dead gorgeous.”
She can’t fight the huge smile that finally breaks through. “Thanks. I fully copied Kate Hudson’s dress in How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days. I actually attempted to copy the whole look.”
I run my hand over my face, a futile attempt to pull myself together. “Well, whoever that is in whatever movie that is, I’m eternally grateful.”
She laughs and steps toward me. I’m suddenly very angry that we have somewhere to be. Reaching up to my neck, she grabs the edges of the bow tie still hanging loose and untied.
“Couldn’t hack this?”
I had completely forgotten about it. Fantasizing about marrying Lucy and then seeing her looking like an angel had wiped all other thoughts from my brain.
“Yeah. Any chance you somehow possess the secret skill of tying a bow tie?”
She bites her lip and slowly shakes her head. “Sorry to disappoint, but no.”
I grab her hips and pull her close. “Oh, no, believe me, I’m not disappointed in the slightest.”
Our kiss is soft–I’m not risking ruining her perfect makeup.
“Are you ready to go fulfill another dream?”
She looks up at me, and it makes my heart race. Her expression is so full of love and admiration that I look away. I don’t want to get emotional right now.
When she speaks, her voice is gentle, but full of conviction. “Just so you know, you are now my main dream. Everything else is icing on the cake. But having you with me here today, and every other day, is the cake. I really hope you know that.”
I kiss her forehead, holding my lips there for a few seconds so I can breathe her in. This girl is the rest of my life.
“Yeah, we could still run away and live in a hut in a remote village. I don’t care where. You’ve become the absolute light of my life, so the yellow dress is actually very fitting.”
She laughs, and there’s still no sound that both soothes and excites me like that laugh.
Running my hands down her arms, I interlace our fingers. “Should we go?”
She takes one long, deep breath and nods again. “Just leave the bow tie like that. It looks intentionally edgy. It suits you.”
I shake my head, but don’t make a move to take it off. I lift her hand to my lips and guide her toward the door. As I lead her out, I feel her whole body begin to tense up with nervous energy. I don’t want tonight to be anything short of perfect for her. I need to lighten the mood.
So, I make a dumb attempt to help her relax and say the first joke that pops into my head. “Oh, by the way, thank you for saying I’m cake. It’s one of the nicest compliments I’ve ever received. Everyone always tells me I’m handsome and charming and sexy as hell–but no one recognizes my similarities to a common dessert, and that hurts. You really made me feel seen.”
It’s at best a subpar joke, but it works. Her giggles stick with us the whole elevator ride down.
Lucy’s mom and grandparents are waiting for us in the lobby. They gasp when they see her, and I twirl her around so they get the full effect. Tears are already being shed, and we aren’t even there yet.
A limo is pulled up to the curb, and the driver has a sign that reads Lucy Townes . She’s one of the rare few who is guaranteed to be drafted, so she gets the royal treatment. We pull up to the venue, and it’s like we’re arriving at the Oscars.
A red carpet awaits, along with at least fifty photographers.
A man in a tuxedo steps up and opens the door. Lucy doesn’t move. Her eyes are huge. I lean forward and whisper in her ear, “Enjoy this. You deserve it.”
She slowly steps out of the limo, and I hear the clicks of the cameras begin in earnest. I’m planning to stay behind the scenes. I don’t want or need any attention. Lucy deserves it all. Unfortunately, she has other plans.
Grasping my hand for dear life, she pulls me out behind her. I’m definitely losing circulation in my fingers as we make the trek across the photographers’ line of fire. She keeps glancing back at me like she’s drowning in the ocean and I’m her lifeboat.
For someone this famous, she’s terrible at being famous.
It makes me love her even more.
But I also know her quiet confidence is in there–it just needs a little convincing to come out. I lean forward, and in a hushed voice, I start attempting references to her favorite romances to break through her anxiety.
“Pretend like you’re in Bridgerton, walking in front of the queen–and she has an especially wild wig on, with like birds and bees flying around.”
She lets out a real laugh, and I hear the click of photos being taken.
“Or you’re that girl who goes to the dance dressed as Cinderella, and somehow because of a microscopic mask, no one recognizes her. Her entrance is epic. Do that one.”
Her genuine smile has finally appeared, and I think my work here is finished. I give her a soft kiss on the cheek and walk to the edge of the carpet to let her have her moment. She watches me go, and once again, the way she looks at me makes me feel like the most important and amazing man who has ever lived.
Which defies all logic because just look at her. She’s walking a literal red carpet, and realistically appears to have just walked off a runway. I’m simply the man on her arm who happens to love her more than life itself.
She walks the red carpet for a few more minutes, finally gaining enough confidence to turn around and show off the back of the dress–the press loved that one. I can already see the articles comparing her look to whatever one she was imitating.
There’s no way it looked this good in that movie, though.
She makes a beeline for me when she’s finally allowed to leave the carpet. We walk hand in hand into the venue. Every couple of minutes, Lucy gets grabbed for an interview, and I step off to the side to watch her charm yet another reporter with her beauty and humility.
Most of these interviews are live, and I know my parents will be tuning in. They already love Lucy like she’s their own daughter, and even though setting some boundaries has been tough, my dad is really trying.
Our first few phone calls were awkward and full of bouts of silence, but it’s steadily getting better. He’ll ask me about law school preparations and my classes. It’s all new territory for us–building a relationship outside of basketball has never been something I thought was possible. But I’m discovering how much we really do have in common.
I’m even discovering that I actually like my dad. He’s cool when he’s not trying to live vicariously through me. It’s no surprise that my mom and Lucy’s mom are getting along even better than we predicted. I’m pretty sure they talk on the phone multiple times a week and text almost every day.
I’m relatively certain they’ve already planned our wedding. My mom texted me the other day asking my opinion on flowers and which season is my favorite. These aren’t topics that come up naturally.
As if she’s reading my thoughts, Lucy flashes a smile my way.
Yeah, that girl is definitely my future wife.
The rest of the evening flows like it was scripted. Lucy told me it was always her dream to be drafted in the top ten, and she fulfilled it easily.
She went third.
The look of absolute shock on her face when they announced her name was completely authentic. It wasn't a feigned surprise. Even the highest projections had her going fifth at the earliest.
Her entire family cheered and cried. I stood up, and any attempt to maintain composure went out the window. She pulled my face to hers in a kiss that all of America saw.
I loved every second of it.
The Minnesota Cougars is Lucy’s dream team. It’s the WNBA team Lucy grew up cheering for–she still has their poster hanging in her childhood bedroom. Every aspect of this team is perfect for her. She’ll get to be within driving distance of her family and will likely be an immediate starter because they have an open spot at shooting guard.
And as for me, Minneapolis is the location of my top choice for law school.
I would’ve gone anywhere for this girl, but I secretly prayed it would be this one. Still, I really thought it was a long shot.
Yet, it happened. To be fair, me landing Lucy was also a long shot. I knew that from the moment I met her. Even still, some part of me knew at our very first meeting that I was seeing the rest of my life.
As we eat our McDonald’s ice cream in the limo on the drive back to the hotel, I look down at a sleepy-eyed Lucy. She leans her head on my shoulder, and her eyes close. My coat is around her shoulders, keeping her warm.
I lean over, gently kissing the top of her head. She lets out a little satisfied sigh, nestling closer to me.
I can’t help but smile.
The idea of this girl being the rest of my life is more than I ever thought I deserved.
Yet here she is.
I’m going to take care of her forever.