23. Miles
23
MILES
“S hit, that hurt.” Rookie winces as he watches a video version of himself take a hard foul.
“Happened two days ago. You should be good as new.” Atlas throws a pencil at him that bounces off his shoulder.
“Says the guy who took his sweet time coming back this year.”
Today’s our day off in between road games and the Kodiaks are packed into a meeting room watching film after practice.
I’m in the back row with Rookie.
Jay picked the front without so much as a glance my way.
Chloe knocks on the door. “Can I have a word?”
Coach nods. “We’re just wrapping up here.” One more look sweeps the room. “I mean what I said. Keep it clean. No risks. We’re playing second-half basketball now.”
He steps back and Chloe smiles, taking the floor.
“Didn’t know you were traveling with us this week.” Jay shifts forward in his seat.
“The communications team has some decisions to make. The GM thought it would be best if I attended in person but I’m heading back after this.”
Chloe lifts her iPad, swiping a finger over the surface to pull up her notes. She’s not a big person, especially compared to us, but the suit jacket is a “don’t fuck with me” reminder.
Jay and Chloe dated before my time. I’m not privy to the full details of exactly what went down, but from a couple of times he’s confided after he’s had a few drinks, their breakup nearly destroyed him.
Not that you’d know it from the outside. Jayden’s the perfect modern point guard. He’s personable and professional, the guy who can flex with a veteran player or take a hard line to show a new one how it’s done.
Reporters like joking around with me, but when the media need a real answer after a game about how the team views their play, they go to Jay. They trust him.
So do I.
But in the couple of weeks since he found out about me and Brooke, there’s a new ice age that’s descended on the team.
I’ve been trying to give him space to process, figuring he’ll thaw out. In the meantime, there are real stakes for the team, and me. My agent hasn’t heard back from the shoe sponsor and the Kodiaks are hovering in the last Western playoff spot.
“Voting for the all-star game is coming up. We need to finalize who we’re putting forward,” Chloe says.
The East and West teams will be made up of guys from across the league. Even though it doesn’t contribute toward anything in the regular season, it’s a big deal, both for pride and a player’s marketability. My own agent has told me that it can add millions a year in negotiation power.
Though the choice of which players will make up the roster is ultimately made by coaches, media and fans, it’s customary that the PR engine of each pro team campaigns hard for a couple of their guys. Most teams wind up with one player who makes the cut, but others can get selected for the peripheral contests.
I’ve been for the three-point competition. It was a lot of fun to participate, though it’s more of a spectacle and bragging rights than anything.
“We decided we’re going to push for Miles,” Chloe says.
Scattered hollers go up around the room. Rookie thumps me on the back.
It takes a moment for the words to sink in. I never pictured myself as a legit all-star, though on paper, I’m turning in the kind of games that put my name in the mix.
My first thought is: I can’t wait to tell Brooke .
She’s at home this week and her friend Ruby is scheduled to visit from New York. She’s been looking forward to seeing her friend since they decided on it a few days ago. I’m glad they’re going to get some time together. Between working her ass off finding new gigs and helping Nova with her bookings—not to mention talking me down when I get up in my head about for this shoe contract—she deserves a break.
“What about Clay?” Jay interrupts.
The hollers die down.
Our tattooed forward, occupying a seat in Jay’s row, shakes his head. “I’ve been to the all-star game enough years. Nova and I are going to the beach.”
Jay looks around. “Is there anyone else in contention?”
Chloe clears her throat. “I’m not looking for nominations, Jayden.”
Two guys in the row ahead exchange looks, probably at her using his full name.
“Besides,” she goes on. “Garrett deserves it. Anyone else have comments?”
There’s only support from the rest, but by the end of the meeting, one thing’s clear.
If I thought Jay was thawing toward me, I was wrong.
* * *
brOOKE
I’m waiting at the airport when Ruby gets off the plane in her cashmere sweatsuit and oversized Versace sunglasses.
“I need an eye mask. My dark circles are about to declare their own zip codes,” says my friend.
“You look fucking fantastic.”
We hug, and love washes over me. It’s only been a month since I saw her face, but I missed her like crazy.
“I have a spa visit booked,” I say.
“Thought you were short on cash?” she asks as I insist on taking her carry-on bag. We head through the airport to the parking garage.
“I’ve been working for Nova. And I just got paid for this Vivaro campaign.” The funds hit my bank account, alleviating the ever-present fear of whether a new partner will actually follow through and pay you what they promised, when they promised it.
We drop off her bag and head to the spa together. I’ve been looking forward to this since I booked it.
At the front, we fill out the forms. Then I produce a credit card.
The sales associate waves. “Oh, no. It’s already been covered.”
“By whom?” I ask.
“Mr. Garrett says it’s his treat.”
Ruby’s eyebrows rise through her hairline, but she waits to ask questions.
“So catch me up,” Ruby says as we take our spots next to each other for pedicures.
“I’ve been dating… Giles,” I say, changing Miles’s name deliberately so we’re not overheard and turned into gossip fodder.
“Dating, huh? It’s been a minute for you.”
I fan through the color swatches. Pink. Purple. “I mean, we’re already living together, so that’s practically the same thing.”
“It’s not and you know it. There are levels of intimacy that have nothing to do with where you brush your teeth and where he does.”
I grimace. “Different bathrooms. I don’t share with guys?—”
“You know what I mean. Are you in love with him?”
“That’s a little excessive.” I decide on a pink and start to hand back the swatches, but I linger on a blue one. The color of his eyes.
“So wait, dating publicly?”
“It came out recently.”
“What about… Bey.” She goes with my naming convention.
“Bey is not speaking to me and barely to Giles.”
Ruby snorts loudly enough that her pedicure tech glances up, startled. “He was always easily butt-hurt.”
“Thank you! He has to fix the universe the way he likes it,” I confirm. “The team is off playing on the road and, judging by a clip I saw online last night, my brother is making it worse on the court.”
“I’m sorry. Have you talked to him about it?”
“It seems like a face to face thing. But between the team’s practices and travel, he’s impossible to get hold of.” I shift in my seat. “How’s Tim?”
“He wants to go back to school. Says he held down the fort while I was finishing med school, so it’s his turn.”
“And you don’t want him to?” I guess.
Her lips twitch. “I got offered the promotion. The one that would take me off night shifts.”
“Rube, that’s amazing! Wait, is it more hours?”
“Not on paper. But it is more scrutiny. I’d be heading up a trauma group, be the public face. I need to pay attention to the details. Tim doesn’t like taking risks.”
“Too bad. We’re risk takers, Rubes.” I clink my glass against hers, and she grins.
“To the risk takers.”
After our pedicures are finished, the techs show us back out to the lounge.
I send a text to Miles, telling him thank you for the spa day. On impulse, I include a photo of my toes with the blue polish. He won’t answer until later because he has a game, but I want to let him know I’m thinking of him.
Yet somehow, I get a text back almost immediately.
Miles: You’re welcome, Princess.
I’m grinning so wide it hurts.
Maybe Ruby’s right. Maybe this is love.
* * *
“That’s quite the package.” Ruby nods toward the massive cardboard box in my room.
We’ve finished our takeout dinner and Waffles is making a play for Ruby to take him home, huffing happily at her feet as she scratches his ears.
“Clothes from Vivaro ,” I confirm. I just started going through them this week and picking out some pieces for my next posts.
I open up my social media to show her their page.
There’s a new message in my DMs. Normally I wait until I have a minute to answer them, but this one’s from a familiar name.
I click on her profile and realize it’s another creator in a similar space.
Hi Brooke! I hope it’s okay that I reached out. I saw that you were promoting Vivaro too, and I wondered if you’ve had any issues with them?
I frown as I type back.
Hey Alicia! They’ve been great so far, but it’s still new. What kind of problems have you encountered?
The sound of the condo front desk calling on my phone interrupts my thoughts.
“You expecting company?” Ruby asks.
“Not that I know of.”
I hit accept and listen to the concierge. “Of course! Send her up.”
I bounce across the condo to the front door.
When I open it, Chloe’s standing on the other side with a bottle of wine. “Thank you for your help at New Year’s. This is for you, but it looks like you started already.”
Ruby laughs from behind me. I introduce them.
“We’re going out tonight,” I inform Chloe.
“You should come!” Ruby insists.
Chloe laughs. “I can’t.”
“Ruby is a doctor. She’ll make sure we don’t die,” I say.
“Oh, no. I assume zero responsibility for either of you.”
“That’s not why. The team has a game.”
Ruby turns on the TV. “Hate to tell you, but it looks like it might be a blowout.”
An hour later, we’re off to a club.
I text Miles to say sorry about the game but that he played amazing.
“You used to date Brooke’s brother, right?” Ruby calls over the music.
“A long time ago,” Chloe says.
“How do we get him to chill the fuck out?”
Chloe laughs. “He’s chill about a lot of things, but loyalty is a big deal to him. It’s why he’s such a good team player. He takes the time to understand each guy and has a particular relationship with each of them. But when someone disappoints him, he lets them know it.”
“He wants his people to be his people,” I cut in. “He was like this growing up. He was the oldest and he wanted to make every decision.”
“So maybe Miles lets Jay get a free shot in, then everyone’s good?” Ruby flips her palms.
“First, I thought you were a doctor?” Chloe says.
“Doctor, yes. Problem solver…also yes.”
“Fair enough. But no violence.” Chloe winces. “The league does not look kindly on that sort of thing.”
I reach for my drink and take a long sip.
“How worried are you?” I ask Chloe.
“The loss tonight means they slip another spot down the standings. The worst case scenario is they miss the playoffs.”
Shit .
I’m still turning that over when my phone vibrates with a video call. Miles. The game must be long over. I hit Accept.
“Hi!” I holler over the club noise.
“Been looking at your pic from the spa.”
“You have a foot fetish?”
“Didn’t know that about myself, but I might now. Where are you?” His image is blurry.
I tell him I went out with Brooke and Chloe, or try to.
“So, I can’t tuck you in.”
I shift out of the booth and bite my lip, pushing through the club to get to a dark hallway where it’s quieter. “Want to see what I got?” I put the phone down my pants.
“Damn. I saw… nothing.” He grins sheepishly and my heart threatens to beat out of my chest. “How’s your visit with Ruby?”
His thoughtfulness catches me by surprise.
“Epic. Especially thanks to you.”
Kevin was always snobby and self-centred. Miles is kind and caring. He had a rough game, but he looks as if there’s nowhere he’d rather be than talking to me.
“Oh. Chloe said they’re going to campaign me for the all-star game.”
I screech. “That’s incredible! You deserve it.”
“I keep looking around to see if someone’s pulling a prank. You know, after all the years I pulled them on other people.” He grins.
Pride and warmth wash over me. “You’re incredible.”
His brow furrows, like he can’t see or hear me or both. “What?”
“Nothing! I’ll see you in a couple days.”
“Night, Princess.”
I clutch my phone to my chest like a teenager with a crush.
Only my crush happens to be a pro basketball player who’s sexy as hell with a heart of gold who’d move mountains for me.
If this is what it feels like to fall hard? Maybe it’s worth the risk.