Chapter 8
Chapter Eight
Nicole had been working nonstop for the last three days preparing notes on all the opening round games in the league.
There were analysts at the network who could do this, but Nicole preferred to do her own research with her own comments on what she saw.
Shealyn relied on her notes as well and trusted Nicole’s knowledge and statistics.
They’d been broadcasting partners for years now and knew they could count on each other.
Over the last few days, Nicole had fallen into a familiar, trusted routine.
She worked for a few hours in her office in front of her computer, watching games, taking notes and studying stats.
When she needed a break she would go to the roof and run a few laps; this week, she’d added shooting baskets.
The idea of playing one-on-one with Ariana was daunting and she knew it would be a massacre. She’d be lucky to make two baskets, but she was still looking forward to it. Nicole was a competitor and playing with such a good athlete gave her a thrill.
Nicole had gotten up this morning and once again spent time at her computer, but after her morning break she had moved to her living room and watched games on her TV.
The screen was larger and the sofa was more comfortable.
She’d worked most of the afternoon and went back to the roof to shoot a few baskets before settling in to watch Ariana’s game.
Once she got back to her apartment Nicole poured herself a glass of peach iced tea and rummaged in her pantry for something to munch on while watching the game. She settled on chips and poured salsa into a small bowl.
She and Ariana had been texting occasionally since the youth event.
They had easily fallen into a rhythm of short interactions during the day.
Nicole smiled at the thought of a couple of their conversations that had nothing to do with basketball.
Ariana had made finding things they had in common into a game of sorts.
One thing they’d discovered was that Ariana preferred soda, but only drank it as an occasional treat, whereas Nicole loved peach iced tea and thought of herself as an aficionado of the tasty drink.
Before going to the roof she’d texted Ariana and wished her a good game. Nicole glanced at the clock. Ariana was probably in shootaround or having a strategy session with the coaches before changing into her uniform and warming up.
Nicole set her drink and snacks on the living room table and turned on the TV. She saw the familiar faces of the broadcasters in the studio doing the pregame. She settled back and listened to their analysis. Did she really have a lovely voice? Ariana certainly seemed to think so.
Her phone beeped with a text and she saw the familiar “Ten” on the screen letting her know it was from Ariana.
My first steal will be for you, because of you.
Nicole smiled and replied.
Remember to have fun!
Ariana’s reply came quickly.
Always!
Nicole watched the teams run onto the court and noticed Ariana wasn’t among them. A few moments later Ariana appeared and joined her teammates. Had she been texting Nicole and was late for warm ups?
Nicole shook her head. “Come on, Ari. Focus,” she said softly.
The game began and sure enough when Ariana was on defense for the first time, she stole the ball and put it in for a layup. Nicole laughed and clapped her hands. The broadcasters commented on Ariana’s eagerness and catching the other team off guard.
“Just wait,” Nicole murmured.
As the game went on Ariana flew around the court, batting balls away from the other team and making crisp passes to her teammates. She scored ten points in the first half and also had six assists. New York was leading by eight at half time.
Nicole got up to refill her drink and her phone rang. She saw Shealyn’s familiar face on the screen.
“Hey, Shea.”
“Are you watching—duh, of course you’re watching the game.”
Nicole chuckled into the phone.
“Ariana is killing it! What did you do to her at that youth event?”
“Nothing!” Nicole exclaimed. “We talked about how to catch signals of what the other players were going to do.”
“She certainly listened to you!”
“She is having a great game. I’m glad for her.”
“Uh huh… Is there something I need to know?” Shealyn asked.
“Like what? We’re two people who love the game and talked about it a lot on Saturday.”
“Be careful, Nicole. She’s single and so are you.”
“What does that matter?”
“It’s widely known that Ariana is all business about basketball. She loves to party and doesn’t date. If you know what I mean.”
“Shea, it isn’t like that.”
“Maybe not, but you know we have to be careful with perceptions of our friendships with players.”
“That’s just it. Some players are our friends, but we’re also professionals. We know the score. Why are you bringing this up?”
“Because you sound different.”
“Different?” Nicole echoed.
“I can hear excitement in your voice.”
“Yeah, because we’re starting a new season. Aren’t you excited?”
“Yes, but there’s a difference when you’re talking about Ariana. Just be careful.”
Nicole scoffed. “Come on, Shea.”
Shealyn gasped. “Oh my God, maybe I made this happen.”
“Made what happen?”
“Don’t you remember? We had a conversation about your dating life and I told you that you can’t expect a woman to fall into your lap.”
Nicole laughed. “You are too much sometimes!”
Shealyn’s laughter echoed through the phone. “But you love me.”
“That I do.” Nicole paused. “You don’t have to worry about me and Ariana. We’re just basketball buddies.” She laughed at herself. “There’s nothing wrong with that.”
“No, there’s not. I like her and maybe if you weren’t a commentator and she wasn’t a player—well, anyway.”
Nicole sighed. “Just watch the game and enjoy her athleticism. She’s really good.”
“Yes, she is and you may have made her even better.”
“It’s nice that she appreciates us, Shea.”
“Yeah, it is. Okay, I’ll let you go. See you tomorrow. Atlanta, here we come!”
Nicole chuckled. “Kiss the girls for me and give Dewayne a hug.”
“I will gladly do that. Bye.”
Nicole ended the call and took a sip of her drink. The second half started and Ariana took up where she’d left off by stealing the ball and making another layup. Nicole clapped.
“Basketball buddy,” she murmured. “Just wait until she hears that.”
New York took control of the game in the third quarter and cruised through the fourth to win by twelve points. Ariana scored twenty-two points and ended the night with twelve assists along with six steals.
“Way to go, Ari.” Nicole smiled and waited to see which players were interviewed at the end of the game.
A few moments later the courtside reporter had Ariana and Cameron standing beside her.
“You two came to New York the same year, are roommates, and share a special connection on the court. It was on display tonight,” the reporter said.
Cameron smiled at Ariana. “Yeah, it’s like we know what each other are going to do. It’s a lot of fun when it's working like that.”
“Ariana, you’re shooting more this season and you poured in twenty-two points.
You’re known for your sharp passing skills and finding your open teammates, which explains your twelve assists, but you also had six steals tonight that led to points.
How do you explain this improvement in your defense? ”
Nicole leaned towards the TV screen and held her breath.
“Well, Chantel, I’ve learned a few tricks on anticipating what the offense is going to do. I’d say it’s working.”
Nicole saw Ariana stare into the camera and it was like she was smiling directly at Nicole.
“I’d have to agree,” Chantel said. “Care to share where you learned this?”
Ariana chuckled as Cameron put her arm around her. “She can’t share her secrets,” Cameron said.
Chantel laughed. “Thanks for talking with us.” She then sent it back to the commentators at the desk.
Nicole watched Ariana and Cameron run off the court and smiled. She sat back on the sofa and released a deep breath. It was good that Ariana didn’t say where she’d gotten these “tricks,” but it made her wonder if Ariana had said something to Cameron.
Did it really matter? She and Ariana had been discussing strategies and tendencies of players. Nicole could have had that conversation with anyone. Right?
Whatever, she thought.
Nicole was glad Ariana had a good game. The smile on her face was bright and her eyes were sparkling. Pretty brown eyes.
Her phone beeped and she saw a one-word text from Ariana.
Thanks!
Nicole smiled and texted her back.
You played a great game! Congrats!
Nicole saw the three bubbles appear and waited.
With your help!
Nicole chuckled. She may have told Ariana what to look for, but it was her skill and talent that made it possible.
Enjoy the win with your team.
Nicole had to admit this interaction with Ariana meant a lot to her. She had taken Nicole’s advice and put it into action. It made her feel appreciated, valued.
A yawn caught Nicole by surprise. She’d worked hard the past several days. Her breaks for exercise energized her at the time, but now she could feel the fatigue settling into her bones. She cleaned up her snacks, turned off the TV, and went to her bedroom.
As she got ready for bed her thoughts were on her conversation with Shealyn.
Was there a delighted tone to her voice when she spoke about Ariana?
She and Shealyn had been close friends for a long time.
They could usually tell each other's moods before either of them said a word.
If Shealyn saw or heard something different in Nicole then perhaps she should be careful.
Nicole got into bed and closed her eyes. She saw Ariana’s sparkling eyes and smiling face. The happiness on her face was easy to read. Nicole thought back to the moment Ariana looked into the camera and smiled. Why did it feel like she was smiling at Nicole?
She felt the little tingle flow through her body just as she had several times when she’d been with Ariana.
They were becoming friends. That’s all there was to it.
Ariana had told her she was single because all she could focus on during the season was basketball.
But there were times when Nicole wondered if Ariana was flirting with her. Surely not.
She wasn’t interested in Nicole in that way. Right? Nicole knew all about Ariana’s reputation as a player who loved to party, but she’d seen no evidence of it in the short time they’d spent together.
“Come on, Nic,” she scolded herself and rolled over on her side. She wouldn’t have been having these thoughts if Shealyn hadn’t said anything. Nicole and Ariana knew what this was. A mutual love of basketball and excelling at what they both loved.
Sometime later Nicole was drifting off to sleep when she heard her phone beep. She rolled over and grabbed it off the nightstand. It was a text from Ariana.
I wasn’t sure what time you’re leaving tomorrow and wanted to wish you safe travels. I know you’ll be great. I can’t wait to hear you call the game.
Nicole smiled and started to reply, but instead set her phone back on the nightstand. Maybe she’d text Ariana in the morning or call her on the way to the airport. As excited as she was that day after practice, Nicole knew she must be still soaring with adrenaline after her performance tonight.
She rolled back over and fell asleep with a smile on her face. Good for you, Ari.