Chapter 20
Chapter Twenty
Nicole glanced over at Ariana as she stared at the TV screen. They’d gone through several different plays in Ariana’s game as well as the things Nicole wanted to show her from the game she called. They were now watching another game that was live.
She took the opportunity to study Ariana’s profile for a moment. Her hair was pulled up in a messy bun today and Nicole was drawn to the shape of her jaw. A flutter erupted in her stomach as she imagined tracing her thumb down the angular path to her chin.
Their earlier conversation had put Nicole at ease. She would no longer worry about Ariana having to lie to her friends. For now, it was part of who they were. Nicole also wasn’t going to question what this was. Yes, they had a connection and Ariana felt it too.
“Why are you staring at me?” Ariana asked, still staring at the TV. “You’re missing the game.”
They had been sitting side by side on the couch inching closer and closer to each other until their arms touched. Nicole bent her arm, placed her elbow on the back of the couch, and rested her head in her hand.
“Shea caught me watching your tunnel walk right before our game the other night,” Nicole said.
“Oh?” Ariana widened her eyes and looked over at Nicole.
“She wanted to know what made me smile so big.” Nicole smirked. “I’ve added your arms to the sexy list.”
Ariana chuckled. “Okay. I will remember that when I choose my next outfit.”
“She didn’t know I was looking specifically at you, but she made an interesting observation.”
“And?”
“She said she can tell we’re becoming friends.”
“How? We haven’t been around her, except for that one time before our game you called.”
Nicole nodded. “That’s what I said, but she could tell. We do have a way about us.”
“It’s our connection. I’m not going to try and hide it.”
“You know, that day you met Kate at Stuart’s bar she made an intriguing suggestion.”
Nicole felt Ariana’s eyes lock on to hers. “Are you going to share?”
“She said I should ask you out,” Nicole admitted. “After the season, of course. I think her words were something like, a fling would be good for you.”
Nicole watched as a slow smile appeared on Ariana’s face. She could see her eyes turn even darker brown. For a second she almost thought she saw a flame flash in Ariana’s eyes.
“I knew there was a reason I liked Kate.”
Nicole chuckled.
“You’ll have to do the asking, Nic,” Ariana said, “because it’s your career that matters.”
“So does yours!” Nicole exclaimed. “You may want to think about how being connected with me could affect your career.”
Ariana scoffed. “I’m more concerned with how our connection is affecting my heart.”
Nicole looked at Ariana with surprise. Her honesty gave Nicole’s heart a jolt.
“We’ve talked a lot tonight,” Ariana said. “Are we still basketball buddies?”
“We’ve been watching basketball the last three hours,” Nicole pointed out.
“I won’t ask you out because that’s stepping on a boundary, but will you play basketball with me Sunday?”
Nicole smiled. “You’ve been checking my schedule again.”
“Is that a yes?”
“How about we have lunch together, play for a while, then we can go over the games?”
“I’d love that.”
“Me too.” Nicole paused. “Do you think we can make this a regular thing? Playing basketball and talking games?”
“Isn’t that what basketball buddies do?”
Nicole chuckled and nodded. She got up and walked around the coffee table. “Has tonight been a big enough deal for you to have a Diet Coke as a treat?”
“Oh yeah. I think we should celebrate our honesty and being on the same page.”
Nicole grinned and walked into the kitchen. She came back with peach iced tea for herself and handed Ariana a large glass of Diet Coke.
“To basketball buddies,” Nicole said, touching her glass to Ariana's.
Nicole knew this friendship was already worth it. Getting their feelings out in the open should make it easier to manage them. They had the end of the season to look forward to and in the meantime they could be together doing the things they loved and get to know each other better.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” Ariana asked. “I can see your mind working.”
“I was thinking about what you said earlier about not telling Cameron if you were seeing someone new,” Nicole explained. “I’d be the same way with Shealyn and Kate.”
“You keep it to yourself to see if it’s going to be something without your friends’ interference. Believe me, they would be all over it and trying to help.” Ariana made air quotes with her fingers.
Nicole chuckled. “Yeah, you keep it to yourself because it’s special and just for you for now.”
Ariana nodded. “Yeah, it’s special, just for us.”
Nicole smiled. It might be hard to keep her hands off of Ariana Villa after all. Those sweet words coupled with her smoldering eyes might just be too much.
Nicole slid onto the stool next to Kate and bumped her shoulder. “You’re early.”
“So are you.” Kate looked her up and down. “I didn’t think you’d be here for another half hour. Did you finish all your basketball calculus wizardry?”
Nicole chuckled. “I decided to come early and see Stuart.” She had finished her analysis of tomorrow’s game long ago and spent the last hour talking and texting with Ariana.
To Nicole’s surprise Ariana had found a quiet corner in the arena and called her after shootaround.
They’d texted after that and Nicole hoped to watch part of Ariana’s game at Stuart’s bar while meeting Kate for a drink.
“A beer for the lovely lady,” Stuart said, setting a frosted glass in front of Nicole. “It’s a new brew and I wanted you to try it.”
“Thanks.” Nicole took a sip and nodded. “Bold, but I like it.”
Stuart grinned. “I’ve got this TV tuned to your favorite team’s game.”
Nicole smirked and shook her head. “There you go with that word again.”
“You know the queen of neutral can’t use the favorite word,” Kate said.
“Come on,” Stuart said. “It’s just us. Your favorite team was here last night for a team dinner.”
“I don’t have a favorite team,” Nicole stated. “But I do have a few players who are friends.”
“Uh huh,” Stuart said.
“I also have a few favorite people and two of them are sitting right here.”
“Nice save,” Stuart said with a wink. He walked to the other end of the bar to wait on a customer.
“Are you feeling better?” Nicole asked.
“Yeah, that was the strangest thing Sunday. It just hit me,” Kate replied. “I’m sorry about that.”
“It’s okay. I’m glad you’re better,” Nicole said. “You’ll never guess who I ended up having brunch with.”
Kate took a sip of her drink and raised her brows.
“Do you remember meeting Ariana Villa here?”
“Of course I do. She’s hot and she gave you a lap dance during the game.”
Nicole shook her head as Kate laughed at her amusing interpretation of Ariana’s flying leap.
“She was at the diner and it’s a favorite of hers too.” Nicole smiled and took a sip of her beer. She hadn’t planned on telling Kate about her day with Ariana, but she decided to test the waters.
“Hmm, I know she plays basketball, but…” Kate raised a brow and smirked.
“You’ve mentioned that before,” Nicole said. “Maybe when the season is over.”
Kate’s face lit up with delight. “Okay, you! Go for it.”
“We’ll see. October is a long way off, but I like her. We talk so much basketball.”
“Imagine that,” Kate drolled. “I’m sure you have a lot in common. I keep up, Nicole. She’s a hard worker just like you.”
“But she’s still a player and not retiring anytime soon.”
“Don’t make problems before you have a chance to see if there’s anything there,” Kate said.
Nicole looked over at her in surprise. “That’s kind of the approach I’m taking.” Testing the waters with Kate was turning out to be okay.
“Good. You’ve got months to get to know each other better. Right?”
Nicole nodded and furrowed her brow. “I did not expect this reaction from you. I mean, you are my agent and a scandal with a player would not be good for my marketability.”
Kate shrugged. “I know you’re not going to do anything to risk your career. Hmm, maybe I need to get creative with your next contract.”
Nicole chuckled, but inside she wished there was a way dating Ariana wouldn’t be such a detriment to her career.
Kate stayed for one more drink and after she left, Nicole stayed to watch part of the game with Stuart.
“So, what’s happening with your new friend?” Stuart asked, coming around the bar and sitting on Kate’s now vacant stool.
Nicole smiled. She knew she could confide in Stuart. After all, she trusted him to deliver that note to Ariana. “Well…” Nicole glanced over at him and raised her brows.
“Yes?”
Nicole sighed. “I like my new friend and she likes me.”
A big smile grew on Stuart’s face. “Imagine that.”
“I sound like I'm in middle school.” Nicole chuckled.
“Hey, that feeling doesn’t ever get old or go away,” Stuart said. “She wouldn’t be worth it if you didn’t feel that way.”
Nicole nodded. “That’s true. I already know she’s worth it. I just hope I can last until the end of the season.”
Stuart chuckled. “Who says you have to?”
“Stuart,” Nicole said warily.
“I’m here for you, remember that.”
Nicole met his gaze and saw the wheels turning in his head. He grinned then looked at the TV. “Your girl’s game is on.”
“Stuart!”
Stuart laughed. “No one heard me!”
Nicole turned her attention to the game and couldn’t keep her eyes off of Ariana. They watched in silence as she passed to her open teammates, took shots, and also orchestrated the defense.
“She is beauty in motion,” Nicole said, staring at the screen.
“Are you saying that as a broadcaster or as a woman?”
Nicole jumped in surprise. “Did I say that out loud?”
Stuart chuckled. “Yep. So? Broadcaster or woman?”
Nicole raised her brows. “Both.”
She turned back to the TV and watched for the things she’d told Ariana about yesterday at her apartment. Nicole widened her eyes and stood up when Ariana dribbled down the court, passed to Nia, and the defense collapsed down on her. Nia passed back to Ariana and Nicole yelled, “Take the shot!”
She cheered loudly when Ariana did just that and the ball went through the hoop.
Stuart had gotten up to wait on several customers and rejoined her as the fourth quarter started.
“Why don’t you stay after the game is over?” Stuart said. “They’ll be coming here to celebrate.”
“I don’t know,” Nicole said hesitantly. “She needs to celebrate with them.”
“Seeing her and congratulating her for a couple of minutes won’t take her away from the team,” Stuart said. “Imagine her surprise.”
“And the happiness on her face,” Nicole murmured.
Stuart nodded. “She loved your note, but seeing you would be much better.”
Nicole grinned. “We’ll see.”
They watched the rest of the game and New York won. Ariana had another great game with twenty-two points, twelve assists, and four steals.
“They’ll be here before you know it,” Stuart said. “Come sit here at the end of the bar and you can watch the door. I have the back room reserved for them, so her teammates shouldn’t see you.”
Nicole settled in and looked around the bar.
Most of the tables were occupied and there were only a couple of empty stools at the bar.
Her heart was pounding in her chest. She wasn’t sure this was a good idea.
Ariana knew she was leaving early in the morning for Dallas and probably assumed that Nicole would have watched the game from her apartment.
Stuart set another beer down in front of her and Nicole took a long drink. Why was she suddenly nervous? Ariana might not even come to the bar. Not all the players celebrated after a win.
Sure enough, Nicole soon saw three of Ariana’s teammates come through the door all smiles. They waved at Stuart and he pointed to the back room.
A few minutes later, Cameron came in with Ariana behind her.
Nicole smiled at this opportunity to gaze at Ariana unaware. She held the door for another teammate to enter and started towards the back room. Nicole watched as Ariana glanced towards the bar then stopped. When her eyes met Nicole’s she witnessed shock on Ariana’s face quickly followed by delight.
Ariana walked towards her, the smile growing on her face. When she reached Nicole she stopped and looked to her right and left with uncertainty now on her face.
“It’s okay,” Nicole said, reaching out and squeezing her forearm. “Another great game and win!”
Ariana was so excited she grabbed Nicole by the shoulders. “Did you see? It worked just like you said it would. The defense collapsed down on Nia and she kicked it out to me.”
Nicole grinned, Ariana’s excitement was contagious. “You took the shot!” she exclaimed.
“I took the shot.” Ariana laughed.
Nicole could see the realization of where they were cross Ariana’s face and she dropped her hands. “What are you doing here?”
“I met Kate for a drink and Stuart convinced me to watch the game here,” Nicole explained. “I wanted to congratulate you.”
“This is the best surprise!”
Nicole grinned then leaned a little closer. “You should’ve seen me cheering every time you took the shot.”
Ariana laughed. “I could hear your voice in my head.”
They stared at one another, simply enjoying the moment.
“Okay, you have to go,” Nicole said. “Your team is waiting.”
“What if I want to drink a beer with you?”
“Sunday,” Nicole said.
Ariana sighed dramatically and Nicole laughed then winked at her.
“Safe travels tomorrow.”
Nicole nodded. She watched Ariana slowly walk away and was glad she waited to see her. Sunday couldn’t come soon enough.