Chapter 35
Chapter Thirty-Five
Nicole walked into Kate’s office and smiled as she sat down in the chair opposite her desk. “Thanks for meeting with me this morning on such short notice.”
“No problem. Are you on your way to the airport?”
“Yep.” Nicole nodded.
“Traveling light?”
Nicole chuckled. “The car is waiting downstairs with my luggage. This shouldn’t take long.”
“Okay. What’s up? Fill me in on your contract thoughts.”
“Shealyn and I want to go back to college. That sounds funny.” Nicole grinned. “We want to stay a team and NCAA women’s basketball is where we started. We still call a few games and the big tournament, anyway. The important part is there will no longer be a conflict of interest.”
“The network will be glad about that,” Kate said. “Anything special you want to ask for?”
Nicole furrowed her brow and shrugged. “Not really. Don’t you think they’ll go for it?”
Kate shrugged. “I’m sure they’ll be glad to have their number one team doing the big games. Have you thought about how you’ll answer the questions on why you’re moving to only college games?”
“I thought I’d let them spin it the way that’s best for the network,” Nicole said. “I’m not sure anyone will notice.”
“Yeah, they will. Someone always does.”
“We can discuss that after they agree to let us do it.”
Kate smiled. “Okay. Honestly, it shouldn’t be a problem. Your new season will begin soon after the finals are over.”
“I know.” Nicole sighed. “I’ve thought long and hard about my options. I know my heart and I love commentating, especially with Shealyn. This should work for both of us. She’s on board and letting her agent know.”
“I’ll set up a meeting.”
“Good, I’d like to get this done soon. The pressure of this secret and someone finding out has become intense. To have something in place would be best for everyone, don’t you think?”
“Sure, but why is this suddenly getting to you? You and Ariana have been sneaking around the entire season.”
“I know, but as we get closer and closer to the end…”
“It seems unreal?”
“Kind of.”
“I’ll meet with Laura and Rob this week. Maybe I’ll know something by the time you get back,” Kate said.
Nicole sighed. “That would be great. We have no idea where we’ll be for the next round of the playoffs until the teams are set.”
“Yeah, but New York should win. There were no problems in their game you called leading up to the end of the season. I watched and you and Shealyn were great as usual. There’s a real possibility you’ll be calling their next round.”
“They kept us away from New York and people noticed. I’m sure they don’t want to answer any questions if they can keep from it.”
Kate nodded and jotted down a few notes on the legal pad in front of her. “Anything else?”
Nicole took a deep breath and exhaled. “Now that the business is done, can I talk to you as my best friend?”
Kate smiled and put down her pen. “Always.”
“I am forty-two years old,” Nicole began.
“I’m aware.” Kate chuckled.
“I know my heart or at least I thought I did. All this time I’ve worked towards being the best journalist and sportscaster for women’s basketball because it’s what I love.
I put my personal life aside because I couldn’t see how they could coexist. If basketball were to go away I would still want to spend all of my time with Ariana and I’d be happy.
I swear I thought I’d been in love before and I thought I knew what it was, but I don’t think I did.
She’s the one and I know it. I’m just not sure what to do about it. ”
She paused as Kate smiled and listened.
“Yesterday Ariana told me she would spend all her free time with me if she could,” Nicole continued. “Instead of cringing or thinking of ways to run away or being afraid I knew exactly what she meant because I want it too.”
“That’s how it can be when you’re in love.”
“When Ariana fell into my lap that day, I’m telling you, the world stopped,” Nicole said. “The same thing happened for Ariana. From that moment I fought my feelings for her and it was exhausting.”
“That’s because?”
“Because my heart was telling me she’s the one,” Nicole said. “It kept saying why are you fighting this, and of course my thoughts were on my career. But we spent time together, got to know each other, and it only got better.”
“Until you couldn’t fight it any longer,” Kate said.
“More like why? Why are you fighting this?” Nicole replied. “I kept thinking, this is a bad idea, what about my career, but those thoughts started to fade when I realized it didn’t matter. Here I sit asking you to negotiate a deal for me, but none of it matters if I don’t have her.”
“But you do have her,” Kate said. “No matter what you end up doing, you’ll still have each other.”
“I know.” Nicole nodded. “I keep telling Ariana that everything will be okay no matter what I’m doing after the season. It weighs on her, but I could see some relief when I told her I was coming to talk to you about this deal.”
Kate furrowed her brow. “What are you trying to say, Nicole? I can see there’s something else.”
Nicole could feel the emotions whirling around inside her.
“I knew when I looked in her eyes that she was who I’m supposed to be with from now on.
I want her to be with me now and always.
This has been fast once we stopped fighting it, but I do know my heart.
” Nicole could feel tears sting the back of her eyes.
She saw Kate nod in encouragement and she kept going.
“It’s not that I don’t still need my alone time, we all do, but she’s my future. You know when you’re a kid and you can’t wait for Christmas to come? This is like taking all those years of wanting rolled into one. I can’t wait for this season to be over so Ariana and I can be together.”
“Okay, I get it,” Kate said. “But you are together. Take a breath, be together when you can, and it’ll all work out. That’s why we’re doing this.”
“But during all this wanting, Ariana is fighting to win a championship and worrying about what’s going to happen with us.”
“You’re helping her with that worry. You just said you were,” Kate said.
“I am, but nothing will take it all away until we don’t have to hide.”
“It won’t be much longer.”
Nicole gasped. “I know what I need to do.”
Kate raised her brows. “Want to share?”
Nicole smiled. “Not just yet. Thanks, I feel better. I never dreamed anything would be more important to me than basketball, but our life together is. I’d do anything for her.”
“Let’s hope giving up your job isn’t one of them.”
“Speaking of my job, I’ve got to get to the airport.
” Nicole got up and hugged Kate then hurried to the waiting car.
She hadn’t realized how much worry she was carrying as well.
The uncertainty of their lives after the season had added to everything else.
Now she knew what needed to happen and she was prepared to do it.
Ariana was sitting in front of her locker in the dressing room as game time approached. She had her earbuds in and was listening to a song when someone nudged her shoulder.
“What are you listening to that puts that kind of smile on your face?” Cameron asked.
Ariana grinned. “Nicole is sending me songs to listen to before games,” she said quietly. “It’s a way she can talk to me and no one knows.”
“Ah, that’s fun,” Cameron said.
“Yeah, she’s trying to lighten things up because there’s so much pressure from the playoffs, us and, ugh, all of it.”
Cameron sat down next to her and leaned against her shoulder. “You know, some of our teammates know you have a girlfriend.”
Ariana’s heart fell into her stomach. She looked over at Cameron wide-eyed. “What?”
“Relax, they don’t know who it is. They just know you have someone because you’re happier than usual and you seem settled.”
Ariana scoffed. “I’m anything but settled. Everything is so up in the air. We had a long talk yesterday and she’s seeing Kate today before she leaves for Phoenix. She’s got an idea for a deal with the network that will keep her calling games. I’m so relieved because I know she loves it.”
“Good,” Cameron said. “We need you focused.”
“Oh, I’m focused, but I am wondering what happens after we win this championship. I want to be with Nic all the time.”
“Then be with her.”
Ariana looked over at Cameron and smiled.
“It’s that easy isn’t it?” Suddenly it became clear to her what she wanted her life with Nicole to look like.
All this time Nicole had had to take the lead.
They met at her apartment around Ariana’s practice schedule and both their game schedules.
Once the season was over, the secret would come out and Ariana could be with the woman she loved whenever she wanted.
“I’m going to need your help with something after we get back from Indiana,” Ariana said.
“Sure thing,” Cameron said. “Hey, what’s the song you were listening to?”
Ariana grinned. “‘Fast’ by Demi Lovato. Here.” She handed Cameron one of her earbuds and restarted the song. Cameron’s eyes widened and she started nodding.
“Damn, that’s hot!”
Ariana chuckled. “Yeah, it is.”
“I know what you’ll be doing when Nicole gets back.”
“Shhh!” Ariana looked around to make sure no one overheard them.
“Sorry, I meant your crush.” Cameron grinned.
Ariana smirked. She knew Nicole would always be her crush, but now she was so much more.
After the game Ariana went back to her apartment and waited on the stats to arrive via email from her assistant coach. Her phone began to vibrate on the coffee table and she smiled as she saw Nicole’s smiling face on the screen.
“Hi, babe.”
“Winner, winner!” Nicole exclaimed. “You played such a great game. You were everywhere, honey!”
Ariana chuckled. “It had something to do with the song you sent me.” She could hear Nicole’s sultry chuckle through the phone.
“I thought you might like that,” Nicole said. “It reminded me of us.”
“I liked the part where she sings, I wanna go anywhere, anywhere you are, no matter how close, no matter how far. That’s me, babe.”
“I love the beginning when she says it feels so right and she’s already obsessed.” Nicole giggled. “That’s me. I can admit that to you now, but not back then.”
“Ah, we were obsessed from the start.”
“I think my favorite part is when she sings I just wanna feel your hands all over me—”
“Right where they wanna be,” Ariana sang into the phone.
“The first time I heard this song I thought of you,” Nicole said.
“I can’t wait for you to get home and we’re listening to this song together.”
“I’ll be ready,” Nicole said. “I got to see part of your game and you really played well. You go to Indiana and end this thing in two.”
“That’s the plan,” Ariana said. “How are your folks? Did they go to the game?”
“No, but I met them after for dinner. I’m just now back in my room,” Nicole replied. “I have some notes to go over and we’ll fly to San Francisco in the morning.”
“How did your appointment with Kate go this morning?”
“She’s going to meet with the network this week,” Nicole replied. “Fingers crossed they go for it and we won’t have to worry about all this secrecy much longer.”
“I know we’re both tired of sneaking around, but I want you to know that I’d do it forever if I had to,” Ariana said. “I love you and I’ll do whatever it takes for us to be together.”
“Me too, babe. Now you’d better get to bed. Rest and recovery,” Nicole said. “I’m so proud of you, Ari. You’ve worked so hard all season long and it’s paying off.”
“Because you’ve given me such great info.”
“I plan to watch the rest of your game tonight,” Nicole said. “If I see something I’ll let you know.”
“Thanks, babe. I’ll call you in the morning before we leave.”
“I love you, Ari.”
Ariana smiled and sighed contentedly. “I love you, too.”
Nicole was proud of her. It surprised Ariana how much those words meant to her.
She had worked hard all season long, but Nicole had been with her the entire time.
They would run scenarios on the court on Nicole’s roof so Ariana would know what to expect with each opponent.
She was pretty sure Nicole had no idea just how valuable her analysis had been to Ariana.
In a way they were also a team. The thought made Ariana smile and she couldn’t wait to get on the court again.
Nicole was in her heart and making every play with her.
No wonder she was having such a great season.