Chapter 21
Nia
Word spread fast in professional sports.
One recommendation turned into another. Before I knew it, I had more clients than I'd planned on taking before the regular season even officially settled in.
I couldn't complain. This was everything I had worked for.
Long flights. Early mornings. Late nights.
Packed calendars. I loved every second of it.
Somewhere in the middle of all the chaos, David never stopped showing up.
No matter how busy I became, he always found time for me.
If we couldn't manage dinner, he'd meet me for lunch.
If I had an early flight, he'd stop by with breakfast beforehand.
Flowers randomly appeared at my office. Coffee somehow arrived exactly when I needed it most. He never made me feel guilty for chasing my career.
He simply adjusted and found ways to fit into it. It was... easy.
We still hadn't slept together. That surprised me more than it probably should have.
Normally, once I decided I liked someone, I didn't overthink it.
With David... every time things started moving past kissing, something inside me hesitated.
My body stopped before my mind could catch up.
It wasn't because I wasn't attracted to him.
I was. He was handsome, successful, thoughtful, and kissed me in a way that made it very difficult to think straight.
Still... something kept pulling me back.
One evening we met for dinner after I got back into town.
The restaurant overlooked the water, and the patio lights reflected across it as waiters moved between tables carrying wine glasses and oversized steaks.
David smiled as he watched me finish telling him another ridiculous story from one of the games.
"What would you say if I told you to quit?"
I blinked. "My job?"
He nodded. "I'll take care of you." He laughed right afterward like he'd made a joke. "You can travel with me instead."
I smiled politely. "I don't think I'd last a week."
"I think you'd like it."
"I know I wouldn't."
He reached across the table and squeezed my hand. "I'm kidding."
Maybe he was. Maybe he wasn't. Something about the way he looked at me told me there was at least a little truth behind it.
I loved the idea of a man wanting to provide.
There was something incredibly attractive about a man who wanted to make my life easier.
But giving up my career? That wasn't happening.
I'd worked too hard. Sacrificed too much.
My career wasn't just a job; it was a piece of who I was.
The conversation came up a couple more times over the next few weeks. Never as seriously—always wrapped inside another joke. I laughed it off every time and changed the subject. It wasn't necessarily a red flag. It just became a small mental note I tucked away for later.
By the time I walked through my front door the afternoon before Thanksgiving, I was exhausted. I dropped my bag beside the entryway, kicked off my sneakers, and hung my keys on the hook by the door. My phone started ringing.
Mars.
"What's up, kid?" I answered, leaning against the kitchen counter and sighing as I tried to unwind.
"Nothing, homegirl. I was just checking on you before tomorrow."
I smiled. "I should be checking on you, Mrs. Carter. How are you holding up? Do you need anything before I meet you at the hotel in the morning?"
The hotel connected directly to the ballroom where the engagement celebration was being held, and I planned on meeting with the event coordinator before everyone started arriving. Even with my travel schedule, I'd stayed involved in every part of the planning. Nothing was keeping me away from Mars.
"Nope," she said excitedly. "Everything's ready, so when you get here we can have a little pregame before everyone starts showing up."
I laughed. "I cannot wait. I'm so happy for you, Mars."
"Thank you, Nia." The emotion in her voice made me smile. After a brief pause, she asked, "So... how's it going with David?"
“It’s good,” I said.
Mars was quiet for a second, her intuition echoing loudly through the phone line. “Just good?”
I laughed softly, trying to sound a lot more convincing than I felt. “I mean... he’s perfect.”
“Perfect how?”
“He’s thoughtful. He’s intentional. He actually listens when I talk, and he remembers the little things I tell him. He’s patient with me, he’s ambitious, he’s respectful, and he makes me feel... safe.”
“That sounds like a pretty solid man to me.”
“He is.”
“Sooo...” Mars dragged the word out, her voice dripping with expectation.
I laughed again. “Sooo what?”
“That’s it?”
“What do you mean that’s it?”
“You just described him like you were reading me his résumé.”
“Mars.”
“I’m serious.”
I rolled my eyes even though she couldn’t see me. “You’re ridiculous.”
“Am I?”
I shook my head. “He’s a great guy.”
“I know he is. Then what’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong.”
“Nia.”
“What?”
“I know you.”
I sighed softly. "I like him a lot, actually."
"I believe you."
"Then why are we still talking about this?"
"Because liking somebody and falling for somebody aren't always the same thing."
"That's not true," I countered. "I've just been busy. We haven't had much time together this week, especially since he flew to Connecticut this morning."
Mars didn't answer. She knew me too well. I wasn't lying, but she wasn't completely wrong either. I liked David. I enjoyed being around him. He made me feel safe and appreciated.
Then, somehow... Cal would find his way into my thoughts anyway.
That was the part I hated. He hadn't called, and he hadn't texted.
He had respected the space between us without making me feel guilty for taking it, but somehow that only made me miss him more.
I missed the random funny videos he'd send me in the middle of the day just because he knew they'd make me laugh.
I missed his sarcastic comments, the way he could turn the most ordinary conversation into something memorable, and the sound of his laugh whenever one of us said something completely ridiculous.
More than anything, I missed the comfort of having him woven so effortlessly into my everyday life, and I hated admitting to myself just how much his absence had affected me.
"Don't you worry about me," I finally told her. "You just finish packing and make sure you don't forget anything."
"I'll see you at ten." There was another pause. "Okay, Nia Kingsley."
"I love you."
"I love you more."
We hung up. I walked upstairs and stepped into my bathroom.
For a long moment, I simply stared at my reflection in the mirror.
Tomorrow I'd see Cal for the first time in over a month.
Maybe this was exactly why we'd never crossed the line before.
Our lives were permanently connected through Mars.
No matter how hard we tried to move on, we always seemed to find our way back into each other's orbit.
I stripped down and stepped beneath the hot water, letting the steam fill the room. For a little while, I managed to quiet my thoughts.
By the time I climbed into bed wearing one of my satin sleep gowns, my phone lit up with a FaceTime request. David. A smile tugged at my lips as I answered.
"Already in bed?" he asked.
"I have an early morning. I have to meet Mars at the hotel before everyone gets there."
"I guess Jalen lucked out not having a Thanksgiving game this year," David said.
"Yeah. I wish you could come."
"I wish I could too." He smiled softly. "I miss you."
"Oh yeah? What exactly do you miss?"
He laughed. "For starters... those kisses."
Heat crept into my cheeks. "I've missed those too."
He smiled in that calm, patient way that always made me feel seen. He really was a good man. Kind. Successful. Attentive. Everything I thought I wanted. Then, with a soft click of the disconnect hours later, I closed my eyes, only to find Cal’s face waiting for me in the dark.
He rested his chin against his hand through the screen, looking at me for a quiet moment before speaking again.
"I've actually been meaning to ask you something."
"What is it?"
"I'm heading back to Connecticut for Christmas," he said, a warm smile breaking across his face. "I was wondering if you'd come with me."
My heart nearly fell out of my chest.
Meet his family? Already?
I tried not to let the panic show across my face. We hadn’t been seeing each other for very long, and while it had been a wonderful few weeks, Christmas with his family felt like a much bigger step than I had anticipated taking this soon.
David watched me patiently through the screen. He wasn't trying to pressure me; he was simply giving me space to think.
"As long as I'm back before Mars's bachelorette weekend and the wedding on New Year's Eve," I finally said.
His face lit up. "Of course. I'll make sure you're back with plenty of time."
I smiled. "Then... I'd love to go."
"I'm really looking forward to showing you where I grew up."
Something twisted inside my chest. He was inviting me into one of the most important parts of his life. Meanwhile... mine still seemed entirely occupied by someone else.
"I should let you get some sleep," he said softly. "I know you've got an early morning. I hope you sleep well, beautiful."
"Goodnight, handsome."
The call disconnected, and I stared at my reflection in the dark screen for another moment before placing my phone on the charger.
I rolled onto my side and pulled the comforter over my shoulder, hoping sleep would come quickly after such a long day.
Instead, my mind refused to settle.
David's invitation replayed itself over and over again.
Christmas.
Connecticut.
Meeting his family.
It had only been a little over a month, yet somehow we were already talking about taking the next step.
A normal woman probably would've been excited.
A normal woman probably wouldn't have spent the last five minutes wondering why her stomach was in knots.