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Emerson
I SIT ON THE BLEACHERS beside Keely. We’re both decked out in orange and navy, though she’s a little more subtle than I am. With a twenty-three painted on my cheek, one on the front of my shirt and one emblazoned across my ass, I stand out across the stadium.
Keely laughs. “Staking a claim?” she pokes my cheek.
“It’s all Colt. Not me. He said he wanted to make sure Austin kept his hands off the merchandise.” I roll my eyes.
Keely snorts. “He’s still going on about that?”
“Yep.” I catch Colt’s gaze across the court and give him a small wave. He winks back in response making me chuckle before he returns his focus back on the coach. He hates people who wink.
“What are you doing for the holidays?” Keely asks, nervously tapping her fingers on her knees. I reach out and place my hand over hers and she stills. She smiles. “Thanks.”
“Going home.” I wince, not wanting to think about the fact I’ll have to avoid my parents the entire time I’m at the James’ house. Though, I doubt they’ll even notice or care that I’m there.
There’s two minutes on the clock and FU needs three points to win the game. It’s officially the last game of the year, so after tonight we’re heading home for Christmas.
She raises her eyebrows. “Home?”
“Colt’s is home. Mine is hell.” I nod, bringing my thumb to my mouth and biting my nail. Seems I’m not much better than Keely when the game is this close. We’re both a ball of nervous energy.
A warm body collapses onto the bench beside me, throwing a heavy arm around my shoulder. I tense and dart a glance sideways. “What do you want?”
“This fucking sucks. I should be on the court.” Rome twirls a strand of my hair around his fingers, but I shrug off his hold.
“You’re injured. You’d only make it worse,” I tell him, sliding closer to Keely. Ever since he lost the bet to Colt and had to pay him two grand, he acts like we’re the best of friends. We’re not.
“I’d totally win the game for us.”
“With a torn rotator cuff?”
He shrugs. “It’s not that bad.”
“Raise your arm.” I challenge him.
He lifts his right arm. The one he had just thrown over my shoulder.
“Your left.”
“Don’t wanna.” He lowers his right arm and places his hand on his knee.
“Sure.” I snort. He was in excruciating pain for the first week. It’s now week three and the doctor said no ball for a minimum of six. I get that he feels left out and hates missing a game but if he doesn’t look after himself, he’ll never play again.
Rome opens his mouth to speak, but I elbow him in the ribs to shut him up because the game resumes. Leaning forward in my seat, my hands clenched in tight fists, too nervous to look, too nervous to look away as we gain control of the ball. Keely grabs one hand. Rome grabs my other.
Austin passes the ball to Colt, but the defense is quick, stepping right up to him blocking his shot. Colt steps back as Crew moves in setting a screen between him and the defense.
Rome’s body goes rigid beside me. Keely squeaks, and the defender, thinking Colt’s going to pivot and pass the ball to Crew, moves to defend Crew, leaving Colt wide open.
“Yes, baby!” Rome growls.
Colt steps back, crouches and another player lunges for him, but he’s fast and light on his feet. He pops to the left, the other player caught up in the momentum, unable to stop and turn in time as Colt angles his body and shoots before the defense gains control of his own feet.
My breath halts, nails dig into Keely and Rome’s palms and time seems to slow down as the ball soars through the air, arcs up and drops in the net just as the buzzer sounds.
A three-point swish.
“Fuckin’ crafty little asshole,” Rome laughs as the crowd goes wild. Keely’s screaming, I’m cheering but Colt doesn’t appear to hear it. He’s coming straight for me. I’m barely on my feet, unable to hide my grin by the time he reaches me.
His hands cup my face and he crashes his mouth to mine, but the kiss is too brief, cut short by Austin and Crew picking Colt up on their shoulders and carrying him around the court like some kind parade.
“That was the best shot I’ve seen,” Keely gushes.
“Ouch, Keels. That hurt,” Rome says, feigning pain as he thumps his chest where his heart should be. “Right here,” he says before walking over to join the guys in their celebrations.
“I’m going to go find Austin and congratulate him,” Keely says and walks into the crowd.
I stand on the spot and search for Colt but he’s nowhere to be seen. He’s not with Austin and Crew, or Rome. Coach is talking to some parents and Colt is nowhere. Frowning, I skirt around the edge of the court in search of him. He can’t have gone far. He’d never leave without me.
I push through the hordes of people, searching for him and just as panic sets in, I spot him behind the stands talking to someone. My body relaxes momentarily, relieved that I’ve found him until I realize he’s bouncing on the balls of his feet, and rocking back and forth.
He's fidgeting.
He’s trying to stay in control and talk to the man in the sports jacket but he’s struggling. I’d know that look a mile away, the darting eyes, the pulling on his hair. There’s no ball in sight.
I surge forward, shoving people out of the way to get to him before he says or does something he shouldn’t. There’s something about the man he’s talking to, something that says he’s important. He’s not a man to run your mouth at. First impressions and all that, and Colt’s about to lose it.
Sliding up beside him, I reach for his hand. I don’t look at him. Don’t say anything. I simply hold his hand in mine and he stops. The fidgeting, the bouncing, the rocking. It all stops. He gives my fingers a squeeze and apologizes to the man.
“This is Em, my girlfriend.” Colt introduces me to him.
The man reaches his hand out and gives me a dazzling smile, all white teeth and dimples. “Nice to meet you.”
“You too.” I try to match his smile but mine fails in comparison. If he were in a television commercial, it would be one those ones where a little bell rings and a sparkle appears in his mouth every time he grins.
“I was just talking to Colt about coming out to meet with us after the break. He seems a little bit reluctant.” He shrugs. “Maybe you can convince him.”
“I can try.” I nod. I have no idea who he is or what he’s talking about but if Colt doesn’t want to go, I’m not going to tell him otherwise.
He turns his gaze back to Colt and stretches his hand out once more. “You have my card. Think about it and give me a call.”
“Thanks.” Colt shakes his hand, his jaw tense.
“Em.” The man tips his head in my direction and struts away. Struts. Like he owns the place.
“Who was that?” I turn to Colt but he’s pulling me behind the bleachers, away from prying eyes.
His mouth is on mine, his hand in my hair, gripping and pulling and I lose myself in his kiss. I’ll never get sick of kissing him, of feeling him, and having him so close.
“Just some scout,” he breathes against my lips, pushing me back until I’m pressed between him and the wall. He grips my legs, lifting them around his waist.
“What?” I gasp, both in shock and from his tongue dragging down my throat.
“Scout,” he breathes between kisses. “Wants...Me.”
I shove him in the shoulder hard enough he drops his grip on my legs, letting me slide down the wall as he steps back, a stupid smirk on his face.
“Now? It’s too early.”
“He’s really interested.” Colt lifts a hand and brushes the hair out of my face. “Really interested.”
“And you said no? He wants me to convince you. You have to consider this.”
Colt shakes his head. “If he’s this determined now, imagine the possibilities at the end of the year.”
“Colt, this is crazy. Why wait?”
“It’s New York, Em.” He frowns. His eyes lose the excited spark and he swallows.
It’s our final year of college and though he won’t need a degree if he goes pro, I still do. Moving to New York will mean he’ll leave me to follow his dreams, or I’ll have to transfer colleges for the rest of the year. It’s not ideal, but I’ll do it for him. Basketball is his passion. It’s all he wants.
“You have to consider it. Call him. Meet with him. See what he has to say.”
“I can’t leave you.”
“You won’t. Where you go...”
“I go,” he finishes for me.
“Besides, you might get out there and hate what he has to offer, or he gets to know you better and realizes what a pain in the ass you are and decide you’re not worth the effort.”
Colt throws his head back and laughs. “I’m your pain in the ass. With you by my side they wouldn’t be able to resist these charms.”
“So...” I ask hopefully. I want this for him. At the very least I want him to explore his options and not discard them without proper thought. This could be a life changer. A game changer. The ultimate goal. I’ll follow him anywhere. I’ll adapt. I’ll do what it takes to make sure he’s happy and living the life he deserves.
“I’ll think about it. Right now, I want to take you home.”
“Thought you’d never ask.” I lean in and kiss him slow.
***
