Page 48 of Full Court Love

“We’re ready for you over at the second set. Just whenever you guys are done…or ready, I mean.”

She almost sprints away as Lucy bursts out laughing. Putting one hand on each of my cheeks, she pulls me down to her level, and I’m transfixed by the deep blue of her stunning eyes.

“Hey. We’ve got this. Just pretend we’re by ourselves. If other things start to creep into your mind–’cause I know they will–just look at me. Be here, in this moment, with me. Please?”

I can’t say no. Physically or legally, I bet. She’s too cute. I can’t turn her down. “Okay. I can do that.”

“Thank you.” She almost sings the words as she pulls me out from behind what I now realize is a very smelly Porta-Potty. We head over to the second set and luckily, this one feels a lot more natural–the car is parked right on a basketball court.

They hand each of us a ball and basically tell us to do what we do best: smile and dribble. I relax ever so slightly. This is where I’m most comfortable. On a court with Lucy,laughing as we start competing in dribbling contests. She’s sending the ball behind her back, between her legs, moving so fast it’s hard to follow it–but I don’t miss a beat, dribbling right along with her.

The photographer is snapping away, and I think I’m finally giving them usable content. Then Lucy starts spinning the ball on her finger and I follow her lead. Without saying a word out loud, we both know we are competing over who can keep it going the longest.

Everyone involved in the shoot begins to meander over the longer we go. Suddenly people start picking sides, choosing their fighter. Chants start breaking out and I hear Lucy laughing, a sound that has truly become one of my favorites.

I take a few steps toward her, acting like I’m going to hit her ball away–I never would, of course. She glances at me and a look of challenge and flirtation plays across her face, which is a balance she has mastered.

I whisper so only she can hear. “Hit mine away–it’ll definitely be a crowd-pleaser.”

Her eyes grow wide. “No! I don’t want to cheat!”

I shrug. “Fine. Then I’ll hit yours away.”

“What? No!” Her reaction is knee-jerk as her opposite hand smacks my ball away before she can stop herself. I act appalled as the crowd roars with laughter. She looks so cute and embarrassed, I need to save her. I hit her ball away and then without thinking, I wrap my arms around her from behind and pick her up.

She’s squealing, and I can’t stop smiling. I hear the click of the camera and realize that this moment is too good not to use. It got a little intimate. Suddenly we weren’t just two athletes—we were a couple who appeared very much in love.

With her feet back safely on the ground, Lucy turns and looks at me with a triumphant grin. “I knew I could get you to relax. That was actually fun.”

Well, at this point, it’s very obvious we’re a couple, so I pull her in for a hug. I can’t help myself. She’s the only person who could’ve gotten me to forget the weight I’m carrying, even just for a little while.

Her presence makes me feel like the load is lighter.

Now I have my arm around her shoulders and we take some normal, non-competition, smiling pictures. The photographer looks positively giddy as he walks out from behind the camera.

“Oh, we got some great stuff, kids, great stuff. You guys–” He gestures expressively toward us in a circular motion. “—are friggin’ adorable. This will sellhuge–” Another animated gesture over his head. “—and probably go viral.”

My mouth gets dry.

The video director is standing off to the side and mutters under his breath, “I wish I could’ve gotten that type of content.” He’s visibly bitter.

The photographer rolls his eyes, then turns like he’s off to deal with his petulant child.

“Come along, Reggie. I was taking some video while I took photos. I’m sure we got some content that could work for you.”

Reggie skips off behind him like a happy little leprechaun on his way to the base of a rainbow.

I, on the other hand, have a rock in the base of my stomach. The word “viral,” while very exciting to most people, is unsettling to me. Lucy squeezes my hand. Once again, she just knows.

“Don’t worry. I’m sure the photographer wasn’t in the know on the terms of the agreement. They said no social media. That’s what we agreed to—only local commercials and ads in programs and magazines and stuff. This is certainly not in danger of going viral. It’ll be okay.”

I nod and force out a pained smile.

We walk hand in hand back toward the dealership. Thecourt we were on was set up in a field behind the main building. My nerves are gradually subsiding over the course of our walk through this peaceful little prairie. We head through the main doors and onto the showroom floor, where we’re meeting someone who has all the leasing paperwork for us to sign.

Normally, what with my major and the job I’m aspiring to, I’d want to read the legalese myself. But the university’s lawyers and compliance already looked it over and told us we were good to sign.

As we get to the final page, I glance up and see the photographers and marketing execs walking into a conference room at the back of the main lobby. There’s someone with them I don’t remember seeing at the shoot. Her hair is in a tight bun at the top of her head, and she’s wearing a bright pink suit and very high heels. The color and demeanor make her stand out. She’s acting like the one in charge, so it’s odd that we didn’t meet her.

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