Page 88 of Forecheck
The trueness of that statement settled over me like a warm blanket on a cool winter’s night. Five months ago, I hadn’t even known Berkley Daniels existed, and now I couldn’t imagine my life without her. My outlook on my future had shifted so quickly, but near imperceptibly. One day, I was moving along, content with my personal life and career.
The next, there was Berkley, dancing up to me at the bar and turning my entire world on its axis.
As though my thoughts had conjured her, my phone buzzed on the table, the screen displaying her name and one of my favorite pictures of her. Across the table, Mitch was engrossed in his own screen.
“Jean…” he said.
I held up a silencing hand and answered my phone.
“Hey, baby.”
“Have you seen the news?” Her voice shook, and I instantly straightened. Dread—though I didn’t know what for—settled heavy and oily in my gut.
Based on Berkley’s tone, I could tell something was very wrong.
“What news?”
“Detroit Sports Newsjust posted an article online about the trade deadline. It’s kind of a roundup of all the rumors around the league with emphasis on the Warriors, obviously. They discuss the talent you guys have currently and places where you could use some help and…”
“Berk,” I said, exasperated. “The point?”
“Apparently, the Warriors are shopping you.”
I felt all the blood drain from my face, my hands going numb in an instant.
The Warriors were shoppingme? Their veteran top goal-scorerandassist leader? Their assistant captain? The man who’d been on the team forsevenyears?
My shock from a moment ago went almost as quickly as it had come, replaced instantly with rage.
“What the fuck?”
“My thoughts exactly,” Berkley said. “Where are you?”
“Dinner with Mitch,” I said. “But I’m coming home.”
“Yours or mine?”
“Mine.”
“See you there. Love you.”
I mumbled the sentiment in return and hung up, my phone clattering to the table.
“I take it she called to tell you the news,” Mitch said.
“What the fuck?” I repeated.
“Look…trade rumors are bullshit more often than not, andSports Newsis notorious for guys going off the cuff to get clicks. The Warriors have absolutely no reason to trade you because there isn’t anything better they could get in return.”
“Future draft picks,” I said absently, and Mitch shot me a look that said,get real.
“No prospect, hell not even a handful of them, could match your talent.”
“I appreciate you saying that,” I said through clenched teeth, “but I’m not exactly in my prime anymore.”
“Could’ve fooled me.”
My mind spun in a thousand different directions. I had to call and warn my family, to let them know things were probably about to get ugly. The deadline was a week away, and teams were already making moves. My thoughts drifted back to earlier,when I’d looked around the locker room and wondered how different the team would look in a few weeks.
