Page 78 of The Tip-Off
“Yes!” they say in unison. Apparently I said that out loud.
“But how would that work? Valley has been my dream forever and Zeke might only be a couple hours away, but he’s going to be busy. When would we see each other? How would that work?”
“We can’t answer that for you, but don’t you at least want to try?”
I do. I really, really do.
“I gotta go.” I push my cup toward Blair and stand. I stop when I realize I don’t know how I’m going to get to him. “I think I’m gonna need your guys’ help.”
41
Zeke
“Getting settled in?”Jason Harris asks as he takes a beer from the six-pack he’s carrying and then drops the rest on the counter. Harris was the Suns’ second-round pick, coming all the way from Vermont.
He takes a seat on the couch in my new living room. The small furnished apartment is bursting with guys on the team. If the guys in Valley could see me now, they’d die from shock that I’m hosting a party.
“Yeah, I think so.” I take a swig of my own beer and glance out at the night skyline. It’s only been a few days, but the team have been welcoming and everything has basically been taken care of for me.
Several of my new teammates live in the building. They traded their small furnished one-bedrooms that are standard for new recruits, for larger units upstairs, but the proximity to the training center and the views of downtown are hard to beat.
It’s weird without Wes, Joel, and even Nathan. My mom was right, they were like family – are like family.
“What about you? How are you liking Phoenix?”
“The heat is going to take some getting used to,” he admits with a shake of his head. “I left a plastic Starbucks cup in my car yesterday and the damn thing was nearly melted when I went back four hours later.”
Coming from Illinois, I had the same reaction when I first moved to Valley, but now the heat feels like home.
“You’ll get used to it,” I offer.
Harris’ phone sounds with a text and he shakes his head. “Every girl I’ve ever kissed has blown up my phone since the draft to reconnect. Ain’t that some shit.”
Kevin O’Stark, a five-year veteran, laughs. “Being single in the NBA is rough. I suggest you pick one of those and marry her. If she kissed you before you were in the league, then at least you know she isn’t just into you because of the money.”
Harris nods and points his beer bottle in my direction. “What about you, Zeke? Got a girl you left behind?”
The beer turns sour in my mouth. “Yeah, kind of.”
“I get it, you want to keep your options open.”
I don’t correct his assumption, just nod solemnly. Gabby has texted every day since I left, but I can’t bring myself to respond. Each one is so happy and upbeat about the whole situation and I guess I should be glad that she’s being so cool about it, but I don’t want to be a guy she hooks up with when it’s convenient for our schedules. I want to fit everything else in between moments with her.
Maybe when I get a free weekend I can drive down to Valley and tell her that. My throat feels tight and my palms sweat just thinking about the possibility that she might turn me down again.
“Excuse me,” I say and head for my bedroom. I close myself in and grab my phone from the nightstand.
I tap out a text to Gabby but then close out before I send it. Another day or two and maybe I’ll have the right words. “Maybe I’ll grow some balls by then,” I mutter to myself before tossing my phone on the bed and heading back out to hang with my teammates.
Harris and O’Stark are setting up the Xbox when I come out.
“You in, Superstar?” O’Stark asks. He’s been calling me that since I arrived, but I can handle the ribbing and Lord knows I dished it out to the rookies at Valley.
“You know it, old man.” I hold my hand up with a smile and he tosses me a controller.
* * *
Gabby
