Page 106 of The Fake
“Where was the back-up D?” Nathan asks the guys as he squeezes my waist.
“Everyone was afraid to get in her way.” Joel approaches, ball tucked into his side. “You’re dangerous, Macpherson. Let’s keep him in one piece.”
“Sara’ll kick your ass if you show up to train next week with an injury,” Zeke adds with a smirk.
Nathan’s signed with Zeke’s agent, Sara Icoa, and he and Joel are heading to a training facility in Phoenix this weekend. I’ll be traveling the world playing volleyball while he’s there and then meeting him in New York for the draft. Then? Who knows? I’d follow him anywhere, which is the plan. It’s as good a plan as I can imagine. I can get a job pretty much everywhere, but there’s only one Nathan Payne.
We don’t continue the game after that. Sitting on the hardwood floor, we pass the flask around and share memories from college. They have more stories with one another than I do, but I love listening to every one of them, even the ones I’ve heard a dozen times before. Their friendships and relationships have withstood a lot, and this may be the end of one story, but it’s just the start, really. Our happily ever after is just beginning.
* * *
Nathan
One Month Later
“There’s a Chinese place two blocks away that delivers or we could try that Italian place that has the toasted ravioli.” Chloe shuffles through a stack of takeout menus and produces the one she’s talking about. My mouth waters.
“Whichever can get here the fastest. I’m starving.”
She calls and places our order while I dig through a box. One of three we still haven’t unpacked. We arrived yesterday in Florida with six boxes between the two of us—mostly hers, and the floral chair from her dorm.
The apartment came furnished, courtesy of my new team, but Chloe wouldn’t move without it. And let’s be honest, I’d have bought and packed anything she wanted to have her with me. I still can’t believe we did it. I got picked up early in the second round of the NBA draft, and Chloe has two interviews next week before she heads back out for another month abroad playing volleyball.
“Do you know which box has my phone charger in it? I’m at five percent, and I want to call Heath.”
“I think all the cords ended up in the box with your clothes, but isn’t he working at that hockey camp in Wisconsin?”
I nod. “Yeah, I want to make sure he didn’t do anything stupid.”
Chloe raises an eyebrow like I’m being overbearing. My job with Lincoln turned into a friendship, and he got Heath the assistant coach position at a youth hockey camp this summer to help with expenses before he goes to college.
Money isn’t an issue anymore, but I think it’ll be good for him. He’s heading to Valley and it’s sorta trippy to picture him on my old stomping grounds.
“Lincoln has done a lot for me and him, I just want to make sure he respects that.”
“Lincoln and Heath can take care of themselves.”
I find the charger buried at the bottom of the box and plug in my phone before I join my girl on the couch. She climbs onto my lap and straddles me and any ideas I had of talking to anyone are forgotten.
“Food will be here in twenty minutes.”
“How do you suggest we kill the time, princess?”
She leans forward, her blonde hair tickling my face as she presses her lips to mine. “Should probably unpack the last of the boxes.”
“Absolutely,” I agree between kisses as I move both hands to her hips and slide them up under her tank. I move to stand, and she wraps her arms around my neck and legs around my waist.
“Where are we going this time?” she asks with a note of humor.
“We haven’t christened the bed yet.”
“The three times last night didn’t count?”
“I meant in the daytime.”
Walking her to our room, I lay her on the bed. She props herself up on both elbows to look at me. “Well, in that case.”
I get rid of my shoes, shirt, and shorts in that order. Grabbing her ankle, I tug gently so she falls back flat and climb over her.
