Page 15 of The Pump Fake

Jade’s able to get around the defender and make her way to the post. Her teammate, Chen, has the ball and goes to shoot it, but the other team tries to block it, smacking her wrist. Of course, since she smacked her wrist, the referee calls a foul.

I look up at the scoreboard. The stars are down seven points. This foul will help them get two more points up. I watch as Jade goes over to her teammate standing on the foul line, talking with her, giving her a pep talk.

A second later, Jade takes her spot on the outside of the free throw lane while everyone watches Chen shoot her first free throw. The crowd jumps up and cheers when she makes it. I watch in amazement as Jade claps for her teammate. She says something that looks like, “Let’s do it again.”

Chen starts to dribble the ball in place while everyone gets in a ready position. Each one of them hoping that they’re able to get the rebound if necessary. Which isn’t because she makes the second shot too. The whole team cheers for each other. Watching this, I know that the general manager is full of shit about Jade’s teammates having a hard time with her. I can’t see any signs of resentment from any of them. I shake my headbecause the real problem is probably that Jade pissed him off by not giving him the time of day.

Fifteen minutes pass and suddenly the game is in the last minute of the fourth quarter, thirty seconds remaining on the clock and the New York Meteors have the ball. It’s a tied game.

I hold my breath as I watch the other team start to dribble toward their basket. Every single one of the Stars are posted in front of their person. Jade is defending the player that has the ball. She reaches out, pushing the ball out of her hand.

The ball starts to roll down the court back toward the Stars basket. Jade darts past the other player and catches up with the ball. Grabbing it, she dribbles on a breakaway toward her basket. At that moment, it all feels like it’s in slow motion. The clock winds down to five…four…three… Jade starts her layup and puts it right in.

The whole arena is silent and quiet as we all watch the ball go right through the net. As soon as it goes through, the buzzer goes off and everyone stands up to cheer. You hear the announcer scream, “And with that, Gonzalez has scored the last final point. The Los Angeles Stars have won.”

I can’t help but smile. She did it. That was what she wanted to do from the beginning—show everyone that she’s not a one hit wonder.

Both Hunter and I are clapping for the team when I see Jade running across the court toward us. I take a step moving on to the court, holding my arms out. She does exactly what I wanted, running right into them.

Wrapping my arms around her, I lift her up into the air, kissing her cheek. “You did so good, Elsa,” I whisper in her ear.

Placing her back down on the ground, she wraps her arms around my neck and plants a huge kiss on me. I allow myself to get lost in it. I’m aware we are in the middle of an arena, but I can’t seem to care. Lights are flashing all around us, people aremilling around celebrating in their own way, but all I can see is her.

Hunter comes behind us grabbing my shoulder, yelling, “Okay. Okay. Break it up you two.”

We pull apart, but I can’t make myself let go of her hand. Hunter looks at Jade. “Good game. It was really exciting.”

“Thanks,” she says.

Moving her gaze to mine, she mutters, “I have to go back to the locker room and change. I’ll meet you in the family meeting area?”

“Sounds good.” I then lean in and sniff her, scrunching up my face. “You do stink.”

She smacks my chest. “Shut up. Real women stink after exercise.”

“They sure do,” I say as I grudgingly let go of her hand.

“See you soon,” she says walking off toward the team's locker room.

“See you soon,” I shout back, watching her beautiful backside. Once she’s out of eyesight, I glance over at Hunter. “Shall we?”

“We shall,” he says as we make our way through the crowd and to the family room in the arena.

Once we’re in the empty hallway that leads to our destination, Hunter clears his throat, gaining my attention. “Are you okay, man?” I ask him.

“Yeah, I just wanted to check in one last time that this game your playing with Jade isn’t going to leave you decimated?” he asks me.

Stopping in my tracks, he stops along with me. Turning toward him, I grit my teeth, “It doesn’t matter. Jade needs me and I’m going to do whatever I can for her.”

“I just want to check in one last time. I saw the way you were looking at her a minute ago, you’re in love with her.”

“It doesn’t matter. Now, let’s stop talking about this. My decision’s made.” I snap at him.

Hunter places his arms up, surrendering, “Got it, man. I won’t mention it again.”

Neither of us say anything. We just walk the short distance to where we’re supposed to meet Jade.

12

---