Page 98 of Courtside

“That should probably cover us,” she teased, slipping out of her flip flops and resting her feet on the dash in front of her.

David swatted at her leg. “Feet down.”

“Why?”

He huffed. “If we’re in an accident, you’re going to crush both of your legs, Lefty.”

“Fine. But I get to DJ.” She grabbed her phone and plugged it into the audio cable that went in through the tape deck.

Soon, she was singing along with Kacey Musgraves, watching as the blur of suburbia faded into big swaths of green only interrupted by the seemingly endless waterways that wound through that part of the state.

She knew that she wasn’t thebestsinger, but she couldn’t find it in herself to give a fuck, not when she caught David’s occasional glances, and the way a fond smile curved his lips every time he looked at her. He looked at her in a way that made her feel inexplicably good and whole, like his affection wasn’t conditional on her being a certain way, looking a certain way, or behaving a certain way.

They made one stop for gas and a bathroom break, and it was dusk when they pulled off of the two-lane highway, following a winding road through the dense forest that surrounded Lake Murray.

Long driveways curved away from the road, leading to houses that were hidden by the trees. They drove for a few minutes before they reached a quiet stretch of road with a cul-de-sac up ahead. David slowed and turned down a driveway that was marked with a stone mailbox.

The narrow drive was lined with flowering pink camellias and neatly trimmed oaks, and took two or three turns before it opened up to a large, brightly lit home. Two cars were already parked in the driveway, and Daivd pulled up behind them, cutting the engine.

He glanced over at Sage. “Ready?”

She reached into the back seat and scooped up a wriggling Daisy. “Let’s do it.”

The instant the large wooden front door opened, Sage was swept through a series of loud and very overwhelming introductions. She barely had time to put Daisy down on the floor before she was pulled into the social frenzy.

“Sup, team manager,” Chuck shouted from where he sprawled on one of the long leather sectionals.

“I’m Rebecca,” called out a stunningly beautiful woman wearing a white sundress. Thick braids were coiled up in a bun on the top of her head, and her lips were painted a fuchsia pink that glowed against her warm mahogany skin. Her smile was wide and warm. “We’ve heard so much about you.”

She pulled on the arm of a well-dressed man who was about as tall as David. Sage vaguely recognized him from the first night she met David at the bar — shaved head, kind eyes, and a small gap between his two front teeth. “This is my husband, Darius.”

“And I think I owe you an apology for cock blocking you,” another man said, awkwardly waving from where he sat next to Chuck.

Chuck reached over and punched him in the shoulder. “Seriously, Tommy?”

“What?” Tommy had mousy brown hair and an unremarkable haircut, and his t-shirt and board shorts showed off the kind of muscles that came from hours spent in the gym trying to look a certain way.

“You’re an idiot,” Chuck added, before turning back to Sage. “This is Tommy. If he hadn’t been on the team with Hughes and Darius we would’ve dropped him years ago.”

Sage hadn’t caught Tommy’s response, because another man was introducing himself.

“Keaton Redd,” he said as he offered his hand, his Southern accent more pronounced than the others. “Pleasure to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you,” Sage replied, appreciatively looking the man up and down.

Where David was dark-eyed, dark-haired and always a bit disheveled, Keaton was green-eyed, blonde, and meticulously put together. His skin was a warm beige, like he spent just enough time in the sun to seem like an outdoorsman. His hair was long enough that it curled down below his ears, and he wore it combed back like an old-money heir. Honestly, based on how he dressed — some sort of linen shorts and a chambray button up with the sleeves rolled to his elbows — he probably did come from wealth.

Sage felt a warm hand wrap around her waist. One tug and she stumbled back, stilling when she felt David’s firm body against her.

She craned her neck to look back at him, unable to keep the grin from her face when she saw him glowering at her. “What?” she teased, keeping her voice quiet, just for him. “You’ve been hiding your hot friends from me.”

David’s scowl deepened. “So what if I have?” He glared over her head, like he was considering challenging Keaton to some ridiculous contest of strength in order to prove his own worth.

Sage snorted a laugh. “You are a fucking silly, beautiful man,” she murmured, pressing a kiss to the underside of his jaw. The stubble there tickled her lips, and she felt a shiver of wanting travel down her spine.

David made a low growling sound that only made Sage laugh harder.

“I see it,” Sage heard Keaton comment from behind them.

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