Page 86 of Shot Taker

“Yeah, it is.” My grip tightens on the phone. “Make no mistake, I want her in my life, and I’m gonna do whatever it takes to make that happen. If you’ve got a problem with her or me or us, you can tell me right the fuck now. Because this is a fight you’re going to lose.”

Harlan exhales. “Not today.”

I cross my living room and hit the blinds. The morning sun is exposed an inch at a time.

“We need to talk about LA,” he says.

The light at the end of the tunnel.

The reason for every decision I made this past year.

“Not today.” I echo his words before clicking off.

Nova emerges, her face bright as if she just washed it and her hair pulled up into a pink knot on her head. Blue eyes search mine as she crosses the carpet to me.

“Any news?” she asks.

I cross to her and wrap an arm around her waist to tug her against me. “Just that the assistant coach is taking over.”

“That makes sense.” She tips her face back to hold my eyes.

“Only if Coach isn’t coming back from this. Parker couldn’t wait an entire news cycle.” The tightness in my chest is back.

But Nova shakes her head. “Harlan thinks this team is more than any one person. Coach knows that too. Everyone’s trying to do the best they can.”

I frown, leaning my forehead against hers. “You always think about other people.”

“It’s not that hard,” she murmurs, her lips curving.

“Sometimes it is. When you’ve lived your life thinking it’s you against the world, it is.”

Her eyes soften as she looks up at me.

“I heard what you said to Harlan about us,” she says.

My breath catches. “And?”

“I liked it.”

The knot in my chest loosens a bit. “I meant it. I know I’m really fucking good at basketball, but when it comes to being a good boyfriend…I guess I’m starting from zero.”

“Possibly less than zero, after what you and Harlan did,” she points out, but her lips twitch.

“The fact you’re still here mean you’ve forgiven me?” I suggest.

She pulls back an inch, suspicious. “I didn’t say that.”

I lift her off her feet and toss her over my shoulder.

She screeches, grabbing my shoulders for balance. “I need to go to work!”

“Guess what, Nova? It’s Saturday, and it’s been a rough week. My girl just told me I need to do better. So I’m going to practice.”

“Wait!”

“Wasn’t a request.”

I lock my arm around the backs of her thighs and stalk toward my bedroom. She squirms but gives up the moment I drag up the shirt and bury my face between those thighs.

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