Page 65 of Making It Count

“No?”

“Nope.” Shay ate a pretzel. “But I’m glad you stopped us, though.”

“You are?”

“I was tipsy that night, and we should’ve talked about the fact that I’d just figured out I had the big-time hots for you before I jumped to conclusions or something. Plus, imagine if we had done that…”

“I do. A lot,” Layne told her.

Shay giggled and said, “I mean, imagine it had really happened, and then, the next day, that was it; we couldn’t do it again.”

“We would know what it’s like.”

“Yeah,” Shay said, sounding disappointed. “When we finally do get to be in the same room together, I want so much time with you, babe. Hours. Days. Weeks. Months. Whatever we can have.”

“Me too,” Layne replied.

“Are you going to be okay when the season starts? I know it feels far off right now, but it’s really not. November feels far away when it’s only September, but it’ll sneak up on us.”

“I don’t know,” Layne admitted. “I can only keep working and hope I get back to a hundred percent.”

“I’ll help.”

“I know you will.”

“I’m going to ask you something. It might feel silly right now, given we’re on the phone and we’re eating pretzels and ramen, but I want… I know this is our first date, but it’s not really, is it?”

“I was just thinking about that earlier,” Layne said. “It doesn’t feel like it, no.”

“Can you just be my girlfriend, then?”

Layne laughed silently and said, “Romantic.”

“I’ll make you paper flowers if you say yes,” Shay told her.

“You really want to try this when we can’t even touch unless we’re on a basketball court?”

“I’ll let you cop a feel when you’re on D,” Shay offered.

“Oh, really?” Layne laughed.

“I want it, Layne. I know we have a whole season and maybe a pandemic to get through first, but I spent months talking to you every day and then had to go weeks without you, and I know I don’t want that again. I know what this is. It’s not friendship. It’s…”

“Special?”

“Yes,” Shay confirmed. “So, will you?”

Layne nodded, and Shay smiled.

CHAPTER 23

“How is it already the first game?” Hilton asked Shay.

“I have no idea. But here we are,” Shay replied as she laced up her right shoe. “It’s November. We have Thanksgiving break in, like, two weeks.”

“Hey,” Layne said as she sat down at the chair in front of a locker that was technically next to Shay but also several feet away.

“You don’t sound good. Everything okay?” Shay asked, sitting up and leaning back.

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