AllFreeNovel
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She gets out of the car, and I drive off.
* * *
Nothing grounds me like a win.
The fire of competing, the thrill of victory—it’s all a reminder of why I work my ass off.
My reward isn’t only triumph.
It’s the clarity that comes with it.
The black and white of knowing what you did was right.
The game has a one-o’clock start. The arena’s full as always, with a sprinkling of Denver fans. During warmups, I cut looks at my old team. Jay doesn’t meet my eyes, but Miles nods to me.
Rookie grins. “Your girl bought me lunch,” he calls as I shoot toward our basket, the ball swishing through the net.
Of course she did. I rub a hand through my hair as I turn back to him. “Only you?”
“Would’ve been rude if she didn’t offer to get it for the other guys too.”
I shake my head and wave off the offer of a ball from one of our trainers.
Rookie comes over and fist-bumps me.
“Heard your free throw shooting’s improved,” I say.
“I get a lot more of ‘em with you gone.”
My lips twitch. Maybe seeing the guys won’t be as bad as I thought and we can still be friends.
“Wade!” one of the trainers calls. This time, I grab the ball when he sends it sailing my way.
“You’re better off,” I offer.
Rookie shakes his head. “Wouldn’t go that far.”
His half smile makes me feel guilty again.
At the start of the game, the Kodiaks starters are introduced, then our starters. I line up opposite Miles. The ball goes up, and our team gets it.
They’re overmatched by our star power. That’s clear in the first five minutes as we rack up basket after basket.
At one point, I look up into the stands at Brooke and Nova cheering side by side in different jerseys and feel the pang of regret.
They make it look so easy. Guess it is when friendship is all you have, no sports or loyalties to come between you.
Kyle, the guy who was traded for me, stops at my side. “I see why you stuck it out in Denver so long,” he says, following my gaze to Nova and Brooke. “You know all the hot girls.”
The team rivalry is sidelined, my only focus the man in front of me.
“That mouth is going to get you in trouble.”
“I was thinking more about hers.”
My hands fist at my sides.
I’m not big on giving people the benefit of the doubt, but I’d like to think I’m a better person thanks to Nova’s influence.
