Oh? So what’s yours?
To join the mile-high club
Maddox
I can make that happen
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
maddox
Annalise is nestledbetween my legs as I watch her sketch with the new set of colored pencils I bought her. We’re sitting together on a picnic blanket under a giant cherry blossom tree by a secluded lake in a town an hour away from San Francisco. Tsuki is rolling around on the grass, having the time of her life.
We took a horse-drawn carriage ride through the meadows earlier this afternoon and later indulged on gourmet sandwiches, fresh fruit, and wine—all prepared by the owner of the ranch.
The ranch owner and his son are huge NBA fans, so I was able to convince him to let us use the ranch for the day by offering courtside tickets for the rest of the season, a basketball autographed by all of the players—well, minus Lucas—and a meet and greet. I also purchased several cases of wine from him and promised to promote his business.
It feels nice to be away from the hustle and bustle of the city. There is no cell service out here, so we’re able to disconnect and appreciate the beauty around us.
With Chandler being out, I’ve been under a lot of stresslately. I put a lot of pressure on myself and overexerted on our road games. We won two out of three games, but I felt like a huge failure when we lost. If we have one more loss, we’ll drop to number two in the league, and I can’t have that.
Being away from San Francisco gives me the tranquility I need and the ability to cast away all my worries. Out here in the countryside, I’m not Maddox Masashi Kamado, the world-famous NBA player. I’m just a regular guy enjoying a date with his girlfriend.
Although we haven’t formally labeled our relationship yet, in my heart she is undeniably my girlfriend, my soulmate, and the love of my life. I hope one day I’ll get to call her my wife.
“That dress is turning out beautifully, Rosie.” I place a kiss on top of her shoulder. Her mouth curves into a smile.
“Hmm. I don’t know, it kinda looks plain. I feel like I need to add something.” She taps her forehead with the colored pencil and sucks in her cheeks as she stares at the sketch.
A few moments pass and she sits up straighter, her face lighting up as though a lightbulb has gone off in her head. Pulling out a deeper shade of pink, she begins adding more to the piece.
I watch in awe as she adds intricate details to the dress, making it come to life. I can’t draw to save my life, but she does it so effortlessly.
“You are so incredibly talented. I know celebrities will be fighting over who gets to wear this dress on the red carpet.”
She lets out a small laugh and an adorable shade of pink tinges her cheeks. “Oh, please, you’re just saying that. I’ll never be good enough for celebrities to wear my designs.”
Grabbing her waist, I turn her body so that she’s facing me. “I’m not just saying that to make you feel good. It’s the truth. If I sucked at basketball in high school, would you have lied to me and told me I’d make it to the NBA?”
“I’m pretty sure you’ve been practicing shooting baskets since you were in your mom’s womb.” She chuckles, shaking her head. “But no, I wouldn’t have lied to you.”
“I’ve always believed you were destined for greater things, ever since we first met when we were only eight years old,” I say, smiling warmly as I meet her eyes. “Being a fashion designer is in your blood.”
“This is what you need to be doing.” I point to the dress she sketched. “Making your own designs and bringing them to life. Not performing every ridiculous task Veronica asks of you. As much as I love seeing you at Dauntless—which is the only reason why I’ve been dragging my feet through this collab—it kills me to not see you do what you love. To do what you were born to do.”
Annalise smiles, her eyes glossing over. “I want to quit every single day, but I can’t. It’s too risky.” She shakes her head. “I’ve been helping my mom cover some of the bills from Abuelo’s treatment, so I need as much money as I can get.”
“I’m not saying you should quit, but you should start somewhere. Maybe sell a few items online?”
She sits up straight, the smile slowly returning on her face. “I have thought of doing that before. Only problem is, there’s really not enough room in the apartment to put my sewing machine and all of my materials.”
“You can always use my place,” I offer. “I have plenty of empty rooms.”
“Trying to get me to move in with you on the second date, Dimples?” Her brows shoot up, a teasing smile pulling at her lips. “Don’t you think that’s a little fast?”
Wrapping my arm around her waist, I squeeze her tight and kiss the top of her head. “Is it a crime that I want to wake up next to you every day?”
“Well, it wouldn’t be every day. You do have to travel for games, and I’ll be all alone in that giant house.”
