Ariana scoffed. “No. I was on the phone.”
“Who called you so early?”
“It’s after ten,” Ariana replied, walking over to get a bottle of water from the refrigerator.
“I know,” Cameron said. “But you were up late last night.”
Ariana shrugged. “I was talking to Nicole on the phone.”
“Nicole Neal?” Cameron’s eyes brightened. “Is there something you need to tell me?”
Ariana chuckled. “Yeah, she saw our game last night and we were talking about basketball. We’re just friends.”
Cameron gave her a wary look and nodded. “Okay. If you say so.”
“Why are you home?” Ariana asked in an attempt to change the subject. She suddenly felt protective of her budding friendship with Nicole and decided to keep it to herself.
“Terrance is going out of town for work so you're stuck with me until after our game on Saturday.”
“I’m not stuck,” Ariana said, pouring them both a steaming cup of coffee. “This place is yours, too.”
“Yeah, but I’m not here very often,” Cameron said. “I appreciate your understanding.”
“Duh! You’re my best friend,” Ariana stated. “I’d better be the first to know when Terrance pops the question.”
“Whoa!” Cameron exclaimed. “Slow down. The season just started, we’re kicking ass, and that is our focus. Right?”
Ariana laughed. “It is, but spending nights with Terrance certainly doesn’t seem to affectyourfocus.”
Cameron smiled and sipped her coffee.
Ariana liked Terrance. He and Cameron were perfect for each other and she expected them to get married someday. They hadfigured out the grind of being apart during the basketball season and made it work.
“Hey, Cam, how do you and Terrance do it?”
Cameron’s brows comically flew up her forehead. “I know you’re a lesbian, but surely you can figure it out?”
Ariana groaned and rolled her eyes. “I mean how do you make it work with both of you being away from each other during the season?”
“It’s all about trust and communication,” Cameron said. “If it becomes too much, and sometimes it does, we make a special effort to spend time together whenever we can. He sometimes arranges his work schedule so he can come to away games. There are times when I don’t go out and celebrate after a win so I can go be with him.”
Ariana nodded.
“Where did that come from?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. I was just wondering. You know I’ve never been good at the dating during the season thing so I don’t do it.”
Cameron nodded. “You’ll figure it out when there’s someone you not only want to see, but need to see. You’ll feel it.”
Ariana sipped her coffee and nodded.
“Okay, I’m taking a shower then what do you say we go out to lunch,” Cameron said. “I’m starving.”
“Me, too.” Ariana smiled as Cameron left the kitchen.
“Want to see and need to see,” she mumbled, thinking about what Cameron said. “Hmm.”
Chapter Ten
