“Ariana? What are you doing here?”
“What are you doing here?” Ariana replied.
“I was meeting Kate and Emily for brunch, but they just called and canceled. Kate isn’t feeling well,” Nicole said. “What about you?”
Ariana smiled. “Would you want to have breakfast with me and I’ll explain?”
Nicole tilted her head and grinned. “I’d love to.”
They went inside and once they were seated Ariana looked across the table at Nicole.
“What?” Nicole could see the question on Ariana’s face.
“Is this okay?” Ariana asked, pointing between them.
Nicole smiled and appreciated Ariana’s concern. “It’s not like we planned this. What a coincidence. I mean, of all the diners in New York.”
Ariana chuckled. “Well, a few years ago I dated a woman who lived in this area.”
“Oh.” Nicole leaned back in surprise. Ariana’s dating life had been splashed on social media from time to time but they’d never discussed it.
“We didn’t last long, but I discovered this diner and after we broke up I kept coming here.”
“So, you got the diner in the breakup?”
Ariana laughed. “I guess you could say that. She ended up leaving town, so there’s no chance of running into her here. What about you?”
“I live near here and this is one of my favorite places,” Nicole said. “I love their brunch. Kate has joined me here several times.”
“Sorry she’s sick, but it worked out great for me.”
“That it did.” Nicole smiled as a wave of warmth ran through her. “And for me.”
“What did you think of the game last night?”
“Hmm, after Maggie pulled her bogus foul call, it gave them an opening with you,” Nicole said. “Again, I’m sorry about that.”
Ariana waved her hand, shooing Nicole’s apology away. “What do you mean, opened me up?”
“They knew you’d be tentative for a while and they exploited it.” Nicole watched Ariana narrow her eyes and furrow her brow in thought.
Ariana tilted her head. “I’m not sure I follow.”
“They drove at you several times right after that foul call,” Nicole explained. “You didn’t come up on them as tight as you usually do.”
The confusion was still on Ariana’s face.
“You’re not getting it. Are you?”
“I know what you’re talking about, but I thought I was guarding them pretty close.”
“I can show you,” Nicole suggested.
“How?”
“We can go to my place after we eat and I’ll show you at the court on the roof or we can look at the replay,” Nicole said. She was a private person, but the idea of Ariana playing basketball on her roof and hanging out at her apartment felt like a perfect way to spend the day.
Ariana smiled. “Can we do both?”
