“That would be amazing,” she says. “I mean, I’ve tried, but clearly”—she gestures around the laundry room—”I haven’t been very successful.”
“He’s smart.” I glance down at Cocoa, who’s now sitting at attention as if he knows we’re discussing him. “Smart dogs can be the hardest to train because they’re always looking for loopholes. But that also means, once they learn something, they really get it.”
Nicole laughs. “Are you saying my dog is outsmarting me?”
“I’m saying he’s got your number,” I reply with a grin. “But we can fix that.”
There’s something about the way she’s looking at me now that makes my pulse quicken. I realize I’m still holding her hand, and I reluctantly let go, clearing my throat.
“We should go,” Nicole says, tucking her hair behind her ear. “Before Cocoa decides he’s not done with his adventure.”
I nod and we head toward the door.
I don’t know what it is about this woman and her little dog…
But they’re seriously starting to grow on me.
Chapter Thirteen
Dominic
“Yo, Neelson,” Marcus calls after me as I sling my bag over my shoulder and make for the parking lot. “You got dinner plans?”
I stop, glancing back in surprise as he jogs to catch up with me. “If you include Chinese takeout and collapsing on the couch, maybe.”
He laughs, slinging a heavy arm across my shoulders. “Come with me, then. You gotta be like an actual human at least once a week and not live like a hermit.”
I open my mouth to decline, but then think better of it. “Okay. Yeah.” I nod. “Let’s do it.”
“Cool, I’ll dropyou the address.”
Twenty minutes later, I’m sitting across from him at a rooftop bar I’ve never been to before. It overlooks the ocean, and somehow, even though we’re both in sweatpants post-practice, I don’t feel out of place.
“So, Neelson,” he says as the waitress sets down a basket of nacho fries and a couple of beers. “You adjusting okay?”
I take my time chewing. “Trying. It’s been a pretty big change from what I’m used to.”
Marcus nods before shoving a couple of fries into his mouth. “Yeah. It’s a wild city. Not like the places you and I grew up. People here think in years, not decades. Nothing sticks. Every day is an audition.” He shrugs. “But that’s why they brought you. You got the grind they’re looking for.”
I have no idea what to say to that. I don’t even know if it’s a compliment or a warning. Marcus grins, like he can read the hesitation on my face.
“Just don’t let the city eat you alive, man,” he says. “Happens to the best. They go from focused to unfocused real quick.”
I sip my beer. “I think I’m safe. I barely leave my apartment except for practice.”
He laughs. “That’s what I said the first year. Then you meet some friends, and all of a sudden you’re at Erewhon at two in the morning, trying to figure out which green juice is for hangovers and which one is forenlightenment. This place is weird.” He leans back, eyes bright. “You got people here, right?”
I think about Derrick, my parents, the old team back home, and then Nicole—her dog, her smile, and the chaos I’ve started to like… ”I’m working on it.”
Marcus points his fork at me. “Don’t wait too long. That’s all I’m saying. NBA is a business, but it’s also a family. You gotta have both if you want to last.”
“Yeah, for sure,” I say, busying myself with the food before me.
We hang out for the next hour, watching highlight reels play on the TV opposite our table. It’s nice, but it’s not quite as fun as chasing Nicole’s dog through the apartment complex.
When the waitress drops the tab, Marcus picks it up. “This one’s on me,” he says, then stands up, stretching before setting a bill down. “Next time it’s on you. It’ll keep you coming back.”
I laugh. “Fair enough.”
