The words bury themselves deep in my chest, burrowing like shards of glass.
“What are you talking about?”
“To be truly great, you have to be relentless.To block everything else out.The only family is the other four guys on the court.You want glory, there’s a price.”
I toss the champagne back in one gulp.
Inside, Nova laughs, and seeing a smile on her face dissolves the pain for an instant.
She’s beautiful.
She looks around as if searching for someone.
Me.
It’s me she’s looking for.
I can give her everything.
I’ll buy her an entire studio where she can paint, fly her anywhere in the world to find the perfect tattoo, hold her hand the entire way there.
“Priorities change.”I turn back to Harlan, setting my glass on a table.
“So, basketball doesn’t come first.”It’s a question framed as a statement.
“She matters,” I say instead.
It’s not an answer.We both know it.
“I’m glad to hear that because it makes what I have to say next easier.”Harlan studies me hard.“Feelings have a way of changing all our priorities, mine included.I hoped you’d become a legend here, that you’d give me the time to persuade you.But you don’t want that.You want to play for LA.Yes, I know about your little side project,” he goes on at my expression.“Ordinarily we’d discuss it like equals, but I can see you’re beyond reasoning.So,” he takes a breath, “if you give up Nova, I’ll trade you to LA.You’ll be an NBA champion.You’ll have greatness, and she’ll have the chance to live her own life.”
My knee throbs.
There’s a twisting in my chest.
No.The word is on the tip of my tongue.
LA is exactly what I wanted.But it doesn’t feel like enough.
I want to toss his offer back at him.
I can give her everything.
Except not the everything she wants.
I never thought I’d see things Harlan’s way, but in this moment, I get it.
He can’t give me what I need here.
I can’t give Nova what she needs.
What if he’s wrong?A voice whispers.
“You think I don’t remember what happened in college?”he prompts.“The fallout after, the shit you don’t talk about?You want to put that on her?”
My palms start to sweat.
I’ve been honest with her, more open than I’ve been with anyone in a long time.
