“Slow down for me.”
The rest of dinner went off without a hitch.
And by hitch I mean Nola and I not touching each other in front of Rashida and Allison. I knew they didn’t mean it but every conversation went back to the Waves, how excited they were, who our biggest competition was going to be, how excited they were for the draftees to join training camp and see what they could do.
Reminder after reminder of what was at stake. What Nola and I were risking by giving into our hearts. Always in sync with me, Nola stood, “I think we’re going to head out now.”
“But it’s so early!” Allison protested.
“Yeah, but you are our bosses….like in an official capacity. And we have to be up bright and early,” I butted in.
“Right, right. We’ll walk you out.” Rashida agreed.
Away from the other three, my mentor towered over me by a few more inches, her box braids tied up in a ponytail she’d rocked since she started in the league.
“It’s good to see you and Nola getting along.” Rashida smiled at me like a loving mother. I immediately gulp down the guilt building in my body.
“Oh yeah. I guess whoever suggested we live together was right all along.”
“Yeah, I wonder who.” Rashida laughed.
By the time we made it downstairs, I’d all but held in my confession. Lying to Rashida made me feel like I couldn’t breathe.
Nola and I slipped into her black convertible, and my word vomit immediately began.
“We’re gonna have to do that all season! Lie and manipulate and gaslight! To our friends and family! How do cheaters do this?”
“Bee…”
“Before you even ask, no, I don’t regret anything. I want to be with you—obviously I want to see where this goes.,.” I rambled until I felt Nola’s hand slip into mine.
Her grip brought me back; we were still in the parking lot, warm leftovers still in my lap.
“Do you want to go back to the beach and stare at the moon? Would that make you feel better?”
I nodded furiously; I couldn’t have come up with a better idea. “Absolutely.”
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
Nola
I parked my car and led Bee to the exact spot Miguel told me about weeks ago. After that first night here, I wasn’t sure if I’d return, but this walk had slowly become part of my morning routine. Emotional bits that my parents had trained me to keep bottled up and let go on the court, were released on this part of the beach, which was starting to feel like another safe space. I always felt lighter after leaving.
Tonight, it felt even better to know I wasn’t leaving any pieces behind. I’d be leaving just as I arrived—whole.
With my fingers loosely intertwined with Bee’s, we sat in the sand. The full moon still provided so much light giving me freedom to roam my eyes possessively over Bee. The white long skirt that reached her shins and the bright yellow halter top. Gold anklets were layered on her right ankle and the stack of bracelets on her left wrist balanced her out, like she belonged here.
Like we belonged together.
“You know, I hadn’t made it down here yet.” Bee stared out into the ocean, the tides pulling in and out from shore visibly settled the nerves she had. It bothered me that I couldn’t account for the internal ones though.
“When we first moved here, Miguel, one of the doormen, told me about this spot.”
“Is this where you go when you’re running away from me?” She smirked.
“I’ve never run from you, Brittney. I don’t have it in me to run away from this.”
She turned to me with tears in her eyes, an errant tear dropped down her cheek and I wiped it away without thinking. “Stupid, big feelings,” she mumbled.
