“She’s lovely, Shay,” Ron says to me and it’s the first time I’m involved in the conversation.
Awareness floods me. Indy has been carrying this with grace and confidence, meanwhile I’ve been standing as stiff as a board, my fingers splayed wide with tension while Indy’s are effortlessly curled around mine.
“How did you two meet?” he continues.
Shit. We talked about this. We knew this would come up, but we never decided.
“We—” Indy and I begin at the same time, but I pause and let her continue because I trust her enough to get us through this.
“We were introduced through his sister.”
Perfect. Simple. To the point.
She looks up at me and I can only hope she can read my appreciation.
“Oh, I see that look,” Caroline mews. “You two lovebirds. There’s more to the story, isn’t there?”
She has no fucking clue.
“There is,” I tell her, clearing my throat because it’s the first time I’ve really spoken in God knows how long. I slide my arm around Indy’s waist, pulling her into my side, and when I speak, I keep my eyes locked on hers. “But we like to keep the details between us.”
Indy’s brown eyes shine with relief as I finally get one thing right tonight.
“You two are utterly adorable. Indy, I’m looking forward to seeing you at dinner next week. We’re doing something a little different.”
“I can’t wait. It was so wonderful to meet you.” She leans her head on my shoulder.
“Shay.” Ron puts his hand out to shake mine and a bit of that disbelief and distrust has washed away. He’s still skeptical, clearly, but he seems as if he’s questioning the possibility of this being legitimate instead of outright believing it’s a lie.
As they walk away, my chest deflates with a much-needed exhale. “You were incredible, Blue.”
“And you were terrible. We have so much work ahead of us if I’m going to even consider taking you to that wedding.”
“You know you can be yourself while doing this, right? You don’t have to be so poised and perfect. They’ll like you regardless.”
She pops her shoulders. “I’m used to playing the doting girlfriend who always has the right thing to say. That was almost second nature.”
“I can’t believe you’re still here.” Ethan sets another glass of champagne in front of his wife, Annie, as he speaks to me. “This is the longest I’ve ever seen you at a work event.”
“That’s because he’s got a stunning girlfriend to show off.” Annie motions her flute in Indy’s direction.
I find Indy by the bar, holding court, surrounded by a few of the guys from the Raptors. She’s wearing that infectious smile, those kind brown eyes, that confident body-language. And I’m suddenly aware that she works with these men every time she’s on the road.
God, they must love her.
Indy wasn’t lying. She really is a social butterfly and I find myself a bit envious at her ability to be so open.
“It’s not real, Ann.”
“I know, I know,” she brushes off her husband. “But a woman could dream. Imagine Ryan having a real girlfriend. I’d be in heaven having someone at team events instead of the flavors of the week the rest of your teammates rotate through.”
“Sorry to crush your dreams, Annie.” I smile into my whiskey glass, taking a swig. “Speaking of staying out late, you two are out past ten. Parents gone wild.”
“We have an overnight babysitter.”
“And a hotel,” Ethan adds with a suggestive brow wag.
“So, daughter number four in nine months. Got it.”
“Here’s hoping.” Ethan holds up his beer bottle in a cheers.
Annie smacks him in the chest. “Absolutely not.”
“Ry, have you planned team dinner yet?” Ethan asks.
I lean back in my chair, casually sipping my whiskey. Of everyone on my team, Ethan is my closest friend and the guy I feel most myself around.
“What do you mean?”
“Team dinner,” he repeats. “Team captain plans team dinner every other month. And we’re almost a month into the season.”
“Wait. That’s a thing? I thought we went to your house every other month because your mom is an amazing cook.”
Annie and Ethan share a laugh. Ethan’s parents came to the states before he was born, and his mom would cook up a storm of authentic Korean dishes every month for the team to gather around their table and share a meal. She even taught me how to prepare my own kimchi last season. It’s the one outing I genuinely look forward to.
“No, man. That’s part of your duties as the new team captain.”
“Well, fuck. Can’t we keep doing it at your house? I need Mrs. Jeong’s cooking.”
“I think it’d go a long way with the guys if you planned something yourself. It’d be good for them to see who you are outside of basketball.”
“What are you talking about? I’ve played with some of these guys for four years.” I find a group of my teammates gathered around a high-top table, shooting the shit, and laughing with each other. “Then there’s Dom who I’ve played with since college. They know me.”
“They know the best point guard in the league. They know the guy who holds the record for the most assists in a single season, but they don’t know anything about you. You’re in charge now, man. You’ve got to connect with them off the court.”
“You sound like Ron.”
“Well, maybe he wasn’t that far off. You want to prove him wrong? Team dinner is your first opportunity.”
The idea of allowing fourteen guys into my apartment for dinner causes my skin to crawl. Ethan has been over a few times and Dom has stopped by here and there, but the rest of the guys, they haven’t been in my space. I haven’t allowed them to.
No one besides Indy.
“You’re still welcome to come over anytime for my mother-in-law’s cooking,” Annie offers. “And bring that cute fake girlfriend of yours when you do.”
“That secret stays between us three,” I remind them. “No one else can know. I can’t risk one of the guys slipping up and Ron finding out.”
Annie motions as if she were sealing her lips and locking them up without saying a word.
10
INDY
The bartender slides me a gin and tonic as I scan the room for Ryan or Stevie or Zanders or Rio. Or just about anyone really. I like company, crave connection. I truly am a social butterfly, but that’s mostly because I’ve never been on my own and at twenty-seven, I’m afraid to learn that I don’t know how.
Mr. and Mrs. Morgan walk by, offering a wave and I hope they don’t find Ryan’s absence suspicious.
If I were either of them, I’d call us out on his pathetic display of a fake relationship. Ryan was so awkward with me. His big moment of PDA was essentially a high five to my upper arm. What the hell was that?
If the beginning of the evening was any indication, I thought we were going to crush it. When I stepped out of my room, Ryan’s eyes hooded, his lips parted. He spoke softly, intimately as I fixed his tie that was perfectly straight before I had ever pretended it wasn’t.