Big Baller : A Hero Club Novel

by Katrina Marie

“And what is your type? Someone who has their shit together? Or someone who only uses you for what they want and discards you when they’re done? Because I sometimes fall into both categories, and I’m willing to see where this goes.”

  Her head rears back as if I have slapped her. I guess I hit a little too close to home. “If you are the second type, I don’t know that this is worth pursuing.”

  I won’t apologize for who I’ve been. Getting romantically involved with someone when they may leave is terrifying and not necessarily something I want to go through. “I said sometimes. And just so you know, I haven’t been with or even tried to see anyone else since that first flight.” That’s something I didn’t want to admit, but if it will ease her worries, so be it. “You want to know why I haven’t seen anyone?” She shakes her head no even though her eyes are pleading for the answer. “Because I saw the way you reacted to that guy, and how much he must have hurt you. You intrigue me, and I know that the only way I’d have a shot is if I didn’t keep up my player ways.”

  Her lips are pressed firmly together and I want her to tell me what she’s thinking. I’m not one to play games, and she’ll accept me or she won’t. This is not at all how I envisioned our first personal date going. It was supposed to be happy and watching a movie. Not getting into the nitty gritty bullshit that is going to run her off. I probably could have censored my answers better, but I also don’t want to give her a false sense of who I am.

  Finally, she speaks. “I’m not sure what to say. You’re definitely not the type I would normally date. You have heartbreak written all over you. But I guess if you’re willing to give this thing a shot, then I am, too.” Her eyes shift to the side, uncertain if this is something she really wants to do.

  “Only if you’re certain,” I say. “I don’t want to get into this thing and then you back out because you’re scared. That’s not fair to either of us.”

  She takes a deep breath then releases it. “I’m sure.” She nods to drive the point home and I do a mental fist in the air. Damn, I’ve never had to work this hard to get someone’s attention. “What do we do now?”

  “Talk. That’s what most people do on the phone.” Honestly, this is the longest I’ve ever been on the phone with someone other than my mom or sister. They’ll talk my ear off for hours. “What if we did this crazy thing called getting to know each other?”

  “Okay,” she drawls. “What’s your family like?”

  Damn, that’s not where I expected this to go. Most women I’ve seen have wanted to know about my career and how I got signed right out of college. “It’s just me, my mom, and sister. My mom worked a lot when we were growing up to put food on the table, so Gabby and I pretty much raised ourselves. We’re all pretty close to each other. Mom likes to meddle in my business, so I don’t tell her as much as she’d like. She only does it because she cares, though. My sister is the closest thing to a best friend I’ve ever had, and I don’t know what I would do without her.”

  “What about your dad?”

  Now it’s my turn to take a deep breath. He’s a sore subject, but if I’m going to give this thing with her an actual shot…“He’s been out of the picture since I was six. One minute we were this small happy family, and the next he was gone. Just walked out and never came back.”

  “Wow. I’m so sorry.” There’s sadness in her eyes, but it’s not just for me and my family.

  “It is what it is. I spent years trying to figure out what I did wrong. How I could have made him stay, but in the end, I realized he’s a douche for walking out and leaving us wondering.” Time to change the subject. I don’t want to think about my dad. “What about your family?” They have to be better than mine.

  “I don’t know. I haven’t talked to them in years.”

  Or maybe not. “Why?”

  “They didn’t support my dream of traveling the world. They wanted me to go to college and find a real job. I didn’t want to do that. When I decided to be a flight attendant, they told me I could come back home when I decided to grow up and be an adult. That was almost five years ago.”

  “That’s harsh. I guess we both have assholes in our families.”

  “Yep. I won’t say I don’t miss them, but they only supported me when I fell in line with what they wanted. And that’s just not something I want to deal with. I met Lana when I was training to be a flight attendant, and she’s been my family since then.”

  “I’m happy you have that. Other than my actual family, my team from college is like my family. We did everything together. Right now, they are struggling, so I’m going to give them a pep talk tomorrow. That’s the reason I was late calling. My former teammate, Derrick, called me freaking out about their playoff chances.”

  “That’s cool they still come to you for advice. How long have you been playing basketball?”

  I glance around my empty walls, wishing I would have brought some of my awards with me just so I could show her. That’s something that needs to be rectified soon. Maybe I’ll have Gabby come decorate for me, but with not so much girly shit. I want this to look like an actual home if Jolene ever comes to Austin. “Since I was a kid. Mom and Gabby didn’t want me to get mixed up in any sketchy shit, so they put me in a basketball program at the civic center. I never had any aspirations to play until then. After that, I did everything I could to become better. I started watching old college and NBA games to study the sport. I practiced every day. Even when it was raining until Mom would make me come into the garage so I wouldn’t track water throughout the house.”

  A smile graces her lips and I know she’s impressed. That’s not why I told her, though. It was my life. It is my life. “That’s some serious dedication.”

  “I wanted to be the best,” I grin. “It finally paid off.”

  “That it did,” she yawns. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to do that. It happens when I sit still for too long.”

  “Go get some sleep.” I glance at the clock, realizing a couple of hours have passed by. I guess time flies when you’re arguing then learning about each other.

  “No, really, I’m fine,” she says through another yawn.

  “Clearly.” I stand up and walk toward my bedroom. “We can always continue the conversation in bed.”

  “I’m not having phone or video sex with you on our second date.” She scrunches up her nose, and it’s adorable.

  “Who has their mind in the gutter now?” I laugh and continue up the stairs. “I only meant that I’ll stay on until one of us falls asleep.”

  “That’s weird.” But she stands and walks a scant distance until I see her head hit a fluffy white pillow. “I haven’t done this since I was a kid talking to my friends.”

  “I’ve never done this. At least, not that I can remember.”

  “Too many drunken nights?” I’m not sure if I should be offended or not.

  “For your information, I rarely drink.”

  “You were drinking at the bar the other night.”

  “Yeah, because I was frustrated and talking shop with one of my teammates. I don’t need alcohol to have a good time.”

  “That’s good to know.” Her voice is soft and slow. Her eyes are shut, and I know this conversation is over.

  “Goodnight, Jolene.”

  A soft murmur is her response, and I hit the end button. The “date” started off rocky, and I wasn’t sure it was going to pan out. But I’m relieved we turned it around. Maybe this whole dating thing won’t be a terrible idea. The first time I’ve actually dated someone since I was in high school. My first instinct is to text Gabby, or Jordan, and tell them all about it, like some over-excited teenage girl. But I refrain. If I text Gabby, she’ll be pissed. Or, she’ll call and I’ll be on the phone forever. It’s already late and I don’t need that kind of talk right now. I’ll call her tomorrow while I’m on the way to Hilltown U. That provides me with a time limit and I’ll be able to cut her off.

  I take off my pants and slide under the covers of my bed. It’d b
e a lot better if I had a certain someone beside me, but we’ll get to that. For now, I need to focus on one thing at a time, and right now…that’s sleep.

  Sixteen

  Jolene

  “So, how are things going with Bentley?” Lana asks me as we board the plane. “Good, I’m assuming.”

  I stow my bag and suitcase in a compartment and grab the cleaning supplies. “I’m sure the attendants on the previous flight already did this, but I feel the need to do something to keep myself occupied. “Things are going really well. We’ve had a couple of phone dates.”

  “How exactly does that work?” She’s fixing her hair, getting it out of her face, and walking down the aisle instead of helping me clean anything. “I mean, seriously, what can you do over the phone? Unless…you’re doing something naughty.” She wiggles her eyebrows at me and I want to smack her.

  Bentley has joked with me about it, but I always change the subject. It’s not that I don’t want to be physical with him. He’s hot as hell, and I have a feeling he knows how to satisfy women. I just…I’m not ready to hop into bed with him. Even though I know him better than I did before, I still don’t know if I can trust him. “You’re just as bad as the dudes who only think about jumping into the sack.”

  “I happen to think I have an amazing sex life. I don’t have to love the guy…he just needs to pique my interest.” She finally grabs some cleaning products and wipes down the armrests on the other aisle. “When will you see him again?”

  “I feel like you should know the answer to that since you gave him my schedule.” I wasn’t going to tell her I know what she did, but the opportunity presented itself.

  She stills. “I’m not sure what you mean?”

  “I’m not mad.” Well, I was for about two seconds, but it’s not a horrible thing. I do like the guy. “He let it slip during our first phone date.”

  “Whew,” she sighs. “I was worried you would hate me. But you definitely needed that extra push. You sure as hell weren’t going to do it yourself.”

  “Thanks. I think.” We finish our cleaning and straighten up the refreshments. Now, we wait until it’s time to welcome our new passengers. “Anyway, we have a layover in Austin, and I’m planning to see him before the flight that he’s on. We probably won’t do much since there isn’t much time.”

  “I know some things you can do that don't take too long,” she winks.

  “Lana, if it isn’t going to take very long, I’m not sure I’d want him in my bed.”

  “You have a point there.” The pilot comes over the intercom, letting us know passengers are about to board. “Well, let’s get this show on the road. You have a hottie to see.”

  Even though we’ve talked frequently for over a week, this is the first time I’ll see him since we were in Chicago. Nerves eat away at me, and I hope he still wants to see me. Why is dating so hard? Better yet, how are we going to greet each other? A hug and a kiss seem too forward, but I want to feel the press of his lips against mine. I mean, it’s not like we’re total strangers. We’ve eaten dinner together over multiple phone calls. We’ve even cooked together.

  The first passenger walks onto the plane and shakes me out of my thoughts. I can worry about that when we get closer to Austin. For now, I have a job to do, even if I’m beginning to wish I had a steadier job just so I could see Bentley in person more often. As crazy as it sounds, I’m growing fond of him.

  The plane touches down and the wait for the passengers to get off is torture. On one hand, I want them to hurry so I can see Bentley. On the other hand...I want them to take forever because I don’t know what to expect. Will he be waiting for me inside the airport, or will I have to find him?

  With all the passengers gone, and the cleaning done, it’s time to meet up with Bentley. I grab my suitcase and bag while checking my phone. There aren’t any texts from him, and I’m worried he forgot about me.

  Lana throws her arm around me as we make our way through the airport. “Are you ready to see your man?”

  “I’m not sure I’d call him my man just yet. We’re still getting to know each other.” There’s a bathroom up ahead and I steer us in that direction to change. “Besides, I haven’t heard from him yet. Who knows if he’s even coming?”

  “I’m sure he’ll have something amazing planned for you.”

  “Are the two of you orchestrating things behind my back again?” I rush into the stall and start peeling off my clothes. “Now that we’re dating, you don’t have to do that anymore.”

  “Nope. I have no clue what he has planned for you.” She reaches her hand over the door for my uniform so I can change into my normal clothes. “I haven’t talked to him since I sent him your schedule. Everything else has been all him.”

  “That’s good to know,” I murmur, pulling my shirt over my head. “What am I going to do if he doesn’t show up?”

  “You’ll call me, and we’ll go grab lunch somewhere close by.”

  I pull up my jeans and slide my feet into the Vans I keep in my carryon. I pull the door open and wave my arms as if I’m on display. “How do I look?”

  Lana nods her head and grins. “Amazing. Like the girl next door, but not trying too hard. You just need one more thing.” She reaches above me and pulls the hair tie out of my hair. My hair fails down my back. “There, that’s better. You’re ready to go now.”

  We walk out of the bathroom and toward the entrance. A man stands by the front door with a sign that says Jolene. “What are the chances there’s another Jolene coming off a flight right now?”

  She shrugs, “I mean there’s a possibility, but I’m going to say it’s slim. We should go see if it’s for you.”

  The guy with the sign is looking around the airport. Obviously, whoever hired him didn’t give him a description of the person they are picking up. “I don’t know if I should go up to this guy.” That could be someone else’s ride, and I’d feel terrible if I took it by mistake.

  “No worries,” Lana chirps. She rushes to the man in question, barely stopping before barreling him over. “Sir, can I ask who sent you to pick up Jolene?” She points to the sign as if he doesn’t remember.

  He takes a step back from her, uncomfortable with how much she’s in his personal space. “Yes, I’m the driver on standby for the Austin Rattlers. Bentley sent me to pick her up.”

  Whirling around, Lana throws her hands on her hips and gives me a satisfied smirk. “I told you he wasn’t here for another Jolene.”

  I hate admitting she’s right, and I refuse to give her that victory. A pang of sadness hits me in my gut. He couldn’t even come get me himself? He had to send the driver for his team to do it for him. “Okay, so I guess I’m going with this mystery man and hoping he takes me to Bentley.”

  Lana puts an arm around my shoulder, almost having to stand on her toes. “Don’t worry. I’m sure there’s an excellent reason for sending a driver. If anything looks sketchy, send me your location on your phone and I’ll come in for the rescue.” Her whisper is just loud enough to be heard by the driver, and he raises an eyebrow.

  “I’ll be fine,” I force a smile. “I’ll see you before the next flight out. Meet you at the gate?”

  “Yep,” she squeezes me one more time. “Have fun and try not to be too mad at him for not picking you up himself.”

  “Are you ready, Ms. Jolene?” He holds his hand out for my suitcase. Wow. He called me “Ms.” I don’t think anyone has ever called me that in my life. It must be a Southern thing, but it makes me feel old.

  “Sure,” I pass the rolling suitcase over to him. “Mr.…” I let my voice trail off, waiting for him to supply his name.

  “You can call me Sam.” We stroll out of the airport as if we aren’t on any kind of schedule. I only have so many hours before I have to be back at the airport. There isn’t time to dawdle. Not if I want to spend any sort of valuable time with Bentley.

  “Where is Bentley?” Maybe Sam can give me a clue.

  “I can�
��t tell you that.”

  “Why?” He leads me to a sleek black car and opens the door for me. I lean against the door, waiting for him to answer me.

  “He said it’s a surprise.” Okay. I guess that’s the only answer I’m going to get. I slide into the backseat and he closes the door. After stopping for a second behind the car, he gets behind the wheel. “It’s nothing bad, I promise.”

  “If you say so.” I put on my seatbelt as Sam pulls into traffic. Tall buildings loom above us, and I’m pretty sure we’re heading into downtown. I spot the capitol building, and I would love to tour it one day. Next time I’m in Austin, I’ll plan on stopping by. I’ll drag Lana along with me even though she hates that sort of thing.

  A few minutes go by and we pull up to a rectangular building that is nowhere near as tall as the ones surrounding it. Before I can even reach for the handle Sam is at my door, pulling it open. “What is this place?”

  “You’ll see.” He gestures for me to follow him.

  “What about my suitcase?”

  “It’ll be here. I’m your driver for the rest of the day.” Is Bentley really that important to have his own personal driver?

  I shove my hands in my pockets as he leads us into the building. This whole thing is weird. As we walk through the hallway, I hear bouncing coming from somewhere ahead of us. Surely Bentley doesn’t have a game today. This place isn’t exactly where I’d picture a professional team playing. We enter a gym, and a group of guys is playing basketball. They seem like giants compared to me. My eyes search the court until I find him. He’s hard to see with most of the guys towering over him. He’s tall, but he’s not that tall.

  Sam points toward the bleachers, “You can sit up there. They’ll be done soon.”

  I do as he says and notice a group of younger guys sitting at the opposite end. They are focused on the team bouncing the ball on the court. Bentley doesn’t notice my arrival, of course. His head is in the game, or maybe practice.

  Sports have never really been my thing. I would catch a few minutes of a game if I was at a bar with Lana, but other than that, I’ve never sought out a game to watch. I can see why people gravitate toward basketball, though. It’s fast-paced, and my head swivels from one side to the other trying to figure out what they are doing. Someone blows a whistle. The guys on the court split up into two groups and head toward the side of the court. They are passing water bottles around, and the thought of sharing a bottle with someone sends a shiver down my spine. Their lips never touch it. But I didn’t even share with my siblings growing up. I don’t want their germs mingling with my germs, thank you very much.