“Thank you for flying with International Airlines today,” the captain’s voice isn’t nearly as smooth as Carter’s but it’s deep and even though the speakers suck, he has a way of putting fliers at ease. “We’ll begin deboarding the plane in a few minutes.”
That’s our cue to be ready to help any passengers that may need it and wish them safe travels as they leave the plane. I stand beside the door and wait for them to line up to get out of the small area and on to their next adventure.
The door opens and people funnel into the air bridge. Another successful flight. We have a few hours until the next one and I’m not sure what I will do for those hours. I’m sure part of it will be spent at one of the food places with Lana, listening to her go on and on about all the hot guys she’s been dating. Not exactly how I want to spend my free time, but it’s better than being alone with my thoughts.
The guy, Bentley, who bumped into me earlier still hasn’t come through the line to depart the plane. There’s no way he could have gotten lost in the cramped space. And I’m almost certain the guy sitting next to him doesn’t have any issues with how flights work. Surely, I didn’t miss them. I shouldn’t care that they haven’t come through yet, but I have a special place in my heart for the first-time fliers. It doesn’t matter if they are children or older, nothing quite prepares them for how it feels to be up in the air, above everyone else, and passing through cloud after cloud.
“He’s coming,” Lana whisper yells in my ear. Where did she even come from? I thought she was handling the first-class people, not back here waiting for me to make a move on a guy I have no intentions of having any relationship with. Not even a quick one-night stand. It’s not how I operate.
“Go do your own job,” I jab her with my elbow. “I’m perfectly capable of handling a full-grown dude.” Especially if that one is as good looking as this one. No. Stop that, Jolene. No men. Ever.
The man in question stops right in front of me. “I didn’t catch your name earlier.” He looks down at where my name tag is, and I move my hand to cover it up. Even if I were interested, I wouldn’t make it that easy for him.
“That’s because I didn’t offer it.” My lips quirk into a half-smile. I’m knowingly flirting with this man. It honestly feels great even though I know I shouldn’t be doing it. “I hope you enjoyed your flight and have an amazing time in New York.”
“So, would you be willing to offer your name?” There’s a line of people standing behind him. Shuffling back and forth, patiently waiting to be let off the plane. I wonder if they think this is normal, or that maybe this man needs something more important besides my name.
“Come on Bentley,” the tall man behind him tries to nudge him forward, “let the woman do her job and stop stroking your ego. She’s obviously not interested.”
“But she smiled,” he grins at me while he’s talking about me as if I can’t hear every word he’s saying, “that has to mean something.”
“It was barely a smile, and she’s just being polite.” He nods his head toward me. “I’m sorry about my friend here. He has a habit of not letting things go even when it’s not going in his favor.”
“If I didn’t persist, I never would have made the team,” his mouth widens, and damn it if it doesn’t make him more attractive. “From what I recall none of the players liked me and were trying to talk Coach into not giving me another chance. I kept pushing and here I am. On my way to help my team get to the finals.”
“See what I mean?” The friend shrugs and then places his hands on Bentley’s back to push him forward.
“It’s fine,” I laugh. “I’ve known quite a few people just like him.”
“I feel like I should be offended.” He places his hand over his chest as if I have wounded him. He clearly doesn’t know how to be offended. “So, are you going to give me your name, or am I going to have to hunt down your friend and ask her for the information?”
The people behind him are getting antsy. The feet shuffling has now turned into sighs and some crossing their arms over their chest, irritated that this guy is wasting their precious time. Normally, I wouldn’t give into something like this. But, I know he would look for Lana, and she’d be all too happy to give him any details he wants. No, I’m going to do what needs to be done for the greater good of the rest of the passengers wanting to get off this plane. “My name is Jolene.”
“Like that country song?” He tilts his head to the side and looks like a confused puppy. But I’m kind of annoyed that his first question is that. I’ve heard it a million times, and it drives me crazy each time.
“Yes,” I sigh. “Just like the country song. Now, if you would,” I wave my right arm toward the door. “There are other passengers waiting to leave, and you’re holding up the line.”
“Sorry.” There’s that smidge of insecurity he had when he ran into me earlier. “I’ll be seeing you, Jolene. Have an exceptional day.”
Because that’s not creepy at all. “Yeah, you too.” I swear the rest of the people on the flight want to clap their hands as he walks out of the door into the small hallway that leads to the airport. That has got to be the weirdest confrontation I’ve ever had. Hopefully, he’s gone before I get off the plane. I do not want to deal with that mess when I have time to enjoy myself before my next flight assignment.
Why can’t I be lucky just once in my life? Standing right next to my best friend is the one person I don’t want to see. Carter is talking to Lana animatedly, and I don’t want to interrupt. Hell, I don’t know why he’s even here. He rarely does domestic flights. Almost all of them are international.
“Hey, Jolene,” Lana waves me over. “The Captain here was just telling me he’s retiring from the business.”
“What?” My voice is loud even among the chattering people around us. “You love to fly, what’s making you give it up?”
“I love Kendall more than flying, and I want to start a family.” He’s practically glowing with happiness, and as much as it hurt when he didn’t want more from me, I can’t begrudge him this. “I can’t very well do that if I’m always up in the clouds.”
“You have a point there,” Lana claps him on the back. “I wish you the best, and hopefully you’ll come see us every once in a while.”
“As if I would fly on any other airline,” he rolls his eyes. He looks at me and asks, “How have you been, Jolene?”
That’s not what I was expecting to come out of his mouth. “Huh?” I take a minute to gather my composure. “Fine. We were switched to more domestic flights since IA partnered with this basketball team. I get to see my bed more.” I cringe. What the actual hell? That makes me sound desperate, and that’s not how I want to sound.
A figure crosses my peripheral and it’s none other than Bentley. His eyes catch mine and I wave him over. “Speaking of, this is one of the players from the team. Bentley, this is Carter.”
Carter furrows his brow, confused as to why I’m introducing him to this guy he’ll never see again. “It’s, um, nice to meet you.”
“You too,” Bentley doesn’t miss a beat. He throws his arm around my shoulder and pulls me closer to him. I squeak at the close contact and Lana is doing everything in her power not to burst out in laughter. “How do you know my sweet Jolene?”
Oh. My. God. Please, someone, wake me up from this nightmare. I didn’t mean to imply that we were dating. Carter’s smile returns, “We used to work together. I’m, as of this weekend, a retired captain.”
“Wow,” Bentley’s eyes widen. “You’re so young.”
“Thanks…I think.” He holds his hand up and waves to us. “It’s time for me to get out of here. Kendall’s waiting for me in the bar.”
“Of course, she is,” I mutter under my breath.
Lana can no longer hold the laughter in and she bends over in a fit of giggles. “That was hysterical.”
I slide out from under Bentley’s arm and put as much distance as I can between us. “Why did you tell him I was yours
? I barely met you twenty minutes ago.”
“You looked like you needed a little help.” He takes a step closer to me and I take a step back toward Lana. “Besides, maybe since I covered for you, with what seems to be an ex-boyfriend, you’ll go out on a date with me.”
“That’s not happening.” The words are out of my mouth as soon as he half-ass makes the suggestion. “I don’t date guys I barely know. Besides, you don’t even live here. How would that work out?”
“Technically, you don’t live here, either,” Lana points out.
“Shut up, Lana. That’s beside the point.” I turn toward the man that literally helped me out of an awkward situation and point my finger at him. “I don’t have time to date anyone. In case you haven’t noticed, I’m busy flying around and doing my job.”
“Maybe a fake date, at least. In the hotel bar to really sell it to the dude who just left.”
This guy is relentless. I knew I shouldn’t have told him my name. “I don’t need to sell it to him. He’s perfectly happy in his relationship. I was originally going to introduce you as one of the players we’re now flying around. You are the one who implied you were my boyfriend.”
“I know when to back down.” He bows slightly, but the smile never leaves his face. “Until next time.”
What does he mean by next time? Lana can’t control herself any longer. “You really stepped in it that time.”
“What do you mean?”
Wiping a tear, did she have to laugh that hard, from her eye she shakes her head. “I’m looking forward to how this will play out.”
Nope. There’s nothing to play out. The area around my heart is man free. There’s no way I’m opening myself up to that hurt again.
Five
Bentley
Jordan sighs as we walk out of the airport and shakes his head. “Go ahead and tell me whatever is on your mind. I know you’re dying to.” The vibe off of him is weird. It’s almost something I think most disappointed dads would look like when they are upset with their kid. Never knowing my dad, I didn’t have that look, even though my mom shot it at me often enough.
“Learn when to shut up and move on. You’ll be lucky if that woman doesn’t go to her bosses and claim harassment.”
That thought never crossed my mind, and it isn’t something I’ve really had to deal with. It’s usually me that has to keep my distance from women when they push for dates. I’ve rarely turned any of them down, but there are a few that just wouldn’t stop. Is that what I’ve turned into? The person who won’t stop. No, that can’t be it. She smiled when she teased me about her name. And…she’s the one who pulled me into whatever conversation she was having. “Naw, man. She was having fun, too.”
“Maybe, but you also didn’t give her much of a choice.” He pulls the door open on the cab and ushers me to go in first. “Just keep that in mind next time.”
I make a face and slide into the seat. He’s not my father, and not even close to being old enough for that. But why do I feel like a scolded child being sent to time out? I shake the thought away and turn my focus to our upcoming game. We have a shoot around in a few hours and my mental headspace needs to be on that. Not the hot girl I met on a plane.
She keeps slipping into my thoughts as we make our way past tall buildings at a snail’s speed. Austin’s traffic is horrible, but this is a completely new level of people. The streets are jammed with cars, and the sidewalks are packed with people. Who knew New York was so much busier than our own city? Most people know that saying “everything’s bigger in Texas,” but this puts us to shame. The buildings soar high into the sky and lights are flashing everywhere. A part of me wonders if this is the sort of city Jolene lives in. So much for focusing on basketball. That’s obviously going to be a lost cause.
Finally, after what feels like forever, the cab comes to a stop in front of what I assume is our hotel. Jordan pays him and we get out of the car. Jordan goes around to pull our bags out of the trunk and we walk toward the building. “I really hope we have rooms on one of the lower floors. I don’t know if I’d be able to stay in one of the upper rooms.”
“It’s not so bad,” Jordan chuckles. “You can’t even tell you’re up that high as long as you don’t look out the window.”
“Any chance there’s an interior room where I won’t be tempted?” I don’t like heights. I’ve never been a fan of rollercoasters and anything like that. My sister had to drag me onto the slides at the water park we went to as kids, and I screamed the entire way.
“You’ll be fine. Don’t even stress.” He stops in front of the hotel doors and looks back at me. “If you get too scared, I can always come tuck you in.”
“Shut up, asshole.” He doesn’t reply and continues inside, laughing loud enough that everyone turns their head toward him. How in the hell did I get stuck with him? Oh yeah, he was the only person on the team that would talk to me when I was first signed on.
The wheel of my suitcase sticks and I yank it behind me as I enter the lobby. I’m too busy making sure that it’s not falling apart as I walk that I don’t notice anyone is in front of me until I run right into them. “Sorry,” I say before looking up.
“Hey, you’re that guy from the plane.”
What the hell? I’m not even that popular. At least, I don’t think I am…yet. I’m barely getting play time, and there’s no way someone from a different state would know who I am. I pause messing with my suitcase and look up. “You’re Jolene’s friend, right?”
“Yeah, Lana.” She holds her hand out, “We didn’t get to properly meet while at the airport.”
“Bentley,” I place my hand in hers and shake. “The airline puts you up in some swanky hotels.” This place has to be expensive. I know if I wasn’t on the team, there’s no way I’d be able to afford to even walk into a place like this.
“I’m meeting a friend.”
“Is Jolene with you?” I turn my head to the left and right, hoping to glimpse the woman who wants nothing to do with me.
“No, she’s at the airport hotel.” She bounces on her toes, waiting for me to say something else. When I don’t, she grins. “So, that entire thing didn’t go as you planned, did it?”
“Honestly, I’m surprised she pulled me to y’all. What’s the story with her and that dude?”
“It’s not my place to say anything, but a good way to impress her is maybe don’t be so…abrasive.”
Jordan said the same thing. Maybe I am overbearing when it comes to something, or in this case someone, I want. “I don’t know if I’ll ever see her again. There’s no guarantee she’ll be working anymore on the flights I’m on.”
“Lucky for you, I can help with that.” She pulls out her phone and opens up her contacts. “Give me your number.” Oh no. I really hope she’s not trying to pull one over on me and blow up my phone to date her. She must see my hesitancy because she adds, “If you want my help with Jolene, I'll need your number to pass along information.”
She has a point. She hasn’t shown the slightest hint that she’s interested in me. I breathe out a sigh of relief and rattle off my number. “Why are you willing to help me?”
My phone dings in my pocket and Lana slides her phone back into her pocket. “Because she’s had a rough go of it lately, and I’ll do anything to put a smile on her face. Even if it’s only to have some fun with you.” Should I be offended she’s insinuating I’m only around for a good time? She’s not wrong, but I don’t like how easily she’s pegged me. “Just don’t hurt her if you can help it.”
“That’s never my goal.” Taking a step closer to her, I nod my head. “Thank you for your help. I’m not even sure why I like her. It’s probably because she won’t give me the time of day.” That makes her a challenge whether she knows it or not. “I better catch up with my friend. I have no idea what I’m doing. It’s my first out-of-town game.”
“Good luck,” she waves at me. “I know nothing about sports, but I hope you win.”
; “Thanks.” I watch her walk away, toward one of my teammates. That’s odd. Shrugging my shoulders, I search for Jordan. He’s in line at the front desk, and I make my way toward him. As grateful as I am for Lana’s help, that has to be the weirdest conversation I’ve ever had. She’ll either come through with the help, or she’ll forget I exist. Only time will tell.
“Rookie,” the coach calls. I’m toward the end of the long row of chairs, and unsure if I heard him correctly. There isn’t anyone else he could be talking to. I’m the only rookie on the team. “Get over here.”
One of my teammates slaps my arm. “You better go. He wants to put you on the court.”
Standing up, I pull my off my warmup pants, almost tripping over the last snap that won’t undo. Throwing the pants on the chair I was sitting in; I turn toward the coach and jog over. “Yeah, Coach.”
“I need you to go in,” he puts a hand on my shoulder. “If you want to move up to a starting position, you need to show me you want it. Jump in for Hobbs, and we’ll see how you do.”
“You got it, Coach.” I don’t wait to see if he has anything else to say. Everything he said after ‘I need you to go in’ went in one ear and out the other. I check in with the score table and wait for the refs to wave me in.
Hobbs isn’t happy that he’s being taken out of the game to be replaced with the new guy, but I don’t really care. This is my chance to shine. He also had to have known that his shitty playing would get him pulled from the game. Jordan is smiling as I join the rest of the players on the court. I roll my eyes and take my position.
Jordan throws the ball in from the side and I run a screen to set up the play, then sprint to baseline outside the three-point line. Nobody is guarding me, and I wait for Ross to pass me the ball for the shot, but he passes it to someone else. He saw me. I know he did. He looked right at me and chose to give the ball to someone who is heavily guarded. How am I supposed to prove myself if the rest of my team won’t give me the chance?
Big Baller : A Hero Club Novel Page 3