Small Town Girl, Big City Dreams • Kate Martin

Chapter 30: Meet the Lautons

Kate's POV

Inspiration Song: Song 6 by George Ezra

"Kate," Jade waved her hand in front of my face.

"Hmm?" I hummed, my leg bouncing a mile a minute on the bar of the stool I was sitting at. My head was resting on my hands so that I could keep my them from fidgeting as well.

"Just Kate," the brunette said, forcing me to make eye contact with her this time.

"It's going to be fine," she said with finality. "They're going to like you."

"I'd be more convinced if you were convinced," I mumbled out and watched as a slight blush crept up her face.

"It's going to be fine, superstar," she said one more time, probably trying to convince herself as much as she was trying to convince me. I watched her fidget with all her clean coffee utensils, making sure everything was in order at the shop. It already was, but what was the harm in checking another three times, right? I couldn't really blame her though—I'd do the same. "Plus, you have a basketball game to worry about first."

"I think, for once, basketball is the least of my worries," I admitted.

Jade gasped, "I'm so telling A'ja. Mother is going to be so disappointed."

"Do not tell her that. I don't want to be disowned. She'll put me up for adoption and who knows where I'll end up then! I could end up playing for the Wings or, even worse, I'll end up on the Island of Washed-Up Athletes, never to play another game of basketball again. I'll be forced to live out my days coaching the sport and telling all my players how good I was back in the day."

"Okay, Ms. Dramatic. Pause," she rolled her eyes with a smile. "Wasn't that your plan all along?"

"Well," I felt my cheeks flush. "I mean, yeah."

"Exactly," she said. "You'll be fine."

"I'll likely be going home if I'm not playing, Jade," I pointed out, more to rile her up than anything. I wasn't planning for my career in the W to be over this soon. At least, not if I had any say in it.

"Well, I guess I won't be telling A'ja anything. You need to have the longest WNBA career ever," she said with a suddenly serious expression.

"Yeah, yeah," I agreed with an eye roll. "Well, I suppose I better get going. I've got thirty minutes before I need to be ready for shoot around."

"Good luck tonight, superstar," Jade said, coming around the counter and wrapping her arms around my waist in a hug. "I'll be there with Christine and Darrell."

I squeezed her back and kissed the top of her head, "Good luck yourself, J. Have fun with your parents today, if you can."

The bell rang on the front door of Sinsations and we immediately broke apart. Even though Jade had said she didn't care about the press, I wasn't trying to get even further on her parents' bad side, especially before meeting them, so I really tried to be cognizant of our interactions in public. Jade always gave me a hard time about it but was probably thankful for my extra caution in this moment as her parents walked through the door.

I froze, knowing that it would seem rude for me to walk out now without acknowledging them. She gave me a quick, scared smile before walking up to her parents at the door. Her mom was the first to walk in. She looked much the same as when I saw her two months ago—save for some extra bags under her eyes. She immediately went to hug her daughter, but her eyes kept traveling until they found me, tightening when they reached her target. I smiled a small smile, but I felt my stomach drop at her reaction. Apparently, this wasn't about to go as smoothly as last time.