The Player Next Door ✓

37 | Sportsmanship

Chapter 37: Sportsmanship

Courts in 20.

And take a shower.

Luke's charming texts fired up my phone.

And just like that, Luke Dawson disappeared from cyber space. I was in my bedroom, bed sheets tangled around me, my own alarm clock still asleep.

It was too early for this.

I sighed and saved his number - I'd forgotten that he had mine. After all the experiences we've shared together, this was the first time he's texted me.

Romantic.

I got out of bed and changed clothes. I had to. I might be one of the first people to call Luke out on his BS, but I still owed him for that stupid laptop. Until I pay him back, I was sticking to our agreement. We'd made a deal.

And I like to keep my promises.

My car was in the driveway. Flora didn't have a chance to steal it this morning, because I'd woken up before her. Correction; because Luke had woken me up.

I drove along the empty streets. It was so early, no one in the neighborhood was awake. I stopped off at The Coffee Bean. It opens at 6AM so I was there exactly when they opened shop. I waited for the coffee to brew and ordered a donut to keep me occupied. On the plus side, being this early meant extra fresh coffee.

I was munching my donut when Luke dropped his pin - which is good, since I donut know where I was going... ha, I crack myself up sometimes.

Seriously though, I had no idea where I was going.  Luke texting 'the courts' as a location meant nothing to me. I'm glad he finally clocked that. I typed the new address into the navigation system and drove towards the courts.

It was in a rundown neighborhood on the other side of town. I parked on a side street and walked towards the courts. The boys were already there.

They played on asphalt with a hoop that had no backboard. It was an outdoor game, 3-on-3. Chalk on the ground outlined the dimensions.

None of the players were in uniform. I recognized Luke immediately. He was in a gray sleeveless T-shirt that he was sweating through and navy shorts. He raised his hand to signal for the ball. Someone passed to him and he performed a sick layup.

There wasn't a big crowd. No surprise for 6AM, but it was a better showing than the 1 mum I was expecting. I recognized the coach's daughter (who I met at Austin's grotto), sitting next to her father. A few rows back was Austin, supportive as usual.

I took a seat next to him.

"Millie! Didn't realize you were on the clock," he said, surprised to see me. He was always high energy.

"Me neither. I foolishly thought Luke and I had a 9-to-5 business hours agreement," I grumbled.

I should've added that to the contract.  The non-existing contract.

"Dawson doesn't sleep," he said, just as Luke scored again from within the free throw lane. Austin pumped his fist in the air, "Yeah!"

"Nice jump shot," I admired as they dribbled the ball back to center.

"It was a hook shot," Austin corrected me, "One arm throw."

"So what's going on? Why are they playing so early?"

"Oh, you know, Luke wants to go pro and his coach is pushing him. That's the Coach down there," he pointed at the man I saw earlier, "And the biggest threat to Luke's ranking is Christopher Hayes."