Page 80 of High Baller

Calvin - Not at the moment, I can call as soon as I am.

Trey - Thanks.

He's the only one that can help get through to her. If he can put me on speaker while I talk to him, then Sky can hear everything. That's the only way I can tell her what happened, the only chance I have at winning her back.

***

My phone hasn't left my side. I’ve checked it so many times, waiting for Calvin to call me. I finally have something good to tell Sky, I just need a minute of her time to explain.

"Derek, did you check out the vacation package I sent you?" Ariel looks at him, and I smile. He hasn't told her that when the season starts, there are no vacations; there’s no life outside of those months.

"I haven't had a chance yet, but I'll have a look tonight,” he tells her, then glances at me,

I shake my head. There’s nothing I can do to help him here. He knows as well as I that he has to attend all of my games, no matter which state or country that I'm in.

"Can you let me know, please? I'd like to schedule my time off,” she asks, and I hold back a laugh as I know he has to tell her that until June, they aren't going anywhere.

"Trey, did coach give you the day off to go to see Sky?" Ariel asks me.

"No, Derek said he'd go for the day for me—"

Oh, he did, did he?" Ariel cuts in, and crosses her arms over her chest. "And when was he going to tell me about it?"

"I was babe, I only told him today that I'd go. I haven't even booked the ticket yet,” he tells her.

I head back into the house for my lunch. I'm not going to get involved in that one.

They both stop talking as the doorbell rings.

"I'll get it.” Ariel gets up and walks away.

"Come on, Trey.” Derek looks at me, it's like he's almost begging. “Everything I do for you, you could at least give me a few days."

"Fine, take a few days,” I say. I'm not that much of an ass. Just because my love life went down the shitter, his doesn't have to. "You better tell Ariel that when the season starts, vacations are a no-no. I've given you this one.” Ariel walks back into the room, and I turn my attention to her. "Who was at the door?" I ask.

"Someone to see you," she tells me as she walks back to her seat. I look back over at the doorway, but there’s no one there. I look back at Ariel.

"They'll be coming in, just needed to put their things to the side."

I turn back to the doorway when I hear footsteps. I push my chair back from the table when the love of my life appears.

"Sky," I say, standing up. She's here, she's in my house, she's come to LA, she come to see me…

I watch her biting her bottom lip. God, I want to kiss her, hug her, but I don't know what I should be doing just yet.

"Sky, have you had dinner?" Derek asks her.

"No, not yet." Her eyes lock with mine the whole time.

I hear one of them walking away from the table, but I can’t take my eyes off of Sky. She moves closer, and places her hands on the chair next to mine.

"Sit down, have some food," Derek says

I pull out the chair, as Sky’s eyes search my face for something. I remember the last time she looked at me like this, I remember that very moment. Our first date in her kitchen. She leaned on the kitchen counter and just looked at me.

"I'm about ninety-five per cent sure what you're thinking, but I want to make sure,” I say, and grin when she smiles.

She shrugs. “If it's only ninety-five per cent, I must not be looking at you the right way," she says, then slowly licks her bottom lip.