Page 403 of Ruthless Court

“How did you miss that part?”

“I thought people were joking.”

Hannah looks offended.

“I have seven highly temperamental thirteen-year-old boys who need help.”

Noah gestures at the room.

“Sounds familiar.”

“They need defenders taller than them. Rebounders. Someone to demonstrate things without me climbing onto a chair.”

Vale grins.

“You want Stanford basketball practicing with middle-schoolers?”

“I want Stanford basketball giving back.”

That lands.

I see it happen.

All the jokes fall away for a second.

Hannah doesn’t know what I told her last night is still sitting right beneath my skin.

A school.

Scholarships.

Kids who need someone.

Now she’s sitting in my living room offering these guys something that sounds suspiciously like the beginning of it.

Vale nods first.

“I’m in.”

Noah follows.

“Same.”

Eli holds out his hand.

“Put me down for guards.”

Jalen shrugs.

“Whenever we’re home.”

Hannah’s face lights.

Not the sarcastic smile.

The real one.

“Seriously?”