The man spends a good amount of the team’s budget on my salary and I’ve yet to bring him to the playoffs. How much longer is he willing to invest in me? At what point is he going to gamble with a younger guy who might be a diamond in the rough, but cost him a whole lot less? If he finds out this is some elaborate scheme to get him to like me, I can’t imagine that option being too far off.
Indy’s smile is radiant and warm as she converses with Caroline, and she doesn’t look at me or break away from the conversation she’s having, but she pulls my hand away from my collar and laces her fingers through mine, holding my hand.
“Did you go to the game last night?” Caroline asks.
“I couldn’t.” Indy crosses her other arm over her body, holding my single hand with both of hers. She’s effortless and luminous and so fucking good at this. “I was traveling for work, but I watched it on TV. He’s amazing.”
Wait. She watched from her hotel room?
“Do you enjoy your job? Flying the Raptors around. That sounds fun.”
“I love my job, but when I’m on the road, I miss home.” She smiles up at me and it’s soft and loving, but I know it’s not real. I know this is all pretend, but fuck, I’d be lying if I said that didn’t do something to my insides.
“Any chance you’re in town next Thursday?” Caroline asks the woman at my side. “We were supposed to have dinner with Ethan and Annie this weekend, but last minute, Ron was invited to speak at his alma mater. We’re headed to Hanover tomorrow, but if you two can join us next week, that’d be wonderful.”
“Hanover? As in Hanover, New Hampshire?” Indy asks, turning towards Ron. “Did you attend Dartmouth?”
His brows lift. “I did.”
She nods approvingly. “You seem like an Ivy League man.”
There’s a faint, almost indistinguishable tug at Ron’s lips, but for a man like him, it’s equivalent to a full-tooth grin.
Whatever Indy wants, she can have. I can’t even begin to list all the ways I owe her for tonight.
“That was my dream school.”
My neck almost snaps with how quickly I turn to look at her before remembering I’m her live-in boyfriend who should know these things.
“It’s a tough school to get into. Low acceptance rate.”
“Yes, that’s true.” Indy’s radiant smile falters, but she recovers so quickly I may have imagined it.
At this moment, I’m realizing how much I don’t know about this woman and how much I wish I did.
She turns back to Caroline. “I’m sorry. Huge conversation shift. I am in town next Thursday and we would absolutely love to have dinner with you two.”
There are no scowls or hard lines on Ron’s face besides the ones permanently etched in his skin from a constant state of disappointment. But this is the softest I’ve seen him look and it’s because of Indy.
Though, she is being more formal than the chaotic girl I found crying in my apartment, and I hope she knows she doesn’t have to fake more than our relationship here.
“She’s lovely, Shay,” Ron says to me and it’s the first time I’m involved in the conversation.
Awareness floods me. Indy has been carrying this with grace and confidence, meanwhile I’ve been standing as stiff as a board, my fingers splayed wide with tension while Indy’s are effortlessly curled around mine.
“How did you two meet?” he continues.
Shit. We talked about this. We knew this would come up, but we never decided.
“We—” Indy and I begin at the same time, but I pause and let her continue because I trust her enough to get us through this.
“We were introduced through his sister.”
Perfect. Simple. To the point.
She looks up at me and I can only hope she can read my appreciation.
“Oh, I see that look,” Caroline mews. “You two lovebirds. There’s more to the story, isn’t there?”
She has no fucking clue.
“There is,” I tell her, clearing my throat because it’s the first time I’ve really spoken in God knows how long. I slide my arm around Indy’s waist, pulling her into my side, and when I speak, I keep my eyes locked on hers. “But we like to keep the details between us.”
Indy’s brown eyes shine with relief as I finally get one thing right tonight.
“You two are utterly adorable. Indy, I’m looking forward to seeing you at dinner next week. We’re doing something a little different.”
“I can’t wait. It was so wonderful to meet you.” She leans her head on my shoulder.
“Shay.” Ron puts his hand out to shake mine and a bit of that disbelief and distrust has washed away. He’s still skeptical, clearly, but he seems as if he’s questioning the possibility of this being legitimate instead of outright believing it’s a lie.
As they walk away, my chest deflates with a much-needed exhale. “You were incredible, Blue.”
“And you were terrible. We have so much work ahead of us if I’m going to even consider taking you to that wedding.”
“You know you can be yourself while doing this, right? You don’t have to be so poised and perfect. They’ll like you regardless.”
She pops her shoulders. “I’m used to playing the doting girlfriend who always has the right thing to say. That was almost second nature.”
“I can’t believe you’re still here.” Ethan sets another glass of champagne in front of his wife, Annie, as he speaks to me. “This is the longest I’ve ever seen you at a work event.”
“That’s because he’s got a stunning girlfriend to show off.” Annie motions her flute in Indy’s direction.
I find Indy by the bar, holding court, surrounded by a few of the guys from the Raptors. She’s wearing that infectious smile, those kind brown eyes, that confident body-language. And I’m suddenly aware that she works with these men every time she’s on the road.
God, they must love her.
Indy wasn’t lying. She really is a social butterfly and I find myself a bit envious at her ability to be so open.
“It’s not real, Ann.”
“I know, I know,” she brushes off her husband. “But a woman could dream. Imagine Ryan having a real girlfriend. I’d be in heaven having someone at team events instead of the flavors of the week the rest of your teammates rotate through.”
“Sorry to crush your dreams, Annie.” I smile into my whiskey glass, taking a swig. “Speaking of staying out late, you two are out past ten. Parents gone wild.”
“We have an overnight babysitter.”
“And a hotel,” Ethan adds with a suggestive brow wag.
“So, daughter number four in nine months. Got it.”
“Here’s hoping.” Ethan holds up his beer bottle in a cheers.
Annie smacks him in the chest. “Absolutely not.”
“Ry, have you planned team dinner yet?” Ethan asks.
I lean back in my chair, casually sipping my whiskey. Of everyone on my team, Ethan is my closest friend and the guy I feel most myself around.
“What do you mean?”
“Team dinner,” he repeats. “Team captain plans team dinner every other month. And we’re almost a month into the season.”
“Wait. That’s a thing? I thought we went to your house every other month because your mom is an amazing cook.”
Annie and Ethan share a laugh. Ethan’s parents came to the states before he was born, and his mom would cook up a storm of authentic Korean dishes every month for the team to gather around their table and share a meal. She even taught me how to prepare my own kimchi last season. It’s the one outing I genuinely look forward to.