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“It’s somewhere in the twenty-five-thousand-dollar range,” Kelly says, her voice filled with awe.

I let out a low whistle. “That’s amazing.”

“And that doesn’t include the bedazzle preorders. That’s another two grand.”

We’re all silent for a beat and Jayne closes her eyes, obviously emotional.

“You did it, babe,” Bodi whispers, hugging her to his side.

“I’m going to cry,” she says in a shaky voice.

“It’s okay to cry,” I say. “You accomplished something incredible today.”

Jayne nods and swipes at her eyes.

“This calls for champagne,” Noelle says. She goes into the back and comes out with two bottles. Ashton is still here and he opens them while she pours some for everyone in plastic cups.

“To a wonderful beginning.” Bodi says, holding up his glass.”

“To a wonderful partnership,” Jayne says to Noelle.

“And the best bookstore in Georgia!” Ashton adds.

We all clink our glasses together and I realize that Cash is standing behind me, one arm moving to circle my waist as the other holds the cup. He’s been affectionate today, and though I’m disappointed we didn’t have an opportunity to be alone or have our make-up date, it was a really good day. I’m excited for Jayne and enjoying the camaraderie here among Reid’s friends and teammates.

I have lots of friends, and even some really good friends, but this is different. This is like extended family. Everyone is so supportive, and I have yet to meet anyone that isn’t kind and friendly. I’m sure they exist but Reid has fallen into a group that I really like, and I could honestly see myself making this my home base, instead of New York.

That could become awkward if things don’t work out with Cash, but I’m still considering it. I love my life in New York, and I’m lucky I can afford to live there, but the cost of living here is a lot better. Moving to the Atlanta area would allow me to save more, instead of using the bulk of my income for my condo. When I bought it, the plan was to work more on Broadway, but that hasn’t been the case.

Now that I’m more involved in movies and television, it would make sense to move here.

At some point, I have to talk to Reid about it. He’s usually the voice of reason in my life.

And then there’s Cash.

I don’t want to scare him off or get ahead of myself, but this is about me, not him. If we’re together, it would make our lives easier, but even if we’re not, I’ve been anxious for a change for a while.

I have to do some research first, get a feel for where I would live, and all the logistics.

Then maybe I’ll talk to Serena and get her take on things.

First thing tomorrow, I’m going to start checking out real estate listings.

Chapter Nineteen

Cash

The first game of the regular season is on a Wednesday and there’s electricity in the air. Tonight they’ll raise our championship banner, hanging it in the arena where the fans will see it every game. It’s one of those moments you never forget and I shift from one foot to the other during the national anthem. A lot of friends and family are here tonight to celebrate, but I’m trying to focus on the game.

That’s a little tricky considering Maya’s here. For some reason that feels important. I know she would be here anyway because of Reid, but tonight she’s wearing my jersey. And no one’s done that since Shandy.

I stopped by Reid’s house this morning on my way to the morning skate to drop it off and she was excited about wearing it. We haven’t had much time together since we decided to start dating—she had to fly home to New York for a few days due to an issue with the pipes in her condo—but we have plans to spend tomorrow together since we’re both off. Well, I have a morning skate but I’ll be done by noon, and we’ll have the entire day to do whatever we want.

I’ve been trying to decide what to plan and keep coming up short. Movies? Dinner? Something touristy like the aquarium? She’s the type who seems happiest experiencing things, so sitting in my room watching TV would be boring and I feel like the beginning of something new is too soon for boring.

Sex will happen—I’m confident about that. Whether it’s tomorrow or the following week or some other timeline, that’s a given considering how good it was between us.

I’m more concerned about us finding time to be together, to get to know each other. I wish I hadn’t been so wishy-washy when she first came to Atlanta. We’d be past all of the newness by now and maybe even building something real. Instead, we’re still prioritizing our careers, and that makes me a little nervous.