Ahh Sample Sunday.
We meet again.
I’m so excited to share a sample from my next release; The PreGame Ritual.
(note: this is unedited and subject to change.)
Ava knows that she’s the best girls basketball player in the country at the collegiate level.
She knows that she’s going straight the pros once her senior season comes to an end.
And she knows that finding a man is the least likely thing to happen while she’s chasing that dream.
That’s until she meets Miles.
A freshman phenom who has no idea what college life is like but is in for a red-headed surprise with a mean crossover.
Their chemistry is a given, but will age be more than just a number?
Or will the pregame ritual be enough to even the score?
I was only a few steps out of the locker room when I heard someone call out to me. I turned around and found the kid heading my way, changed out of his basketball clothes to a casual t-shirt and jeans and carrying a duffle bag of his own. He did a little jog to catch up to me and I tried to show how unenthused I was to talk to him even though my heart had began to race after catching a whiff of his freshly showered scent.
“Can I help you?” He gave me a once-over and I rolled my eyes though I couldn’t deny the little hairs that suddenly wanted nothing to do with my skin.
“Actually you can. I was wondering if you could teach me that spin-move you used? That shit was lethal.” I knew the boys had stayed and watched most of practice but I hadn’t considered the fact that he could’ve been watching me.
I readjusted my bag on my shoulder as I said, “I’m sure you can find it on Youtube or something.”
“Damn superstar, you got it like that?”
“Don’t act all surprised that a girl can have a highlight tape. I earned that shit.” My artificial attitude was definitely working in my favor but his confidence didn’t seem to waver as he ran a hand over his mouth before flashing that beautiful smile.
“Let me guess, Gatorade Player of the Year? Ms.Basketball? All-American?”
I shifted all my weight to my right leg and crossed my arms over my chest before I said, “And the list goes on.”
“Damn. I feel you, beautiful.”
Beautiful?
I know this little boy is not tryna run game on me.
“Well, since you know where to find my moves, I’m gonna get going.” I was walking away but I could hear the swish of his duffle bag against his jeans from behind me as he worked to catch up.
“Wait up, ma. That wasn’t the only thing I wanted to ask you.” I stopped, but my heart kept going as it was busy swooning at his usage of the word “ma”.
“What else? Wanna know how I keep my jump shot consistent? How I lock people down on defense? How I time my shot-blocking?”
“No, I wanted to ask you if you were busy this weekend.”
I know his little ass is not about to ask me out on a date.
I mean I was just sure being the phenom that he was, there were girls banging down his door left and right.
What business did he have trying that shit with me?
“Yep. I’m busy.”
Liar.
“Damn, I was gonna ask if you wanted to come hoop with us. We play pick-up ball on the weekends and I could surely use a sharpshooter like you on my squad.”
So not only was he checking out my game, he respected it enough to want me on his team? Not his line-up of women but his line-up of real players?
Suddenly, I wanted to make my fake busy-ness go away.
“Oh. Umm…what time do ya’ll play?”
“Usually Saturday around noon or so.”
I gave my ponytail a smoothing swipe before I said, “I may be free around then.”
“Cool. I’ll text you the location and everything.”
“How are you gonna text me if you don’t have my number?”
“Aww damn, you’re right.” He made quick work of grabbing his phone from the pocket of his jeans before he typed in his passcode and handed it to me. “Plug in your number and I’ll add you to our little groupchat.” I did as he asked, not really sure of what I was getting myself into, before I handed his phone back to him.
“Now can I get going?”
“For sure, ma. I’ll see you later.”
actually, it's alexandra 