I had been home in Texas for a couple months, it didn't make sense for me to stay in Connecticut and waste money on an apartment that I only needed April through September. My friends were all either fellow players who lived scattered around the states or they were my fellow Honey falls friends from high school.

I step out of the car at the bus terminal and await the familiar frame of my best friend since fifth grade "Jo" I call out as I spot her.

Her cheeks rise to see me, and she runs at me. Her large backpack looked like it was running behind her. It was so large it towered over the top of her head, not hard as Joplin was five foot three in flats. "LeeLeeeeeee" she called excitedly as she jumped into my arms, sending me flying backward with the weight of her bag. Her hands wrap around my neck. Her corkscrew curls tickle my nose "oh Lee. I missed you"

"I can tell" I wheeze under her tight embrace.

My face was reddening as she released me and cupped my cheeks "Let look at you" she says with the largest smile.

Joplin was so cute. If she fit in my pocket I would take her everywhere with me and get her out like a puppy for people to aww over. She was dinky, and had large dark corkscrew curls that went just about every which way they wanted. She had dark green eyes that never stopped twinkling because she was most always smiling, and her beautiful brown skin was currently sun kissed from her travels to Asia, of which she had just returned.

I reach out and brush by her hair lightly, not touching it too heavily "you let someone put this braid in your hair" I ask, looking to the rainbow colours braided into one of her curls.

She tilts her head and smiles "like it" she asks.

I nod "of course, but you've never let anyone touch your hair in your life" I say in disbelief. Joplin liked her hair to be just so, only her momma and her hair dresser could touch it.

"Usually, but ... this girl" she begins.

I roll my eyes and groan "I see where this is going ... you got laid and got a braid"

She laughs and let's me go, taking my arm as we walk back to the car "i think I'm in love... but shes from the Philippines so I've got just as much chance seeing her again as Vanessa has with you" she teases.

I shake my head and let her arm go as I open the trunk and hold my hand out for her bag. It almost takes me to the floor, as its handed over "did you bring this girl back with you" I ask, struggling with the weight of it

"I wish" she replies. We manage to slam the trunk down in a joint effort before getting into the car.

"So what's her name?" I ask.

She clicks her belt into place and looks dreamily out the window thinking about her. "Maya" she reveals, in such a mellow way I could quite believe she was high right now.

"Maya" I say in the exact same dreamy way teasingly. She turns to me and playfully nudges my arm "what is she like" I ask, starting the car and pulling back out onto the road.

"She's cute, so cute, she's only five foot two, she's got the most dreamy brown eyes...and oh my god her hair. It's so silky and long. She had a ridiculously loud laugh that didn't match her at all, and it's what caught my attention at first, this loud sea lion type laugh coming from this petite girl"

"Joplin, I'm not sure the world can take two of you... two little pocket rockets in a couple...both being cute, and one laughs like a sea lion. I'm afraid I might want to keep her if I meet her" I confess.

"You would she's adorable" Joplin says and then she turns to me as much as she can in her seat "so what happened with Vanessa?" She asks "I thought she would be a perfect match for you"

I bite my lip and give her a little awkward look before turning back to the road "We slept together" I confess.

Joplin nods "yes I know she told me... and you literally left her as she was still dripping from her shower... not cool Leah" she chastised.

"I know I know ... really uncool but I did message her and apologise"

"Why would you do that to her... was it that bad" she asks "the sex I mean"

I shake my head, my long hair falling around my shoulders "No it was fine... I mean, she enjoyed it... it's just I wasn't fully into it and it showed...and then Morgan-" I begin.

Joplin frowns and interjects "wait ... who is Morgan" she asks.

I smile just hearing her name, a little like Joplin had been when thinking of Maya.

"Oh my giddy aunt" Joplin says loudly "Lee Lee are you in love" she asks surprised.

I can't help the way my lips hurt as they pull up my cheeks. I loved when Joplin sounded like her father, he was British, and when it slipped out in conversation, it always made me smile.

"You are" she squeals "why haven't you mentioned her... who is she ... tell me everything"

"Okay okay" I give in as she taps my arm repeatedly in excitement. "Let's get some lunch and I will tell you all about her"

We take a right into our favourite cafes parking lot "The Hive" in the centre of Honey Falls. A town that loved a play on words.

We slide into opposite sides of the booth and I take my jacket off, catching a slight scent of Morgan still on the collar. It was barely there now, but it made my stomach flip a little to still get that scent of her after months apart. It took me right back to that moment we kissed in the street.

Joplin reaches over and straightens out my shirt collar "that's better" she says admiring me "I love you in a flannel ..." she observes affectionately, running her hand down my red and black checked flannel shirt which was opened with a black tight fit t shirt under it.  "So Morgan... did you meet her on the team?" She asks sitting back in her seat a little.

I half smile as I lift the menu up and scan the brunch items. "I'm not sure Morgan would be at home on a court, she's much better suited to the field... she's a baseball coach at high school" I reveal.

Joplin nods approvingly "okay so sport in common this is a good start... and she's like what... twenty...eight?... Younger?" She asks.

My coy look must give me away as she leans forward with folded arms and narrows her eyes "older" she asks.

I nod and try and hide my smile because I know its coming. I had most definitely been attracted to women a little older than me before but never acted on it."Lee Lee did you finally find a cougar to maul you" she asks eyebrow raised questioningly.

I laugh and place down the menu "She is older, yes, and before I say any more I want you to know that I have thought about this a lot and I'm fine with it, okay"

She leans back in her seat frowning "oh god is she married" she asks.

I wrinkle up my nose, knowing she won't like this.

"Yes" I reveal slowly and hesitantly.

She lets out a whoosh of air from her lungs and stands up "not a chance is my Lee Lee getting preyed upon by a married woman whose after a young play thing ... no no no" she says wiggling her finger at me "Leah" she finishes loudly chastising me.

I wave my hands in protest "separated Jo... Separated not actively married and cheating"

I reach up for her and pull her back down to a seated position. "Everybody is looking at us" I say reddening with embarrassment.

She looks around and rolls her eyes "I forgot what small town was like" she replies. She takes in all the eyes observing us from various booths, and looks back to me.

"So she's separated" she asks.

I nod.

"kids?" She questions.

I nod again, and anticipate her groan as it arrives "Leah" she curses "this sounds complicated and I don't want complicated for you... I want easy and I want you to have the best of the best ... you've waited so long for it Lee. I need it to be perfect"

"Jo she is perfect, to me she is everything" I state "the kids and the ex wife isn't a reason to not listen to my heart on this one. So she has a past... don't we all" I ask.

She nods slowly "I know I know and I shouldn't judge but I worry about you Lee, that one girl who stole your heart, she set it on fire before she even left last time" she says "fucking KC" she says agitated at the thought of her.

The mention of KC makes me feel a little sick, she really did a number on me. It took a long time to get over the girl who cheated on me with a guy, the same day I brought a ring home for her. I thought she was it, and she thought so little of me she brought this guy back to our apartment, and I walked in on them together in my bed, after arriving home early from an out of state game. KC was dirt, and I didn't see it, and so I didn't trust my own judgement after that. Two years I've been avoiding love, and not trusting my instinct with girls. Not until Morgan, and now my instinct was begging me to tap back in and listen, this is the one, Leah, this is the one.

"Joplin I know you worry.. but please trust me... Morgan is not about to do a KC on me. If anything Morgan was more resistant to let me in, not the other way around"

"Wow you chased her?" She asks surprised. I had never once been the one to pursue a girl.

"I did" I return, as Betty sidles up to the table taking out her order book and flipping it open with her pencil poised. Betty had run the hive for thirty years, and now in her sixties she had no plans to retire. If this was the hive, Betty was the queen.

"Boys" she says as affectionately as Betty can, "what can I get you" she asks.

Joplin takes the menu and hands it to her "My usual Betty"

Betty narrows her eyes at her "Joplin James you've been gone three months... how am I meant to remember your order... I'm old and senile to boot" she says looking to her with her steely grey eyes under her heavy eyebrows. She had a perfect lilac perm that was currently fresh, high, and tightly curled. She was a small little thing just like Jo.

"And yet you know exactly how long I've been absent in your life. Funny that. Il give you a clue... starts with H... ends in R" Joplin teases.

Betty swipes our menus from the table "A hive hamburger with cheesy fries and a strawberry milkshake, and for Leah the hive Protein pancakes with fruit and a smoothie filled with vitamins ... to keep those muscles firm" she says squeezing my bicep "because if I don't feed the towns superstar I will be getting letters in the Reaper of a Friday"

Joplin narrows her eyes at her "I knew you remembered... you liar... Jeeze Betty way to welcome a beloved patron home" she mocks in seriousness.

"Boys" Betty says taking leave of us for the kitchen.

"Show me this Morgan" Joplin asks, reaching out her hand.

I slip my hand into my jeans and pull out the phone, unlocking it and flicking to Morgan's Social media profile. I slide the phone across the table like a secret drug deal.

Joplin lifts it, eyes widening as she scrolled down slowly "HOLY SHIT" she says taken aback ... "is this not that actress.. that one on that new superhero movie... what's her name" she says snapping her fingers to try and remember it.

"No... she's most definitely a baseball coach from Arizona"

"Well shit... if this was my baseball or soft ball coach at high school I would have known I was gay the moment I stepped out onto that field... she's not real..." she says looking down the pictures with one finger flexed. "I bet she's a good kisser" she muses "look at her lips" she says zooming in on the screen with her fingers. Morgan's face fills the screen, her delightfully full and plump red lips the source of Joplin's drooling as she ran her eyes over her features close up "she's ... just... unreal Leah. I can see why you are so head over heels for her... but do you think perhaps you have fallen in lust with her?" She asks "I mean I'm not sure who wouldn't, she's beautiful..."

I shake my head and look up to Betty as she placed down our drinks "thanks Betty"

I watch then as Betty holds Joplin's out to her, releasing it begrudgingly to her open hand. Joplin wasn't even looking at her, she was too engrossed in the pictures on my phone "Hey cutie patoot" Betty says annoyed.

Joplin snaps back to the room "sorry" she says taking the milkshake.

You kids will all have hunch backs by the time you're my age from all this head in your phone nonsense" she says disapprovingly.

"Did you have a phone in your hand through your youth then Betty" Joplin counters.

Betty throws some sugar packets at her "smart ass" she quips and she walks away mumbling to herself.

"You know in a town called honey springs and a cafe called the hive you would expect her to be a little sweeter...but she's got a damn good sting on her" Joplin moans, sucking from her straw a little over enthusiastically.

I look away out of the window and try and suffocate the irritation at Joplin's accusation of being in lust with Morgan... because this wasn't just lust. I didn't daydream about Morgan's body constantly. It was her smile, her laugh, and her sense of humour. It was how she talked about her kids and how she got excited about her work, she was sunshine, and I liked her bright light and the warmth I felt when her attention was turned toward me. I of course longed to feel her again and have her in my arms, to kiss her and hold her, but it wasn't all about sex or lust... it was a longing a lot deeper.

"I'm not in lust with Morgan" I finally snap, turning back to her unable to hold it in a moment longer.

Joplin looks up from the phone surprised at my tone "Did I piss you off" she asks sitting back up and releasing her straw from between her teeth.

"Yes because it's deeper than that. I don't like her being reduced to a sex object just because she's hot. Jo I don't like that" I say honestly.

She frowns. "Oh Lee I'm sorry" she says dropping the phone and reaching both hands across the table to take mine "I didn't mean to sound so dismissive of your feelings or what they are. I just want to make sure it's real this time, for you. I couldn't bear seeing you break like you did again... KC almost threw off your entire career"

I take a deep breath. That was true. KC blew my heart into smithereens. My first season in Chicago following suit. I almost lost everything because of something I thought was love.

The thing was, KC was years ago now, and years give you time to reflect on love and loss and people who cause it, and when I looked back to KC she had a tonne of red flags. A tonne. I didn't see them, because I got swept up in what I thought was love at the time, and looking back it wasn't really the kind that stays, it was most definitely a whirlwind that made me dizzy with her. It made me feel like she was the ride of my life and the girl of my dreams, but just like anything too good to be true, when the wind died down and the ride came to a stop, you felt a little sick with it, you steadied yourself and wondered why the hell you ever thought that would be a good idea. Firm ground is much more desirable than being thrown around in a persons orbit, a person that doesn't even notice when your sun stops to shine and who couldn't tell you what your eye colour was if you suddenly closed your eyes.

Morgan they are the deepest blue I've ever seen...

"I love her Jo... and I've never felt like this for anyone before. We are taking it so slow...it's painful, literally having a long distance relationship before we even reach the date. I wonder every day how it can be that I can love a woman I've only ever seen a handful of times... but everything inside of me tells me I do... and it may seem ridiculous or like its a little too good to be true but I don't think too good to be true is what this is... because it's not too good it could be a lot fucking better. I don't get to hold her or kiss her or hold her hand... I get texts and flowers, and phone calls that last hours... but I don't get all of her and that Joplin is not too good to be true ..."

I reach up and swipe the tear that falls and try and force the others away, coughing a little and trying to gather myself. Joplin looks so remorseful she could cry herself as she reaches out again and takes my hand "Leah I'm sorry... I love you" she reminds me.

I lift my lips briefly and rub my hand over hers "I know" I return.

"I just miss her.. I'm sorry... and I'm on my period" I confess.

Joplin eye rolls "you should have started with that because now this all makes sense" she says smiling and lightening the mood.

"For what it's worth... Morgan sounds like a lucky girl to have you waiting for her Lee... and if you love her... I know I will too..."

"Love you Jo"

Betty drops down our plates and our hands spring apart "lovers tiff" she asks.

We laugh "something like that" Joplin says, greedily picking up her burger and licking her lips.

"Enjoy" Betty says a little sarcastically as she walks away.

"You know I don't know why we eat here" Joplin groans around her mouthful of hamburger "she's so mean" she says looking to Betty walking away.

"We eat here because her food is the tits" I return as my eyes close to the taste of the pancakes and strawberry's on my tongue.

Ding. I open my eyes as Joplin and I both peek down to my phone between us on the table and a text from Morgan.

M- Hi 👋🏻 I Miss your face!!! Call me later ... unless you are out with Joplin and in that case have a great night and say hi to her for me 👋🏻 HI JOPLIN!! Welcome home! Keep a smile on my girls face until I see her next month 🫶🏻 I miss you Leah, so much💘

Joplin looks up to me with puppy dog eyes "oh god now I feel awful for saying she was a cougar and only wanting to maul you. She's cute... and she acknowledged me" she says delighted at that "a girlfriend who acknowledges the best friend is a great start"

L- Jo says thank you 😊 I am with her till late but I can call you first thing unless you want a call at three am from a little drunk and slurry me 🥴

M- I would love the drunk dial at 3am... nothing I like better than interrogating a drunk for true honest answers to questions I'm dying to know... 😉

L- That sounds like a bad idea... I will call in the morning 🫣🫢 but just so you know... I miss you too 💘 only four more weeks!!

M- we got this 💪🏼 and soon I will have you all to myself ...oh Leah you have no idea.... 🫦 ...an entire weekend 😍😍😮‍💨 of walks... 😉

L- I will bring my most comfortable sneakers... you know for all the walking...😘

***
The phone picks up and she sounds sleepy.

"Hey... how was your night" she asks.

I put the phone down a second as I get into my bed. Zero clothing. I was so drunk I could just about take off of my trousers let alone put any other clothes on.

My head hits the pillow and the room spins a little as I pick the phone back up and place it beside my ear "good" I say a little slurry.

She sounds like she laughs a little "On a scale of one to ten how fast is your room spinning right now?"

I squeeze my eyes tightly "eleven"

"Is Joplin with you" she asks.

I shake my head before realising I'm on a call and she can't see me. "I'm switching this to FaceTime"

She sounds surprised "we never FaceTime"

I groan a little "I know... why not" I ask and I fiddle with the buttons trying to switch the camera on to a video call instead.

"I think I just always worry it will make me miss you more... if I can see you" she returns.

I hit the button as it awaits her camera to pop up. All I can see is myself, laying on my side now, white sheet tucked under my arms under my collar bone, and my long hair half covering my chest.

Morgan appears, she is in almost the exact same position in bed, but she clearly had pyjamas on. She looks so beautiful, her blonde hair tucked behind her ear, her helix piercing on display, and her deep blue eyes looking to me lovingly "hi cutie" she says, her lips lifting into a warm smile "how dare you video call me in only a bed sheet... that's illegal somewhere surely... it should be" she says raising her eyebrows suggestively.

I smile amused "sorry... I was too drunk to find clothes....naked is the way to go so I don't knock myself out trying... and anyway it's only me here... Joplin is home, her dad picked us up from the bar"

"So Joplin..." Morgan asks.

I nod. She is going in for one of those killer questions she wants honest answers to.

"She's gay?" She asks.

I roll my eyes around in thought "I mean she's not straight... but she's also not gay... I don't know, Jo kind of falls within the Pan category... she just likes a person but she doesn't consider the gender of that person..."

Morgan thinks about that for a moment, and I smile at her. My goodness I could kiss her right now, her full lips were kind of folded a little against her pillow and she just looked delightful. She sees my look and smiles back lovingly "what are you looking at me like that for" she asks playfully.

I look from her lips to her eyes and just take in every detail of her "I just... love you" I confess.

She sighs "I love you a little bit too..."

"Can I ask" she says sitting herself up and leaning against her headboard.

"Yeah" I return.

"Have you and Joplin ever been a couple or liked each other" she asks a little hesitantly.

I frown, my eyebrows knitting together.

"Not at all" I reply honestly "Jo has always been much more like a sister to me... and honestly I couldn't date a girl who was knee high to a grasshopper... they are cute but dang it would hurt your neck"

Morgan let's out a little laugh "okay it's good to know"

I study her features sensing there was reason to that question that went beyond curiosity. "Did you have an ex who ran off with her friend or something"

She looks back to the screen "More than one" she reveals, as she sinks back down into her pillows.

"Ouch" I reply... "well have no fear... my little Jop is not my type and couldn't be more like a sister" I slur a little at the end of that sentence.

Morgan is amused again. "Leah you are quite intoxicated..." she says looking to my eyes closing a little and the way I try and force them back open "go to sleep ... we can talk tomorrow"

I nod in agreement. My eyelids feel heavy "Night Morgan... I really really really really do love you ya know"

"Goodnight..." she says lovingly "yes I really really really know... and I feel incredibly terrified to admit I feel it too... which goes against all of my plans to keep my heart locked away. I wasn't anticipating Leah WNBA Mitchell coming along with a damn key"

"I'm sorry... if it makes you feel any better" I begin before yawning "I wasn't expecting my key to fit..."

"Well I'm glad it did... because even though it's terrifying... I think you are worth the risk... call me in the morning... I love you"

"Love you Morg... god you look good" I admire.

She shakes her head at my drunken voice.

"And you look far too naked and intoxicated for me to confess my thoughts on you... now go to sleep... your blue eyes are blood shot" she says waving and clicking off.

I drop the phone and close my eyes, a smile spreading over my lips.