The three months following their reunion constituted the end of the regular playing season for Kip. A sort of routine formed over those months. During the week if he had time off he would come up and stay with them at her townhouse. If he was off on the weekends or playing in town, she and Colton would make the trip down there. And when he was out of town, they talked via their webcams.

The euphoria of the new relationship faded in comfortably of togetherness. But, it felt like there was something nagging in the back of her mind all the time. The same thing that nagged her has a teenager.

Once again, he was the popular guy about town. And she was this recluse, not only was she a geek, but she was overweight. She didn't have the thick glasses anymore, thankfully. She hadn't worn braces since the year before she met Kip. She no longer felt awkward in her own body. But she wasn't suave or cool. While the spotlight on him wasn't that big, there was still some.

Besides that, there was always the possibility of a trade. He'd told her that his contract was only for a year. After that, he didn't know what he was going to do. And she'd been afraid to ask. Time and again, she'd wanted to ask, it had been on the tip of her tongue. But, the fear that he was going to say, "I'd move and I'd ask you to come with me," was always present in her mind.