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Not this time

She threw herself back into her office project, until her phone rang She picked it up, surprised to hear Dedrick Coleman on the line

"Dedrick, how are you?"

"Fine, Elizabeth, and you?"

"Great, thanks What can I do for you?"

"You can possibly beco to be a good day or what? "Definitely interested Is your contract up with your current agent?"

"Yeah The guy is a dumb-ass Overlooked sos that iven hi Can we talk?"

"Certainly What does your schedule look like?"

"Well, you can see our garandparents are flying in on Saturday for this big anniversary party we’re planning for theet this settled one way or another as soon as possible I don’t want it weighing onhere and Shawnelle breathing down h about the party"

"I understand My calendar is clear the next few days You just let aao sos ironed out"

"Uh, Dedrick, I assu Gavin anymore"

"Yeah, believearound the clubhouse ever since you dumped him"

"I didn’t dump him"

"Whatever you say, honey Look, I like you Your shit with Gavin is between the two of you I just want a good agent, and I think you’re a good agent But if you think there’s a conflict because me and Gavin are friends"

"I didn’t say that I can aet to see you You aren’t going to cut off your friendship with her just because of you and Gavin, are you?"

Now that he said it, it sounded petty of her And selfish "Of course not"

"Good I’ll leave a ticket for you at the box office, and I’ll see you after the game tomorrow afternoon"

"That sounds fine, Dedrick"

"And thanks for agreeing to do this on such short notice"

"It’s no proble up, laid her phone down, and sat in her chair Well, hell She was hoping to avoid the Rivers--and seeing Gavin--at least until she could get her riotous e to have to suck it up No as she passing up on the chance to pick up another new client just because she ht see Gavin

Besides, he’d be out on the field She’d be in the stands It was unlikely he’d even be aware she was there

IT WAS UNSEASONABLY HOT IN THE STANDS SHE’D much prefer to be in the owner’s suite, where it was shady and airconditioned

Then again, there was nothing like seats behind the dugout as far as the best view And hanging out with Shawnelle and Haley again onderful She’d ain ooey inside

"We were afraid you had dumped us just because you fired Gavin and broke up with hi like the brutal honesty of youth "I would never do that"

"You haven’t been around," Hayley said

"I’ve been really busy"

"Busy avoiding us and Gavin You weren’t planning on hanging out with us anyh that’s exactly what she’d planned to do Now that she was here though, she was asha it So what if she and Gavin weren’t together anymore? That didn’t mean she couldn’t have spa days with Shawnelle and Haley or have lunch with theo out for drinks and dinner once in a while

She’d gone her whole life without girlfriends And then she’d found a few in Shawnelle, Haley, and even Jenna She didn’t intend to close herself off just because all of these women were in some way connected to Gavin

She’d have to deal with it And so would he

It was nice to be at a Rivers gaain This was her hoo, and she wasn’t going to pretend otherwise Of course as an agent, she wasn’t supposed to have an allegiance to any professional team since she represented so many players from so many different teams

But no one had to know the Rivers were her favorites, did they?

She ate a hot dog, had a soda, and enjoyed catching up with Haley and Shawnelle

"Where are the kids, Shawnelle? I thought they’d be at the gaame, but they’re at the pool with et the house ready for his grandparents arrival It’s one big coordinated effort for their sixty-fifth wedding anniversary"

"A, that’s sweet And how nice of you to throw a party"

"Dedrick loves his Gao to college, so he feels like he owes them And they’re just so damn proud of him"

"It’s nice to have that kind of family support, isn’t it?"

"Yes, it is"

"And how about you, Haley? How have you been?"

"Great Enrolled in school for the su classes"