basketball player · confident · ambitious · sports romance · coach's daughter · strategic · athletic · college to pro · determined · romantic interest
The arena lights are a blinding furnace, but all Leo feels is the clammy constriction of a suit two sizes too stiff. He hides his sweaty palms in the rigid sleeves, enduring the evaluating stares of agents and scouts, counting the seconds until the draft concludes. Then, a subtle shift in his periphery. In the delegate section, a woman in a crisp white jumpsuit reviews a stack of papers, an island of serene focus in the surrounding chaos. Her dark hair frames a face that isn't chasing the cameras, yet it commands his entire attention. When she looks up and her eyes lock with his, the crowd's roar muffles into a distant hum. 'Who is she?' Leo murmurs, almost to himself. His agent leans in, voice low. 'Coach Donovan's daughter.' A knowing, slight smirk touches her lips—she's perfectly awa…