Chapter 9

The Black Angel was buzzing with life, the dim lighting and jazzy music setting the perfect ambiance for a night out. Seated at a round table near the back, Caitlin leaned against her chair, her fingers drumming lightly on the table as she waited. Across from her, Kate smirked, her eyes full of mischief.

“Alright, Cait, spill. From the top,” Kate ordered. “Tell us everything about this journalist you’re so down bad for.”

Gabbie and Jada leaned in, eager for the full story. Caitlin sighed, knowing there was no way out of this interrogation.

“Fine,” Caitlin huffed, crossing her arms. “Her name is Sienna Callaway. She’s a journalist for ESPN. I met her for the first time when she asked me for an interview before my game against the Connecticut Sun.”

“And?” Jada prompted, raising an eyebrow.

Caitlin exhaled sharply. “And the second I saw her, I was mesmerized. Blonde hair, emerald-green eyes. She looked like she walked straight out of a movie.”

Kate grinned. “Cait, you sound like you’re writing a romance novel.”

“Shut up,” Caitlin muttered, rolling her eyes. “Anyway, we met again at the club on my birthday. She was there with her friends Mia and Camden. We talked, danced a little-“

“Define danced,” Gabbie interrupted with a teasing grin.

Caitlin ignored her. “Then I found out her dad is Jake Callaway, the Jake Callaway. And, to top it all off, she just moved into my building. We’re neighbors now.”

The table went silent for a moment as the information sank in. Then, Jada let out a low whistle.

“Damn, Cait,” Jada said, shaking her head in amusement. “You’re down bad. Like, so bad. And the universe is practically shoving her in your path.”

“Okay, can we stop acting like this is a big deal?” Caitlin tried to brush it off, but her ears were burning.

Kate gave her a knowing look. “Oh, it’s a big deal all right.”

Before Caitlin could argue, the restaurant door swung open.

The moment Caitlin looked up, her breath caught in her throat.

Sienna stood at the entrance, scanning the room. She wore a soft pink, off-shoulder summer dress, her blonde hair in a messy bun. She looked effortless. Stunning. And when her emerald eyes met Caitlin’s hazel ones, Caitlin felt her heart do a ridiculous little flip.

Silently, Caitlin lifted her hand and waved Sienna over.

Sienna approached, her movements graceful but hesitant. Caitlin knew she was nervous about meeting her friends, but Sienna masked it well, a soft smile gracing her lips. When she reached the table, Caitlin immediately stood up and pulled out a chair for her.

As Sienna sat, Caitlin leaned down, her lips close to Sienna’s ear.

“You look stunning, Sunshine,” she murmured.

A faint blush dusted Sienna’s cheeks. “Thank you,” she whispered back.

After Caitlin settled in her seat, Sienna looked around the table and gave a small wave.

Caitlin cleared her throat. “Um… Sienna, these are my best friends and Iowa teammates-Gabbie, Jada, and Kate. And guys, this is Sienna Callaway, the journalist I was talking about.”

The reaction was instant.

Kate, Gabbie, and Jada let out excited squeals before standing up to hug a very startled Sienna. At first, she tensed, but then she started laughing, her soft giggles lighting up the space around them.

Caitlin couldn’t help but grin at the sight.

Kate, catching Caitlin’s expression, smirked and mouthed, Whipped.

Caitlin glared at her but didn’t deny it.

As the girls settled down and ordered their food, the conversation flowed easily. Jada and Gabbie bombarded Sienna with questions-about her work, her life, and then the dreaded one:

“So, are you single?” Jada asked casually.

Sienna took a sip of her drink before answering. “I actually have a boyfriend. His name is Joseph Mendes.”

A loud clank echoed through the table.

All eyes turned toward Caitlin, who had just stabbed her fork hard into her steak.

“What the hell, Cait ?” Gabbie frowned.

Caitlin cleared her throat, quickly coming up with an excuse. “Uh, my steak’s still raw.”

Sienna raised a curious brow.

Kate snorted, clearly seeing through Caitlin’s excuse.

As the night progressed, Caitlin struggled to focus on the conversation. Her eyes kept drifting back to Sienna-how the soft pink of her dress complimented her skin, the way her eyes sparkled when she laughed, the way she absentmindedly tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

“She really looks good in pink,” Caitlin thought. “”Wow. and that dress, Damn that dress.”

By the time they finished eating and paid the bill, everyone was in high spirits.

“It was great meeting you, Sienna!” Jada grinned as they stood up to leave.

“You have to hang out with us again,” Gabbie added, hugging her.

Sienna smiled warmly. “I’d love that.”

Kate hugged Caitlin goodbye, but before pulling away, she leaned in and whispered, “Caitlin, make your move. Her boyfriend doesn’t matter. And if you think staying with Connor makes you happy… think again.”

Caitlin’s breath hitched at Kate’s words, but before she could respond, Kate was already walking away.

Caitlin exhaled sharply, running a hand through her hair.

Caitlin turned to Sienna. “So, do you need a ride to your hotel, Sunshine ?”

Sienna shook her head. “No, it’s okay, Clark. I have my own car, but thanks.”

They stepped outside into the cool night air, and Sienna instinctively wrapped her arms around herself.

Without a word, Caitlin shrugged off her jacket and draped it over Sienna’s shoulders.

Sienna blinked in surprise but smiled. “Thanks.”

Caitlin looked away, but out of the corner of her eye, she saw Sienna subtly sniff the fabric. A soft smile crept onto Caitlin’s lips, but she pretended not to notice.

As they reached their cars-coincidentally parked beside each other-Sienna moved to take off the jacket and return it.

Before she could completely take it off, She felt Caitlin’s hand on top of her’s “No Sunshine, Don’t take it off, it suits you. You can keep it.”

Sienna looked up at her, eyes wide. “Caitlin-“

“Just take it,” Caitlin said casually. “Think of it as a gift.”

“But it’s expensive,” Sienna protested, gripping the lapels.

Caitlin was already heading to her car. “Too late, Sunshine.” She threw a mischievous wink over her shoulder. “See you at home.”

As Caitlin drove off, Sienna watched her go, a small smile tugging at her lips.

“You’re impossible, Clark,” she mumbled to herself. “What are you doing to me?”

Authors Note :

Hey guys sorry for the late chapter, I’ve been occupied with schoolwork and other stuff…. Also sorry for this boring chapter I’ll try making it interesting…. This chapter is not proofread so please excuse my grammatical errors and don’t we all just love jealous Caitlin Clark…. Until next time my Lovely readers.

XoXo V 💜💜💜