;the best is yet to come

I'm a motherfucking Bulls shooting guard!

What the fuck!

Two days after the draft and my multimillion dollar ass is driving through the busiest state in America, taking my baby to the publishers.

Sitting beside me, biting her nails and being scarily silent, I fumble with my phone as I stop at a red light, pressing play on a song I know is gonna cheer her up.

The song begins and her head snaps to me. I keep facing forward, dying not to laugh.

I see in the corner of my eye she's shaking her head.

Out of no where she begins singing mid chorus on the top of her lungs, inevitably scaring me to fucking death.

"Our, our hearts a-thumping. And you, my brown-eyed girl. And you, my brown-eyed girl."

A bubble of laughter erupts from her as she drops her head back against the head rest, hand covering her face as she continuously giggles.

I bolt the volume up full blast, and wind the windows down so every can hear me and my Bella sing like fucking idiots.

"Do you remember when we used to sing? Sha la la la la la la la la la la dee dah!" we rang together, huge lip splitting smiles on our lips.

A short time later I was pulling into the parking lot of Baker and whatever, killing the engine and following Bella towards the tinted glass two door, door.

Bella presses the buzzer and stands shifting nervously until someone answers.

"Good morning, Baker and Brothers. Can I take a name please?" a woman's voice comes through the speaker.

"Hi, hello. It's Tori Quinn, I have an appointment for ten thirty with Taylor."

"Ah, yes, of course. Come on up."

"Thank you."

Another buzzing noise happens and Bella pushes open the door.

As we enter we're brought into a small lobby type area where we walk through another set of doors, down two steps and up to the reception desk where the landline is constantly ringing off the hook.

Buried behind the desk is a middle aged, black haired woman with big red framed glasses that take up 55% of face and hides the purple bags under her eyes.

Looking up with a bright smile when she sets eyes on Bella.

"Tori Quinn?"

Bella nods giving the woman a polite smile.

"Wonderful. Take a seat, Taylor will be right with you." she informs her, nodding towards the seating area behind us.

I lace my fingers with Bella's as we step away and find a seat.

Tori's leg bouncing up and down with an impressive speed.

I lean into my girl and whisper. "Stop fidgeting. You're gonna be fine, baby."

She shoots me a glare and instantly stops bouncing her leg when I place my hand on her knee.

"I'm nervous. What if he hates it?" she mumbles.

I chuckle. "He's not gonna hate it, Bella. And if he does, then he should be out of a job."

She quirks a smile and rolls her beautiful hazel eyes.

A few minutes of waiting later, a tall, slim man with white hair and pale skin approaches us.

"Tori Quinn?" he raises a brow.

Bella stands, stepping towards him with her hand out. He looks down at the brunette beauty and smiles like he's impressed a female had some manners. Jackass.

"I'm Taylor Baker, CEO and chief editor of Baker and Brothers. So nice to finally put a face to a name."

"Wow," Tori breathes, utterly star struck. "Really nice to meet you, Sir. I'm a huge fan."

He gives her a small chuckle as he shakes her tiny hand. "Shall we?"

Bella nods.

As Taylor spins on the heel of his shit flicker shoes, Tori turns around and waves her hand telling me to follow her.

She immediately wraps her hand with mine as we follow the blonde guy down a narrow hallway filled with office doors, finally turning into his.

"Now, I understand you have the whole novel for me today?" he questions as he shuts the door then makes his way behind his desk.

"That's right. I also emailed you the first three chapters as requested." My clever little girl replies.

"You did, I had the pleasure of being the alpha tester." he jokes.

Picking up a pile of papers and flicking through, he pulls out a pink folder which I know 100% is Bella's - opening it up and pulling out a semi big stack of white A4 sheets, sectioned off with pink labels.

"So, Love Is A Noun - " he announces. Bella nods, gripping my hand tighter. "Is a masterpiece." he finishes.

Tori's body visibly relaxes into the seat as she blows out a sigh of relief.

"Honestly, Tori, hands down the best three chapter I've had the honour of reading in the longest time."

"Seriously?" Bella gasps. "Oh my gosh, you have no idea how much that means to me."

Taylor gives her a soft chuckle. "I do have one minor request."

"Yeah, sure. What is it?"

"The dedication." he quickly replies, flicking onto the second page."

Bella tenses again and drops her gaze to her fiddling fingers.

"I suggest instead of using - what I assume - is a nickname, we make it personal and go with their birth name."

Nickname?

"Uh-" she stammers. "Yeah, sure. I can do that."

Taylor leans forward, lacing his fingers and planting them on the desk in front of him.

"So between you and me, who is Baller ?" he smirks, raising a light brow.

Baller?

Me?

Tori covers her mouth as she chokes but covers it with a cough.

I snigger under my breath.

Taylor leans back in his chair and grins. "Ahhh." he hums, delighted.

Tori rolls her neck to the side, avoiding my smug smirk by all costs.

"Well, aside from that, which I do apologise for-" he snickers. "I'm very happy with what you have so far. If the rest of the book is half as good as the first three chapters, I don't see why we wouldn't take you on. Me, personally to be your editor."

Bella's mouth gapes as her jaw drops. "You're serious?"

Taylor nods, a reassuring smile.

He's just made my girls dreams come true, he has no idea.

"That would be amazing. Thank you!"

"No, thank you, Tori Quinn - I was beginning to think your generation was a lost cause. You, my dear, have given me back all hope."

"Wow. This is, crazy."

"So, I'll be in contact?"

"I can't wait." Bella breathes out, still stunned. "And thank you again, Mr Baker."

"Not a problem. Keep writing, I just know we're going to make a great team."

Bella nods.

The fresh air still wasn't enough to bring Bella back down to earth.

Then all of a sudden she bursts into a squeal, leaping into my arms as she giggles with pure child-like excitement.

"Ahh, I'm so proud of you, baby!" I grin into her hair. Vanilla and cherries washing over me.

"He loved it, Baller. He actually fucking loved it!" She exclaims as I spin her around by my car.

Placing her on her feet, little black heels clicking against the concrete ground, I cup her cheeks, running my thumb over her cheekbone.

"Of course he loved it, baby. You wrote it, and you're amazing." I tell her in a whisper.

Pushing up onto her tip toes, she presses her lips against mine, flicking my bottom lip with her tongue before pulling it between her teeth.

"I love you, Baller."

I groan, then smirk. "Speaking of Baller." I taunt against her warm mouth. "Dedication, huh?"

She sighs out a laugh. "Mhm."

We pull back, staring at each other with goofy ass grins plastered on our faces.

The New York breeze gently whipping her curls across her face, I reach up and tuck the loose hair behind her ear, leaving my knuckles to linger across the side of her face.

"I love you."

"Three steps, Baller."

"Three steps."

She nods.

Three steps, complete.