Take Your Shot, page 1
Table of Contents
Cover
Synopsis
Bella Books Social Media
Praise for the works of Riley Scott
Other Bella Books by Riley Scott
About the Author
Title Page
Copyright
Acknowledgment
Dedication
Logan’s Playlist for Carter
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Bella Books
Synopsis
Sometimes, the girl who has it all—really doesn’t.
At first glance, high-school basketball superstar Logan Watts is living the American dream—perfect grades, perfect appearance, perfect boyfriend, and a college athletic scholarship already lined up. But if people looked deeper, they’d see Logan is plagued by the loss of her older brother and unending internal questions about what’s missing from her life. Logan’s world is turned upside down when she catches Carter Shaw—the witty and stylish head of the school newspaper, and the only out lesbian in school—staring at her in class.
A high-school romance is not on Carter’s radar. She just wants to survive the year so she can move on and enjoy the freedoms of college. But when a chance encounter puts her alone with Logan for hours, Carter discovers just how much they have in common.
And Logan realizes Carter could be that thing she’s felt was missing all along…
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Praise for the works of Riley Scott
A Time to Speak
This book is a romance, murder mystery, political statement, and family drama all rolled into one, and it pulls off all facets in fine style. Amelia is in the closet, so far back in it she could see Narnia. Dominique is a great blend of strong with a hint of vulnerable. Alongside the two leading women, Scott has also created portrayals of some key figures in the town. When I first started reading these multiple points of view I feared I’d get lost in all their stories, or that it would be spread a bit thin. Groundless fears, it turns out, as Scott’s masterful use of these points of view only adds delicious richness to the story. It is fantastic writing, brilliant weaving of a story, and I couldn’t put it down. Highly recommended.
-Rainbow Book Reviews
I really liked the tone of the book. It would be too easy to have created a dark story of inner turmoil and grief, with negative emotions and a violent display of ignorance and discrimination. Riley Scott, however, tells the story with almost a confidence that, even if it is only possible to win the fight with one person, then that one person is important.
-The Lesbian Review
Backstage Pass
Backstage Pass is a celebrity romance with an out-of-control rock goddess and her new PR rep. It’s a little grittier than I’m used to seeing in celebrity romances, and it works well. Reading a new-to-me author is always an adventure because I never know if I’m going to like them, love them, or walk away and never look back. I had never read anything by Riley Scott before, and I was more than pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. It’s very well plotted and perfectly paced, and I found myself wanting to shut out the world so I could just focus on Backstage Pass.
-The Lesbian Review
This is a great read. Strong personalities, a solid and well-drawn setting and a plausible and well-constructed plot. Riley Scott fills in detail on a wide range of characters as well as Raven and Chris, creating a good grounding for the plausibility of their interactions. Their behaviours are believable, and even when Chris breaks her own rules we can see how she has been swept up in the rush of life on the road.
-Lesbian Reading Room
Other Bella Books by Riley Scott
Backstage Pass
Conservative Affairs
On the Rocks
Small Town Secrets
A Time to Speak
About the Author
In addition to having published poetry and short stories, Riley Scott has worked as a grant and press writer and a marketing professional. She holds a degree in journalism. Riley’s love for fiction began at a young age, and she has been penning stories for over a decade. Her days and her writing alike are fueled by strong coffee, humor, people watching, and just enough daydreaming to craft imaginative novels. She lives in Pensacola, Florida, with the love of her life and their three beloved dogs, as well as six chickens who provide comic relief, as well as breakfast.
Copyright © 2022 by Riley Scott
Bella Books, Inc.
P.O. Box 10543
Tallahassee, FL 32302
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, without permission in writing from the publisher.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.
First Edition - 2022
Editor: Kay Grey
Cover Artwork: Heather Dickerman
Cover Designer: Judith Fellows
ISBN: 978-1-64247-353-7
PUBLISHER’S NOTE
The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized print or electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials.Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.
Acknowledgment
Bringing to life any story takes a fair amount of time, research, and support. I’m beyond grateful to my wife, who indulges me by listening to me chatter on endlessly about characters she hasn’t yet met, listening to music that I think just fits the story, brainstorming ideas with me, and of course taking over the cooking while I hole up in my office and write. This story was inspired by my wife, who asked me one day years ago if we would have dated in high school. We laughed and dreamt up a scenario, where I was on the basketball team, and she was a reporter for the school newspaper. While that was only the starting point for two characters who took on lives, personalities, and stories of their own, I credit her for being such a strong influence on my creativity and my belief in love that conquers all. Thank you, my love, for your unwavering support and for lending your artistic talents to create such a fun book cover.
As a former basketball player and lifelong lover of the game, it was a pleasure to revisit my glory days and breathe life into this story. I’m grateful to my teammates for the lasting memories, and to my former hometown of Albuquerque, New Mexico, for the many wonderful experiences I had there. It was an incredible experience to relive moments, both on the court and at my old stomping grounds, through this story.
I’m incredibly grateful for Kay Grey, who helped me edit this story and bring it to life. Thank you to my friends in the Twitter community for always providing support and encouragement when I need it the most. Thank you to the readers who encourage me and continue to devour books, so we can all write more. Thank you to one of my old friends and an amazing math teacher for walking me through a calculus lesson via text, but making sure I didn’t actually have to learn it, since I’m mathematically challenged. Also, thank you to every one of my friends who answers my random texts for book research purposes, whether it’s playlist inspiration, quotes, or fashion. Finally, I am eternally grateful to my friends and family who keep me laughing each day, support my work, and remind me of all the beauty in the world.
Dedication
For all who have struggled to find their own identity, all the queer youth waiting for the right time to come out, all who have had to face insurmountable trauma and come out stronger on the other side, all the basketball fans, budding journalists, music lovers, and dreamers, this story was written with you in mind.
Logan’s Playlist for Carter
Listen on Spotify – “Take Your Shot” by Riley Scott
The Beatles – “I Want to Hold Your Hand”
Dua Lipa – “If It Ain’t Me”
Halsey – “Finally // beautiful stranger”
Ruth B. – “Dandelions”
Joan Jett & The Blackhearts – “Crimson and Clover”
Adaline – “Cross the Line”
blink-182 – “All the Small Things”
&nbs
Faime – “Feels Like You”
Chapter One
Around her, sneakers squeaked on the cheap tile of the school hallway. The fluorescent bulbs overhead whirred, and in the distance, Carter could hear the click of someone’s heels.
Who was impractical enough to wear heels to high school? She shook her head, drowning out the noise of the hundreds of voices, and focused on the book in her hand.
“Could you be any more predictable?” Her best friend, Aiden, leaned against the locker next to her, smiling. He was always far more chipper than should have been allowed before eight o’clock in the morning.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She shrugged, marked her place in the book with a receipt from this morning’s coffee purchase and shoved it in her locker.
“Let’s see.” Aiden laughed and held up his hand to count off his list dramatically. “Number one, we’ve got the oversized iced coffee, despite the snow on the ground outside. Number two, we’re reading Poe this morning. How very on-brand and gloomy for you. And, number three, what is that lip color?”
Carter brought her hand up to her mouth, defensively touching her lips. “What’s wrong with it?”
“It’s amazing,” he said, shaking his head. “It’s not an insult…It’s just…it’s purple.”
“I thought I’d try out something new.” She pushed her glasses up on her nose and looked him up and down. “You’re one to talk about predictability,” she said, shaking her head. “You look like you’re ready for a job interview at a CPA firm.”
“Is the bow tie too much?” He adjusted it and ran a hand through his shoulder-length blond hair.
“Probably, considering we’re only on our way to AP English.”
“Here,” he said, handing her a breakfast burrito. “This is to keep the peace after interrupting your reading.”
“Thank you,” she said, taking it and inspecting the yellow wrapper from her favorite breakfast joint. She held the warm gift in her hand and breathed it in, smiling as she saw the writing on the side of the wrapper. “Egg, cheese, potato, and green chile?”
“Would I get you anything else?”
She thought about hugging him, but offered a smile instead. As she unwrapped the bundle of joy—a true gift from the gods if there ever were one—she glanced across the hallway and watched as the doors from the gym opened.
Freshly showered, and somehow miraculously put together, the basketball team breezed into the school building as if they were on a runway. She could picture it—a fog machine, dance music playing, and each of them taking their chance to walk down the hallway and do a turn. She shook her head. Even without the added theatrics, it was quite the show. Morning practices were another gift from the gods, she decided. She tried to swallow a bite of her burrito and choked, as her mouth went dry.
Was it considered gay panic if she wasn’t afraid of her sexuality, but was just a lesbian who had anxiety around every pretty girl she saw? She pondered the thought, as she forced herself to look away from the beauty before her. Of course, there were a couple of them who stood out, but all of them had the power to turn her into an even bigger sports fan than she already was.
“You show every emotion on your face.” Aiden’s laughter beside her drew her out of her thoughts. “Why don’t you try talking to one of them one day?”
She shook her head, quickly dismissing the notion.
“Oh, is there one in particular?”
“No,” she snapped. “There’s not. And there probably won’t be. Not here anyway.” She sighed and looked at the calendar in her locker. “Not until next year.”
“Why not?”
She stared at him, trying to figure out if it was ignorance or just his lack of dating that made him ask the question. Perhaps it was a little of both.
“In order to have a relationship between two girls, both parties involved have to, in fact, like girls.” She exhaled sharply and took another bite of her burrito.
“You’re going to sit there and tell me that not one single female basketball player at this school bats for your team?”
“Oh, come on, I know you know that’s the wrong sport,” she shot back, looking back to where the crowd of players had now dispersed.
Directly across from her, she watched as Logan Watts chatted with her boyfriend, Barrett. She heard Logan’s laugh ring out into the stuffy air, changing the atmosphere for a second and adding an ethereal element. Logan smiled and turned away from him, pulling her thick, long hair into a ponytail. Its color was like amber honey, somewhere between blond and brunette, and adding yet another layer to Logan’s beauty. As she reached up to secure her hair, the movement pulled her hoodie up just above the top of her jeans, exposing the small of her back.
Carter looked away, not wanting to exploit the moment.
“What is wrong with you?” Aiden asked, stepping between her and Logan.
“Nothing.” She finished her burrito and walked past Aiden, tossing the wrapper in the trash. “Thank you for breakfast. I’ve got you covered tomorrow.”
“Deal.” He grabbed his books and fell in step beside her, as they followed Logan and Barrett toward the English room.
Barrett grabbed Logan’s hand, and Carter winced.
“Are you jealous?”
“No,” she said. “I mean, not of him.” She kept her voice low, her eyes never leaving their entwined hands. “I just don’t think they have any idea how lucky they are.”
“Those two?” Aiden stopped and turned to face Carter. “They’re in a sham of a relationship if I’ve ever seen one.”
“They look pretty happy to me,” she said, craning her neck to watch them for another second as they turned around the corner.
“Word on the street is they don’t even sleep together.”
Carter laughed at the grimace on Aiden’s face. “You know, first of all, that’s none of our business. Second, you don’t have to have sex with someone just to be in a relationship.”
“True.” He popped a piece of gum in his mouth and nodded, as if he was considering the fact. “But, I guess her logic is that she doesn’t want to get pregnant and screw up her scholarship to UNM.” He shifted his weight and his stack of books to gesture with his right hand. Holding his hand in the air, he wagged his finger. “Everyone knows there’s birth control.”
“She doesn’t owe anyone an explanation, not even Barrett. If you’re trying to make me feel better, this weird anti-feminist shit isn’t the way to do it.”
“Sorry.” He glanced down to the floor. “I guess you’re right. Just seems like there’s something missing there.”
“There might be, but as two people who have virtually zero dating experience, I don’t think we get a say.”
“Fine.” He resumed the walk to class and put his arm around her. “But, I’d like the record to show I called it when they don’t last.”
“Noted.”
As she took her seat, she fought to keep her eyes off Logan. Was it lust or a crush, or was she just enamored by someone who looked so confident, so at ease with herself? Liking girls was confusing sometimes. She bit her lip, as she watched Logan fish something out of her backpack and then lean back in her chair.
The level of coolness, without all the usual jackassery that came with it, just seemed impossible somehow. Logan stretched her neck side to side and glanced over in Carter’s direction. She smiled and nodded, before turning her eyes to the front of the room. Carter’s breath caught in her throat. She dropped her pencil to the desk, grabbing it quickly before it rolled to the ground. She gulped and looked down at the floor to still her thoughts. She’d been caught staring like a creep.
She grabbed the Hydro Flask from her bag and took a long sip, hoping her heart rate would return to normal at some point.
