Page 27 of Buzzer Beater

I blew out a breath. “We were.”

“Until the Olympics?” Madi asked.

I nodded.

“He told me he tried to reach out to you, about a year later.” Chloe’s deep brown eyes were locked on mine.

I closed my eyes while Amber gasped next to me. “You never told me that.”

I turned to her. “There was nothing to tell.”

All eyes were on me.

“He called, and I didn’t answer. He left a message about how he missed me and that what we had was special. He wanted to know if there was a chance we could get back together.”

“Why didn’t you call him back?” Madi asked in a quiet voice.

I looked at her, wondering why I was sharing this. I didn’t owe any of these people an explanation, but something in me wanted to. I wanted them to know. Maybe I was just sick of holding it in, or maybe I wanted them to see my side.

“There was no point.”

Amber grabbed my hand. “Why?”

I clenched my fists on my lap. “I couldn’t give him what he wanted.”

8

Colin

Between the sun, swimming, and constantly being aware of where I was in relation to Lucy, I was exhausted.

She seemed to have fun on the boat. I saw her smiling a lot, especially after the snorkeling, which was all I wanted. She deserved to be happy, and if it meant me keeping my distance that was fine.

When Manuel pulled out the bins to have us return our gear, I held back until I saw Lucy. When she got in line I stepped in behind her. A million things to say ran through my head, but all I got out was. “Oh.”

I’d dropped my mask and bent down to get it, at the same time she did. I stopped and locked eyes with her. My hand was frozen in midair, waiting for her to make the next move.

I swear I saw a flicker of something, something not sad, in her caramel eyes.

“Here.” She held the mask out to me before standing and dumping her gear in the closest bin. I stood frozen for several heartbeats. That was the closest we’d been in five years and it felt the same, yet so different.

I blew out a breath and dropped my gear.

When we got back to the dock, I headed in the back up to our room with Grant.

“I can’t decide what I want the most right now. A shower, a nap, or food.” He grumbled as he slowly trudged up the stairs.

I laughed. “I feel the same. I do know that a shower has to come before nap though. I don’t want to sleep in sandy sheets tonight.”

He groaned. “But that takes more work.”

I slapped his back. “Sorry.”

The girls turned in the hallway and were just in front of us. I wanted so badly to stop them to ask what they found out. It wasn’t in their nature to mind their own business. They had to know something, but I wanted to respect Lucy’s privacy. Give her the distance she demanded.

Curiosity won. “Hey Chloe,” I called out.

She stopped and turned. “Yes, Brassard?”