Page 50 of Buzzer Beater

I shook my head. It hadn’t exactly come up. “We haven’t talked about it.”

“She’s a project manager for a tech company in Silicon Valley. She manages twenty people and gets to use her degree, but the best part is that she actually enjoys it.”

“She told you that?”

Chloe nodded. “She has a life in California. Being together would mean you asking her to give that up. It’s not as simple as things were back in college. She’s not going to be as willing to follow you wherever your career takes you.”

That was a lot to swallow. I knew Lucy hadn’t been sitting around waiting for me to come back. She had a life and goals and dreams. Once upon a time we had shared those things. All of that changed when I left for the Olympics, though.

I hadn’t realized at the time all that I was giving up.

I don’t know if I would have gone if I’d known back then. It was too late now to change things. I had to face the consequences of my decisions, all the good and all the bad.

Chloe’s eyes softened. “You still have a shot. Don’t give up just because it’s hard.”

Reese nodded. “I’ve never known you to be a quitter.”

I leaned back and ran my hand over my face. “You’re right.”

I’d been acting like this was going to be easy. Like all I had to do was get her alone and she’d fall back in love with me.

I had a lot of work to do if we could make this work again. I knew what I wanted, but I wasn’t sure about her. She’d pushed me away so far, but was that because she’d been hurt or because she really didn’t care about me anymore?

I couldn’t let myself even think about the latter option. I had to hold onto hope.

The van pulled into a parking lot and Alma turned to us. “We’re here. We’re going to spend one and a half hours here then we leave for the cenote.”

He got out before opening our door and allowing us to file out.

I looked back to see Emma wake up Lucy. I smiled in her direction before stepping out.

I walked slowly, hoping she would catch up to me. Grant stayed with me until the other van pulled up and Lucy’s friends jumped out.

“Well hello there, ladies,” Grant said.

I rolled my eyes and turned as he put his arms around the shoulders of two of the women.

Elena walked past me and looped her arm through Lucy’s. I stayed far enough away to go unnoticed, but I could hear Elena speaking.

“What are you doing? You’re avoiding him.”

I didn’t hear Lucy’s response, so I hurried a bit to catch up.

“…doesn’t even want me here.”

“He does, or he wouldn’t have invited us.”

“He hasn’t spoken to me.”

I cringed. She had noticed. My nerves had caused her to think I was ignoring her and didn't want her around.

I didn't know what to say or how to shift the focus away from our past to our now. Or building a now. Currently she was closer to the girls than me. I was glad they all clicked. Not all of the girls had meshed so well at first, but I wanted her to spend time with me.

“…was a mistake.” I only caught the end of what Lucy said but it was enough. I slowed down to let them get ahead. Today was not going as I'd hoped.

What had I been thinking? Trying to force her to spend time with me?

“What’s going on, Brassard?” I looked over my shoulder to Erik walking up to me.