Page 82 of Buzzer Beater

“I want to say we’ll figure it out,” I said, “but I know you want more. I don’t know what we’ll do for sure. We have options and we can look into them, but for the immediate future we’ll take turns visiting each other.”

She sighed. “I knew this wasn’t a love story.”

I searched her face. How could she say something like that? “What do you mean?”

She looked up. “We’re a tragedy. Destined for peril.”

I was not going to let this happen again. I wouldn’t let her slip back into that mentality. “Hey, things might be hard at first but we’re going to figure something out. I promise.”

She nodded and leaned against me. “Okay. I’ll trust you.”

I let out a sigh and rested my chin on her head. I wasn’t sure what we were going to do, but there had to be an answer.

I’d already told her I would request to be traded, but I wasn’t sure how that could work. It’s not like Coach would approve. I’d probably have to take it up with management and our owner.

Could I do that? Could I leave these guys?

I looked around the table as my chest tightened. They were my family. We’d played side by side for years.

But there was Lucy. She was everything to me. I couldn't lose her again. That would be worse than leaving the team.

Fine. I’d do it. I’d have to find out the proper channels to ask, but I’d at least try to get traded to the San Jose team. I cringed at the thought of wearing another team’s jersey.

This would be the hardest thing I’d ever do. Well, next to letting Lucy leave me.

The back and forth in my brain was exhausting. There was nothing I could do about it now, though. I pushed all the worries out of my mind, for now.

23

Lucy

“We’re having a sleepover,” Emma announced later that day at dinner.

I looked around the table, but no one argued with her.

“Okay,” I said. It wasn’t like I could say no. I was at the mercy of these ladies.

She looked around the table and the rest of the group agreed.

“Will you guys drag in a mattress for us?” Kendall asked Wyatt, batting her eyelashes.

He rolled his eyes. “Fine, but if we get yelled at again, I’m directing them to you.”

She shrugged in response. “We’re leaving tomorrow, so it doesn’t matter.”

“I guess we’re never coming back to this resort.” Colin joked.

“Let’s head back,” Madeline said, yawning. “We can have dessert sent later.”

We’d been hanging out in the restaurant talking for hours. I was surprised we hadn’t been asked to leave yet. I’d been resting against Colin, enjoying being a part of this group.

“Are you tired?” He whispered but Kendall heard.

“No. She’s not. Right, Lucy?”

I sat up. “I’m fine.”

Kendall smiled. “See, we have a long night ahead of us.”