“You wouldn’t know him, but he’s pretty famous too. He plays in the NBA. I know that sort of thing wouldn’t impress you. It didn’t really impress me either at first, but now I find myself just a little bit curious. I wish I could watch him play before he leaves. Oh, did I mention that part? He’s leaving in twelve days to go play basketball in the Olympics.” I laugh. “Yes. The Olympics. You and I didn’t watch much sports growing up except for when the Summer Games came on. Remember how much we loved watching the gymnasts in Rio a few years back?”
There’s a knock on her door and I know it’s time for me to go. They’ll want to help Nan with her supper then get her ready for bed, and I’ll just be in the way.
I stand to gather my things, about to head out when I get intercepted by Lori, one of the women who works in administration. She looks tired and I think, not for the first time, what a tough job it would be to work in a place like this.
“Raelynn, do you have a second? I’d like to discuss a couple things with you.”
My stomach drops. I’ve been worried about this day for a long time. Either I’m too overdue on bills here or her disease is progressing faster than they thought it would. Lori never pulls me aside with good news. I eye the hallway behind her, contemplating for a brief second whether or not I could just bolt.
“—whether you want to focus on occupational therapy two times a week or—”
I frown and refocus my attention on her, not sure I fully understand what she was saying.
“Occupational therapy?”
“Yes. We’ve not been able to offer it to your grandmother before now. As you know, specialists like that are expensive in a private facility like ours, but the lump sum that the foundation donated will afford her any specialist she might need. I’ve been in touch with her care team and they’ve suggested occupational therapy as well as speech therapy. We also have someone we could bring in from Austin who’s done music therapy with our patients before, and we’ve seen wonderful results. As you know, we can’t reverse the prognosis of your grandmother’s disease, but with the right combination of medications and therapies, we can greatly—”
“Lori, what in the world are you talking about? What lump sum? What foundation?”
She frowns, looking just about as confused as I am.
I’m glad it’s a long drive from Nan’s facility to where the basketball team is training. It gives me enough time to work through a whole gambit of emotions, starting with rage and leveling off at simmering annoyance by the time I park and step out of my car. I have no idea where to find Ben. I don’t know which cabin is his and I don’t know if he’d even be there right now. There’re people milling around everywhere though, security guards and staff. I had to check in just like last time, and for a split second I panicked that I wouldn’t be allowed to stay since I don’t have a cleaning job here or anything, but apparently, I’m on some list of approved guests. Ben’s doing, I’m sure. That innocuous action is another tally mark against him in my book. Don’t ask me why.
I walk up to a security guard standing near the parking area and try to give him a convincing smile. “Sir, do you know if the players are still practicing?”
He shakes his head. “They’re eating dinner,” he says, nodding toward the main house behind him. “You can go on in. Most of the wives and girlfriends eat in there too.”
Over my dead body.
I can’t imagine what it would feel like to walk in there, all eyes on me.
“Okay if I just sit out here for a bit instead?”
He shrugs and I get the sense he couldn’t care less about what I do, so I go back to the car, climb up onto the trunk, resting my feet on the back fender, and wait.
The sun creeps down, starting to hide behind the dense forest around the property. I garner a few curious stares from passersby, but they all leave me alone. Eventually, guys start filtering out of the main house. They must have wrapped up practice well before dinner because they all look showered and most are wearing comfy lounge clothes. I spot Trey and Leanna and wave. She beams and hurries over, tugging Trey behind her.
“I didn’t know you were coming over today! I would have made you come inside for dinner.” She frowns. “Wait—why are you sitting out here anyway? You look like you’ve been waiting a while.”
I pray the security guard can’t hear me as I lie. “Only a few minutes. I wanted to have a word with Ben.”
“Want me to go in and grab him?” Trey asks.
I should tell him yes, but I don’t want to inconvenience him. “It’s okay. I’m sure he’ll be out here eventually.”
Leanna nods. “Right, well, we could wait with you if you want?”
Trey shakes his head. “No need. Here he comes now.”
I follow Trey’s gaze to find Ben walking out of the house alongside an older black man with a shaved head and a neatly trimmed goatee.
“That’s our coach,” Trey supplies.
Ben walks with the man for a few more yards while they talk and then he branches off, turning to head toward the cabins. He looks down at the ground for a second and then glances up and Trey waves, catching his attention.
He spots us and my body goes rigid.
Was it really only last night that we were in the back seat of his car?
It seems impossible.
I can barely hold his gaze, barely look at him as I remember what it felt like to lie naked underneath him. I feel like my whole body is buzzing with nervous energy. His brown eyes crinkle at the sides as he takes me in from afar, a playful smile tugging at the edge of his lips. He’s happy to see me. Happy I showed up here after last night.
“We’ll let you two talk,” Trey says, pushing Leanna along even though she protests.
“I’ll come see you at the diner this week!” she calls, but I don’t even respond. “Sorry I couldn’t come in for pancakes this morning. I overslept.”
I’m too caught up in Ben’s approach to worry about what she’s saying. Too scared all of a sudden of the discussion we’re about to get into. I could forget everything, fall into those brown eyes, and never come up for air.
He stops only a few feet from me, crosses an arm over his chest, and takes me in as I sit propped on the back of Nan’s old car. His gaze lingers on my bare legs for a beat too long and then his gaze flits up to mine.
“Birdie.”
I study him, trying to work up the nerve to speak.
“You know I still don’t have your number?” he says, grabbing his cell phone from his back pocket.
“That’s fine. We’ll keep it that way.”
His brow arches but his expression doesn’t lose the playful edge as he slips his phone back where it was and steps closer to me.
“No numbers?”
I brace myself as he comes even closer, his jean-clad thighs brushing my knees.
I keep my arms locked tightly across my chest lest they get any ideas. With him this close, it’d be so easy to circle them around his neck and lean in for a kiss.
That’s not why I’m here though.
I straighten my spine.
“No numbers.”
“Interesting. Why?”