When Leah reaches the team, I realize she’s taller than I originally thought. She must be at least five ten, which is the same height as her brother.
“I don’t know why there isn’t a girls’ team,” I tell her. “Why don’t you ask Mr. Cooke about that?”
“I did,” she tells me. “He said there isn’t the money for another coach. That’s why I figured I’d ask you to coach us.”
“That would be something for the school board to decide,” I tell her.
“But would you bewillingto do it?” she wants to know. She looks so fiercely determined, I don’t have the heart to tell her there aren’t enough hours in the day for me to take on the commitment of another team—or two. Heck, I’m pretty sure the girls would want a JV team as well as varsity. As it is, both my JV and varsity teams are so bad, I have them practice at the same time to give them both the extra training.
I turn and look at the fourteen players on the joint boys’ teamsbefore suggesting, “Why don’t you join us in practice today and show me what you’ve got?”
Leah’s face lights up like I just offered her Caitlin Clark’s position on the WNBA. Before she can respond, her brother declares, “She can’t! She’s a girl! This is the boys’ team!”
“You afraid of a little competition, Decan?” I ask him. If Leah is half as good as she is sassy, I might just get behind her dream for a girls’ team.
“You’re no competition for me, Leah,” Decan spits. “But you’re not a boy, so you can’t practice with us.”
Leah turns pleading eyes in my direction. With a shrug, I tell the guys, “I’m willing to let girls train with us. And if they turn out to be better than any of you, I might even let them play in the boys’ games.” I figure if that doesn’t inspire them to work harder, nothing will. Boys at this age hate being shown up by girls. At least they used to when I was a kid, and there’s been no indication that evolution has kicked in to elevate our species.
The gym fills with a chorus of angry protests while Leah sits down on the bench to put on her court shoes. With any luck, this young girl and her like-minded friends might just be what the Elk Lake Crappies need to achieve bigger things than they’ve dared to dream about in recent years.
Once Leah is ready, I pick two teams of five. Purposely pitting sister against brother, I announce, “Leah, Decan, you’re both on the tip-off. Let’s do this!”
During the next half-hour the boys work harder than I’ve seen. Even so, Leah still puts several of them in their place. She scores fourteen points for her team, which would be tough enough to do as a post, but is especially hard because she had to steal all the balls she got. Her team certainly didn’t pass to her.
At eight o’clock, I clap my hands loudly and call out, “This afternoon’s practice is at four.” Turning to Leah, I add, “Let your friends know. I look forward to seeing what they can do.”
For the first time since coming back to Elk Lake, a feeling of excitement starts to brew in the pit of my stomach. I’ve gone fromnot having much confidence that my team even wants to be here to being eager to see some healthy competition play out. Who knows, with the addition of some girls who know how to play, we might even see the top hundred this year.
Maybe coming home won’t be the horror show I thought it would be. Now, if I can just figure out how to have a social life, too …
CHAPTER THREE
ALLIE
“Hey, girl, what’s up with you today?” Faith reaches across the counter to take a gingersnap out of the display case.
“What do you mean?” I ask nervously. The last thing I need is for my boss to think I’m doing a poor job. Yet the truth is, my heart isn’t currently into hawking baked goods and lattes.
After biting into the cookie, she tells me, “You’re working like a robot this morning. You know, all business and no smiles.”
I exhale loudly before telling her, “My mom is on my back. She’s determined I’m going to die without ever finding love again.”
Faith shakes her head, causing her reddish-brown ponytail to sway behind her. Pushing up her glasses, she tells me, “Don’t let your mom bully you. I didn’t even meet Teddy until I was thirty-two.”
“Margaret seems to think the only value I have is in being a wife and mother.”
Faith scoffs. “As a wifeandmother, I can tell you both endeavors are rewarding, but neither defines me. Plus, you’vealready done the wife thing and I’m guessing you need time to decide if that’s something you’re interested in trying again.”
I love that Faith speaks so freely with me. Even though she’s a few years older, and my boss, she makes me feel completely seen. “I’m not sure it is,” I tell her honestly. “But thank you for understanding. I don’t think my mother ever will.”
She rolls her eyes. “Mothers are in a world of their own. They think that just because they chose a certain path, we’re obligated to follow in their footsteps. You do you, Allie. There’s no hurry.” She reaches out and grabs another cookie before handing it to me. “Eat this. Gingersnaps make everything better.” Then she walks into the kitchen.
The rest of the day is smooth sailing and by three o’clock I’m punching out. I figure I’ll stop off at Lorelai’s parents’ house and get her sweater now. Noah will still be at the high school, and her parents have moved to Florida full-time, so the house should be empty.
When the Rileys were planning to sell, they hired Lorelai to fix the place up for them. After that, she moved out to go to design school in Chicago, and Noah took a job here in Elk Lake. Lorelai is staying at her brother’s apartment in the city, and he’s living at his parents’ until he can decide if he’s going to stay here long term.
As I leave Rosemary’s, I cross the street in the direction of my Honda. Inhaling deeply, I let the scent of a midwestern autumn fill my lungs with its intoxicating magic. Summer is over and my favorite season is in full swing. Colored leaves and cool breezes, fluffy sweaters and pumpkin spice—there isn’t much about this month I don’t completely adore.
