You’ll believe anything he tells you, but you don’t listen to me when I tell you that you’re the most talented artist I’ve ever met.
Only Jamie could tick me off and compliment me at the same time.
“Daisy,” Nellie called. “You ready?”
I blinked, focusing where she stood on the other side of the pickleball court. Her dark hair was tied back into a high ponytail, her blue headband matching the athletic set she had on. She looked substantially cuter than me in my little biker shorts and cropped Death Note tee, but she alsohad her boyfriend sitting at the picnic table behind her. I could see him from here, his blond head bent over Theo’s.
“Sorry.” I shook my head, my tied-up hair catching in the sweat at the back of my neck. “Ready.”
Nellie tossed the pickleball up into the air before hitting it with her racket, volleying it over the net. I shuffled my feet to the side, catching the ball with my racket, sending it back toward her.
We didn’t get the chance to play pickleball often, for several reasons. The courts at Alderton-Du Ponte were normally booked up weeks in advance, and last-minute cancellations didn’t work for me since I’d have to figure out what to do with the kids. Today, though, when Nellie reached out, it seemed like everything fell into place. Ivy was off on a playdate with a friend, and Penn had volunteered to babysit. I’d figured letting her trial run it with just Junie was a better idea than giving her both of the kids, so I’d brought Theo, since it wasn’t too much to buy him a day pass.
Beck had finished his workout in Alderton-Du Ponte’s weight room and had been able to come sit with Theo, who currently showed Beck his tile-matching game on my phone.
Nellie hit the ball again, but it swung in the opposite direction I’d been expecting. I couldn’t cross the court quickly enough to reach it, and it led to her letting out a little shriek of victory.
“I let you have that one,” I told her with a grin as I went to grab the ball.
She stuck her tongue out at me. “Sure. Let’s go with that.”
I bounced the ball against the court, rolling my shoulders. I wanted to ask her what Jamie was up to, but it was a war in my head, a pickleball match of its own. One part of me thought it was weird to ask Nellie about Jamie, and then the other part thought it was normal. Nellie most likely wouldn’t think twice if I asked her about her brother, since we were all friends. But it still felt weird, like I was using her as a spy and asking for insider information after our argument.
Which I was. But. Ugh.
I tossed the ball up, and with all my pent-up frustration, I hit ithard.
We went back and forth a few times before I managed to lob it too far to her left, and Nellie couldn’t get to it in time. “You’ve got a fire in you today,” she called to me, running her fingers through her ponytail as she went to grab the ball. “Are you showing off for Theo?”
At the sound of his name, Theo raised his head. “I’m not watching, Daisy.”
“I’m watching,” Beck said happily, lifting his water bottle from the picnic table in a cheers. “Doing great, Daisy!”
Nellie put a hand on her hip. “You’re supposed to be cheeringmeon, not my opponent.”
“Sorry, Nell-Bell, but I will not get on the bestie’s bad side by booing her.” Beck lowered his sunglasses to make it clear I was the one he smiled at. “Keep up the good work!”
Nellie whirled around, her ponytail flyingout, as she put her back to him. “Traitor,” she muttered, but with a small smile.
I rocked onto one foot, then the other. “On the bright side, I’m sure he’ll give you a consolation kiss when you lose.”
Nellie’s scandalized gasp was swallowed by the booming laugh Beck let out. Theo giggled too, probably more out of instinct, because his attention had once more gotten swept up in his game. Nellie hit the ball to me hard, and we went back and forth a few times, in the zone.
I lunged for the next shot, my sneakers scraping against the court as the paddle met the ball with a sharp pop, sending it skimming just over the net. Nellie darted sideways to return it, determination written all over her face. The steady rhythm of hits echoed between us, and I was able to pour my focus into the match, distracting me from silly boys and silly problems.
Mostly.
“Beck, can you check my phone?” Nellie asked him, bouncing the ball a few times. “See if Jamie is on his way yet?”
Speaking of silly boys and not-so-silly problems. “He’s coming to Alderton-Du Ponte?”
“I figured we could all get lunch after.”
“I—I don’t know. I’ve got Theo. And I should get back to Penn. She’s home watching Junie alone, and?—”
“Daisy, Penn is old enough to watch Junie for a little bit.” Nellie’s voice was gentle, but firm.
“She’s only fourteen?—”
