Page 36 of Buzzer Beater

I didn’t fight her on it. I’d given up control, and it was a tiny bit nice to have someone else take over. I just hoped I didn’t regret it tomorrow.

10

Colin

I wiped my sweaty hands on my pants for the third time. It was 7:04 now. She was late. What if she wasn’t coming? Was Elena coming and talking to me all a huge scheme? Was this payback?

I dug my feet into the sand and looked over at the private table waiting for us. I’d made reservations at a restaurant in town that I’d heard great things about, but Elena told me to keep it simple. That Lucy would be more comfortable if we stayed here. I understood that. Worst case scenario, she could leave and be back to her room in minutes, not stranded in a foreign city.

I checked my watch again. Another minute had passed. I felt the eyes of the wait staff on me. They were here as an arrangement for the beach front dinner the resort director put together for me. I could feel their whispers and judgements. They knew I was being stood up.

A figure walked out of a building, headed straight for the beach. I clenched my fists and hoped it was her.

I studied the graceful walk, the gentle sway of the hips, the way the hair flowed behind. It was her. I knew before she was close enough to make out her features.

The sunset backlit her, creating a halo around her body. I forced myself not to look away, but it was hard seeing her look so beautiful and reminding myself she wasn’t mine.

When she was near, I stood and met her halfway. “Hi.”

“Hi.” She sounded as nervous as I felt.

“Thanks for coming.”

She nodded.

“We’re seated this way.”

I led her to the table and pulled out her chair. It was a challenge to move it in with the legs sinking into the sand, but I pulled it off without making a fool of myself. By the time I sat down across from her she was sipping her water, looking around with a curious expression.

“How’d you pull this off?” she asked. Her soft voice was like a time machine, taking me back to lazy days in her dorm, late night conversations about our future, the first time she said I love you to me.

I shook away the mental images and smiled. “I had the help of a few friends.”

She almost smiled, but it disappeared.

A server walked over, saving us from an awkward silence. It killed me. We were never like this when we were together. We talked all the time, telling each other anything and everything. What we’d done that day, who we saw, what classes were driving us insane, what we wanted to do in the future. Our future.

“Good evening,” the server said. “My name is Luis and I’m pleased to assist you tonight. We will be starting with a salad course then Papadzules, a local specialty.”

“Thank you.” I addressed him as he nodded and walked away. He returned a moment later with two salads, placing them in front of each of us.

“Enjoy.”

He disappeared again, giving us privacy.

Lucy stabbed her lettuce with her fork but didn’t take a bite.

“I’m happy you came,” I said. The waves crashing next to us were loud enough to drown out the nerves in my voice.

She sucked in a breath as her eyes met mine. “Why did you ask?”

“I wanted to catch up.”

She narrowed her eyes. “Why?”

I didn’t get it. Why wouldn’t I want to?

“We broke up five years ago. Haven’t seen or spoken to each other since, and we still wouldn’t have if we hadn’t run into each other.”