Page 46 of Buzzer Beater

“No, I just thought her odds were better than mine.”

“Pretty smart actually.” He turned off the screen and swung his legs off the bed. “I’m going to get some breakfast before we go, want to come?”

“Yeah.” That would distract me for maybe twenty minutes. Hopefully Emma found Lucy soon and could convince her to go. I hoped this wasn’t a wasted effort.

13

Lucy

It wasn’t that I wished I’d never met the Fury women, but at this moment I wasn’t their biggest fans. Emma dropped by my room to invite all of us to a Mayan temple tour. Apparently, they had five extra spots. I was going to turn her down, it felt like a set up, but Elena accepted before I had the chance to protest. I couldn’t turn her down after that. I’d seem like a jerk.

I thought it was just the girls. I was pretty sure Emma had strategically presented the offer in a way that made it seem like it would just be a girls’ trip. Clever that one. I’d have to watch out for her.

The guys were trickling into the lobby while their wives gave them a hard time for being late.

A short man with a thick accent clapped by the doors and began waving us along. “Hola! I’m Alma, and I’m here to take you on the tour! Eight people in each van. Thank you.”

He repeated that as we separated into two groups. I thought my group would stick together, but Amber stayed with me and waved off Riley and Elena. “We’ll see you guys there.”

I opened my mouth to argue, but she shoved me through the open door. “Sit in the back row.”

I bent down and walked past the first two, empty rows before taking a seat in the back. It was beginning to feel like a set up. Amber was standing outside the van talking with one of Colin’s teammates.

Emma climbed in but sat in the first row. “Hey honey,” she said, waving at me. “Glad you’re in the fun van.”

I narrowed my eyes. “There’s a difference?”

She held up her purse. “I’ve got snacks.”

I laughed and sat back. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad. Maybe Colin would be in the other—

Dang it.

He got in right when I thought I’d avoided the awkward situation. He smiled at me and sat in the middle row. Without a word he pulled out headphones and slipped them on.

Huh.

I wasn’t expecting that. I thought he’d used this opportunity to trap me into another awkward conversation about our feelings.

Olli, Emma’s husband, and Grant, the other single guy climbed in. Amber was still outside talking to the player, I was pretty sure his name was Reese.

Chloe climbed in and stared at the rows. There were two spots open next to me, or one with Emma and one with Colin.

“Chloe, sit back here so you can sit with your husband.”

She smiled. “You don’t mind not sitting with Amber?”

“Not at all.” In fact, she’d probably want to sit next to Emma anyway. Fresh ears to listen to all her wedding details.

Chloe sat next to me and buckled in. “Are you excited?”

I nodded. “I’ve always wanted to see Chichen Itza.”

“Me too. From photos, it looks kind of surreal.”

Amber and Reese finally got in and soon we were on our way. I had no idea what the itinerary was, but after almost an hour of driving I was getting restless. How much longer would we be driving through jungle? I stared at the back of Colin’s head, his thick dark brown hair. This was his chance to corner me into a conversation. Why wasn’t he taking it?

After about a half hour I gave up the staring contest with his hair, and leaned against the window and shut my eyes.