Page 52 of Buzzer Beater

This time I did laugh. “I’ve heard.”

He smiled and looked ahead to where Colby was taking pictures. “We’ve all made mistakes, but in the end, when time is running out and the puck is ours, we score. We beat the buzzer every time.”

I stopped and after a few steps he stopped and turned. “What? Did you just use a sports analogy on me?”

He laughed. “Yeah, I did.”

I cocked my head to the side. “So, you think Colin can swoop in at the last second and redeem himself?”

“He’s pulled off the impossible before.”

He turned and caught up to Colby, pulling her in for a kiss, while I stood there debating whether or not I believed him.

“Guys!” Olli came running up to us, slightly out of breath. “The van is loading up. We’re heading to the cenotes now.”

Great. The part of the day I’d been dreading.

I followed behind them and tried, and failed, to think about anything other than having to be in a bathing suit in front of professional NHL players, their model-like wives, and my perfect friends. Maybe I could just hang out in the gift store. They’d have one of those, right? Every other place we’d been to had one. I could say I needed to buy souvenirs for my...friends? Family? Coworkers?

I didn’t even believe the stupid lie. I had a feeling no one here would let me get out of it. Their mission of inclusion had been nice, up until the clothes come off.

The drive was too short. I didn’t have enough time to come up with a valid excuse. Everything I thought of, I knew they would counter.

The doors opened, and everyone gathered at the entrance. To the right was a gift shop. Ah ha. I knew it. I took a step closer just as a hand grabbed my arm.

Amber was smiling at me, looking tan and beautiful. I was sure I was burned from all the time in the sun. “Are you excited? I heard there’s different heights we can jump from.”

I plastered on a smile. Perfect. Cliff jumping in front of everyone. “Yay.”

“Come on.” She tugged me along until we were climbing down the underground stairs toward the sound of splashing. The air felt heavy, damp. The only light was the sun peeking through cracks. This didn’t exactly feel safe.

There was an open area at the bottom where everyone was stripping down to their swimming suits. Each guy was hotter than the next. Ripped. Like a Greek statue, plus some more muscle. It was ridiculous.

They were professional athletes. It’s their job to be fit. I sighed and looked at Amber. She’d thrown off her dress and was skipping, yes actually skipping, to the stairs where a line had gathered. I watched as people climbed the steps to higher and higher points. To jump. I shook my head and turned to leave. I wasn’t doing this.

“Lucy?” Emma called my name as she climbed out of the water.

I sucked in a breath. Why couldn’t they leave me alone? I turned to Emma.

“Did you forget something at the van?” she asked.

I could lie. I could say yes and walk away, and no one would notice I was gone, but something about Emma’s expression stopped me. She genuinely cared.

I looked back at the group. The thin thighs, tight stomachs, and cute bikinis. I couldn’t do this. I blinked back a traitorous tear.

“I can’t do this,” I said aloud.

“Oh Lucy.” She took my hand and moved us out of sight. “What’s wrong? Can you not swim? Are you afraid of the water? You don’t have to jump if that’s it.”

Compared to those things, my fear seemed silly, but it was very real to me. “It’s not that, but I don’t plan on jumping.”

She nodded, her brows furrowed. “Then what’s wrong?”

I hated this. I hated admitting how much it affected me. I never spoke about it. Just went about my life as best I could without acknowledging things.

I looked up, blinking to clear my eyes. “I don’t want to take off my clothes.”

“Why?”