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“Two years ago, but some guy from the retirement center was just here and gave me a letter explaining it all.”
His lips widen into a big smile. “That’s great! I bet it was good to hear from her.”
Rylan knows how close I was to my great-grandma. His grandma, who was Dori’s sidekick, meant a lot to him, but at some point, he decided he wanted more out of life than small- town living.
“It was.” Silence thickens the air in the small room. “I’m sorry about the playoffs.”
He nods, looking at the floor. “Can’t deny it doesn’t suck. First round.” He shakes his head, and his eyes lift to meet mine. “I’m going to figure out what the hell is wrong with me this off-season. Jamie’s meeting me over at the gym later this afternoon.”
“That’s good.”
God, how is our conversation this awkward?
“Do you go there a lot?”
I shake my head. “No.” Only when I have to do my uncle’s books and never when anyone is playing on the field is what I don’t add.
Silence fills the space once more.
“So do you know why I’m here?” He looks around for a clue as though we’re in an escape room or something.
“I don’t know. She didn’t say anything in the letter. I’m kind of surprised she wanted you here since she said I could keep this place a secret from my whole family if I wanted.”
He stuffs his hands in his pockets and leans on the back of the couch. “Your secret is safe with me.”
I smile. The sound of gravel crunching is the perfect distraction from this awkward situation, and I practically run to the door, where I see the Lake Starlight Retirement Center shuttle coming up the driveway. Alice waves to me from the driver’s seat and presses hard on the gas, then she slams on the brakes right before she’s about to plow into the cabin.
My hand flies to my chest. “Jesus.”
“Is that Aubrey’s grandma?” Rylan asks over my shoulder.
I glance to the side and there he is, his face inches from mine. The strong jaw and hazel eyes that haunt me almost every night.
I slide to the side to give him space. “Yes. Alice, along with Jean.”
“I don’t think they should be driving that thing.”
“And why’s that? Because they’re women?”
He draws in a breath at the bite in my tone. I don’t care though. This feels better than pining.
“More because they almost killed both of us and took down the entire cabin. Also, because they’re, like, eighty years old.” Rylan turns to face me. “I see you haven’t changed.”
There goes the fragile peace we’d formed. I scowl. “What are you talking about?”
“Everything is a man or woman thing to you.”
“Because it’s defined my entire life. The men’s league gets paid so much and the women’s league gets next to nothing. In college, how many scholarships went to the men’s team versus the women’s? And how much better training equipment and resources in general did they get?”
He raises his hand. “We don’t have to talk about this. You’ve already done your presentation on the topic.”
I stare at him with cold eyes.
“Knock, knock,” Jean says in a singsong voice. She’s a taller woman, at least compared to Alice who I’m not sure is even five foot. Jean walks past us, holding a box that she places on the kitchen table. “Sorry about that. Dori might’ve descended down and killed me had I ruined this cute little cabin.” She looks around and sets her gaze on me. “Isn’t it beautiful?”
I nod.
She looks back at Rylan. “Glad you got my note. Declan’s a good boy.”
