Page 29 of Crashing into Love

“I’d agree, yeah.”

“Well, my shitty performances started after…” Drew gave her a look that told Selma she should know what she meant.

“Ah,” Selma said with a nod.

“It’s not your fault. Our sport has contact at times, and I didn’t take it well. Then, other things in my life happened. Andy and I lived together at her place at the time, and we started fighting a lot before we broke up. I had to move back in with my parents. It was only supposed to be temporary because I wasn’t home all that often anyway, but I stayed longer than I should have. Things just have been a little off for me since. I thought I was getting better, but then I got hurt, and that set me back. Now, I’m worried that they’re going to call up the boarders who are all younger than me, not coming off injury, and who haven’t been inconsistent, at best, this season.”

“I’m sure you’re going to get the call, Drew. You’re still the face of American snowboarding. Besides, yours would be a good redemption story. You should’ve made the team once but didn’t. Then, you did and crashed out because of me. Now, you’re back for one more try to win gold. The interviews you’ll have lined up – they’d bring you just for that alone.”

“Gee, thanks,” Drew said with a little sarcasm. “Here I was hoping I’d make it because I’m the best snowboarder.”

“You know what I mean… This stuff isn’t just about sports anymore; at least, not in the sports where you’re picked to be on a team instead of qualifying with points or something. They pick the athletes who can, hopefully, bring home some medals, yeah, but also the ones who will bring notoriety to the sport, get them noticed, and maybe bring in a little money, too. Winter sports are already less popular than summer sports, so it makes sense for them to focus their coverage on a few select athletes with the best chance of showing up, but also the ones who have a story to tell. You have a story. I’m sure your team is already thinking about that. You’re also a great snowboarder. Your record shows that, Drew. Plus, I’m sure you’re a good leader, too. You have all the experience the younger boarders will need to learn from. There are a lot of reasons they’ll call you back up.”

Drew smiled softly and said, “Maybe. We’ll see. You have a much better chance. You’re a lot younger–”

“Not a lot,” Selma said quickly for some reason. “Only about what, nine years? No big deal.”

“You’re a lot younger,” Drew repeated. “In this sport, that matters. Plus, you’ve gotten better, not worse. You had a bad race that day. We all do.”

“Even the great Drew Oakes, who wins races by three or more seconds all the time?”

“Very funny.” Drew laughed a little. “Even Drew Oakes.”

“Well, I’m glad you’re finally acknowledging that you’re not perfect out there.”

“Hey, you were the one trying to tell me that you didn’t take that turn too tight with no space.”

“I thought I had enough space,” she explained.

“I told you that your board was–”

“I have a pot roast, chicken tenders, and the grilled chicken with side salad.”

“Chicken with the salad is all her,” Drew said to Jimmy, their server. “Pot roast for me.”

“It’s the same recipe,” Selma answered Drew’s earlier question when Jimmy set the plate down in front of the woman. “My grandma’s.”

“Oh, thank God. It’s so good. I wanted to have it when I first got in, but they didn’t have it.”

“We only serve it a few nights a week now,” Selma explained. Then, she stood up and added, “Let me go get my daughter.” She paused. “Actually…” She picked up Gia’s plate. “I’m going to just learn from my past mistakes and take this to her. She’ll eat it in there while she colors.”

“You sure she’ll eat it?”

“We make a game out of it. Color one thing – have some fries. Color another thing – have a chicken tender. She gets something if she does it. It’s silly, but it works.”

“What do I get if I finish my mashed potatoes?” Drew asked, pointing her fork down at her plate.

Selma cleared her throat and said, “I’ll grab you a cookie on the way back. How about that?”

Drew smiled up at her.

“You really like them, huh?”

“Uh… Yeah. They’re like my crack. Not that I’ve ever done crack. That’s the one with the pipe, right? Why am I talking about this?”

“Can I get you anything else?” Jimmy asked.

“Crack?” Drew joked.

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