Page 69 of Crashing into Love

“I’ll send you the link. It’s called Sports Psychology from a Player Turned Psychologist by Dr. Everly Holman.”

“I’ll have to check it out,” Drew replied. “How are you feeling about tomorrow?”

“Good. I’m ready to finally be back in it for real this time; train with the team, get ready, and get back out there competing. I’m not here for third place, you know?”

“I do know. I’m worried about what happens the first time we face off against each other.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, you’ve gotten really good since we last raced each other. I’ve no idea if you’re going to kick my ass or if I stand a chance against you.”

“You’re crazy. You’re still a way better boarder than I am,” Selma suggested and ate some more of her broccoli.

“I’ve been watching your tape, Selma. You’ve really improved. Your turns are tighter than they used to be; you’re getting more air on your jumps, timing your landings better; and you’re getting a better start than you used to as well. You shaved a whole second off your start in one competition I watched from prelim to final, and you won that thing.”

“You’ve been watching my videos?” Selma asked with a smile.

“Hey, you watched mine first,” Drew joked.

“I did, yes. That’s how I ended up here.” Selma shrugged.

“No, that’s how you started here. You ended up here because of you.”

Selma tilted her head.

“What?” Drew asked.

“Nothing. It’s just that my grandma said sort of the same thing to me the other day.”

“What thing?”

“We were talking when I got back from visiting you. She asked how it was, but that’s not important. I mentioned that it was… strange for me to be your friend now, when you’re the reason I’m boarding, and she pointed out that you were the reason I started but not the reason I kept going.”

“Smart woman. I told you that Ruth is a good egg.”

Selma laughed and said, “That, she is.”

“So, broccoli. Anything else I should know that’s weird about you?”

“Liking broccoli is weird?”

“Obviously, Selma. Man, I’ve never said the word ‘broccoli’ so much in my life.”

“What weird thing do you like?”

“Depends on who you ask.”

“What does that mean?”

“Well,” Drew began. “Some people might find me having sex with women to be pretty weird, but it’s normal to me.”

“Oh,” Selma said softly.

“And pretty fun, too. Well, more than fun. Like, really, really good.” She winked at Selma, knowing she might be taking it too far.

They’d never talked about sex before or the fact that Drew was gay. Selma knew about her being gay, obviously, but they’d never talked about it.

“Right,” Selma replied and took a bite of her chicken.

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