Page 14 of Spin Serve

Kendra went to take a bite of her meal, prepared to enjoy the rest of her night, when she heard a loud thud. Her back door was open to let in the night breeze, which was cool and better than using the air conditioner, so that was probably why it was so loud. When it happened again, though, she began to worry that her moving next door to a pro beach volleyball player, who practiced in her backyard, might have been a bad idea. Kendra stood up and looked out the window over the kitchen sink. She could just make out Aspen’s backyard through it and watched her as she hustled from side to side to hit the ball back onto the piece of plywood she used to train on. Aspen wasn’t wearing her bikini tonight and had on a pair of sweats and a black tank top, but that still allowed Kendra to see her shoulders and arms, which were perfect and added to her stress about living in the house next to Aspen Ashley.

It wasn’t late, and the sun wasn’t even down yet, so she didn’t see any reason to tell Aspen to stop. None of the other neighbors seemed to have an issue with it, it seemed. Kendra decided to just close her back door, and when she couldn’t hear it much at all after doing that, she returned to her meal for one at her kitchen table that was just in front of the sliding glass door leading to her own backyard.

In that moment, she thought about how lonely her life had become recently. She’d thought she’d found someone she would be with for the long haul, which was why she’d stayed with her for two years. She’d been wrong. The travel had eventually gotten to her ex, and after they’d talked, fought, reviewed the ultimatum that Kendra had been given, and fought some more, it was over. Truthfully, Kendra was glad because they’d been talking about moving in together, and they hadn’t done it, which made their breakup easier.

She’d been able to buy this house on her own and finally have a place she could make hers. Her plan was to paint first before she bought a bunch of new furniture, and she’d already bought two gallons of pale-blue paint for one of the guest rooms that currently had nothing in it. Since she would be traveling again soon, she needed to get started on it now, or it would have to wait until she got back.

Out of the corner of her eye, Kendra saw something moving in her backyard and laughed when she realized it was Aspen running over to pick up her ball. Aspen looked up after grabbing it and noticed Kendra at the table. She shrugged apologetically, making Kendra laugh. Kendra stood up and pulled open the door.

“Lost it?”

“It went off one of the concrete stones. Sorry. It doesn’t happen often.”

“It’s okay. I thought you were inside for the night. Your mom, right?”

“My parents are downsizing, so my mom has been bringing over some of my old trophies and stuff as they find them places since they won’t have room at their new place. She was just dropping off a few boxes, so she’s gone now. Dinner?” She looked past Kendra.

“I’m done now, but yeah. I went with one of those adult TV dinners that are supposed to make you feel good about cooking for one, but, really, they just make you realize you’re eating alone.”

“I had one of those earlier,” Aspen said.

“You did?”

“No.” She shook her head. “I did eat alone, though. Grilled chicken tonight. You?”

“Baked ziti with cheesy garlic bread. The bread was soggy, though, and the pasta wasn’t hot all the way through, so I don’t recommend it.”

“One-star rating. Got it.” Aspen looked over at her yard. “Sorry if it was bothering you. I don’t normally come out this late. I try to stick to during the day when people are at work or school.”

“It’s okay. Why tonight, though?”

“My mom brought a box that had some stuff in it from my college days. I got sentimental. Then, I thought back to right after college, when I had the chance to make the Olympics and didn’t. So, I got angry at myself, and I came out here.”

“You’ll make it this time,” Kendra said.

“I hope so. But you never know. It’s me and DJ right now, and if something happens to one of us, we’re behind in qualifying by having to find another partner. Basically, out of luck, you know?”

“Yeah,” she said, understanding.

“I should leave you alone. Sorry, I had to hop the fence.”

“Aspen, there is a gate. You used it earlier today, in fact.”

“It was just easier to hop. But I’ll use the gate, if you want.”

“Either is fine. And you’re not keeping me from anything other than painting a bedroom, so trust me when I say I’m good with this delay.”

“You’re painting your room?”

“No, one of the guest rooms. I don’t have time to do my room before I leave again because I’d have to move all my stuff and probably sleep on the couch, which I don’t want to do, so I’m starting with my guest room. Pale-blue.”

“Cool,” Aspen said. “Do you want some help?”

“Help?”

“Yeah, help painting.”

“You want to help me paint my guest bedroom?”

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