Page 332 of Well Played

“I mean it, Kay. You make me want to be a better person.”

“You already are a good person. Now I just need you to be a better lover.”

“What? Are you critiquing my technique?”

She shook her head. “I need more data before I can give an honest critique.”

“More data, huh?” He wrapped his arms around her from behind and kissed her neck. “I think we can arrange that.”

Kay and Walker were late coming down for breakfast. They’d not wanted to get out of bed and Walker hadn’t made it easy. After returning to their room, they’d tried quite a few flavors, some of them twice.

They rushed through breakfast, not wanting to miss any of the tournament. It was a perfect, sunny day with a hint of a breeze.

Kay felt as if she were walking on a cloud. Walker held her hand and was attentive without being smothering. Their teamwas doing well and when they stopped for lunch, they’d not lost a game.

Exhausted, and a little sunburned, but happy, the athletes met in the hotel banquet hall for the closing ceremony.

Jimmy looked like a younger version of their father in his navy-blue suit with his dark red shirt. Even with his slip-on comfortable shoes, he looked right handsome. Grace wore a matching red dress that sparkled in the lights of the chandeliers. She looked like a fairy princess, right down to her rhinestone flip-flops. Kay’s mother looked lovely in a classic sheath dress that matched her father’s dark blue suit.

Kay had chosen one of her old formals, a silky, knee-length pewter dress that hugged her curves. She’d had to dress twice as Walker hadn’t wanted to let her leave their hotel room. After sampling two more condoms, he’d finally agreed they needed to be at the awards banquet. Spotting her family, they made their way through the crowd just as the announcer took the podium.

Their team won silver, and they got gold in the doubles with Jimmy and Grace as teammates.

“See, you didn’t even have to use signals,” Kay said, leaning over to whisper to Grace.

“Use signals?” her father asked.

Gracie blushed. “Um, I would never use signals. That was a ruse to keep you from knowing what we were really up to.”

“Oh, you mean your plan to get me and Walker together?” Kay asked. She glanced over her shoulder at Walker.

Gracie shrugged. “Are you mad?”

Kay chuckled and reached for Walker’s hand beneath the table. “No, I’m glad, in fact. Thank you for playing Cupid.”

“Jimmy helped,” Grace admitted.

Her brother looked up from his plate and shrugged. “You had a crush on him all through school until that night when he was so rude.”

Walker cringed. “I’m sorry buddy.”

Jimmy went back to eating. “I’d have felt the same way if something happened to Kay.”

Kay blinked back tears and got up. “Well, thank you both for being my two special cupids.” Kay hugged them.

“Girls!” Jimmy complained and shrugged out of her embrace, but he smiled as he turned his attention back to his food.

Kay was nervous as she and Grace sat in the owner’s box, watching the final game of the playoffs. She hoped she didn’t screw up his momentum. Walker was playing a fantastic game. She excused herself and went to the announcer’s booth. Her hands were sweaty, but a bet was a bet. She knocked on the door. When the intern opened the door, she handed him the note she’d prepared. “I was told to get this to The Mouth of the Southeast.”

The young man nodded and hurried over to the announcer. The man looked down at the note and back at her. Reading the note, and waved her inside. “You sure you want to do this?”

Kay smiled nervously and nodded. “I lost the bet.”

He grinned. “Well, okay honey, this is a new one on me.”

During the last inning, the announcer went on the air. “This has been a fabulous game for the Carolina Sandsharks and it’s about to get a little better for their star player.” He handed her the mic.

“Hi, my name is Kaylee Wilson. A few weeks ago, I made a bet with Walker Jackson. See, I’d had a crush on Walker since I was a young girl, and something happened, and I thought he wasn’t the person I’d believed him to be. I was wrong. Not only is he an amazing player, but he’s also a wonderful person. He ismuch more than I ever imagined and a really wonderful lover. So, I’d like to take this time to say I’m sorry for ever doubting you, and if you win tonight, I will make it up to you.” Her face burned.

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