Page 2 of The Game
After graduating high school, she’d moved across the country to study at the Sydney Conservatory of Music, but those days seemed a distant memory now. She’d been so focused on her end goal—earning a position in the Sydney Symphony Orchestra—that nothing else had mattered. Her days and nights had been consumed by study, practice, rehearsals, university performances and auditions; she’d been lucky to find time to eat and sleep. As a result, she’d lost touch with Kate and had been home to Perth only once in the entire time she’d been gone, though her parents had made the trek east to visit whenever they’d been able to manage it.
Her hard work and dedication had paid off, and upon finishing her degree, she’d landed her dream job. Even now, she’d yet to experience anything more thrilling than playing on stage at the Sydney Opera House. But it hadn’t been long before she’d set her sights on a new dream—playing first violin. She’d been hoping, praying, waiting for the promotion…but her doctor had delivered a devastating blow instead. And now it looked as if she’d never get her chance.
She didn’t want to think or talk about what she’d been forced to leave behind, with Dean or anyone; her life had no meaning without it.
‘How’s Kate these days?’ she asked, but if Dean noticed her deflection, he didn’t let it show.
‘She’s good,’ he said. ‘Married an IT genius, moved to Melbourne, and they’ll have their own mini genius running around in a few months.’
‘She’s having a baby?’
At Dean’s nod, Alyssa tried to ignore the cocktail of yearning and jealousy swirling deep in the pit of her stomach. She was happy for Kate, she really was, but she couldn’t help wondering if she’d ever get to experience motherhood. Sure, she’d been in relationships in the time she’d been gone, the most recent one ending just a few weeks ago, but she’d never been so serious about a guy that she’d contemplated having kids.
It was surprising how many times this had happened and how much it hurt—to have something dangled in front of her, just out of reach. It only made her realise how badly she wanted it, despite never giving it much thought before.
‘So, what brought you home?’ asked Dean, his conversational tone bringing her out of her melancholy. ‘Are you back for good, or is this a flying visit before you move on to bigger and better things?’
She let her gaze linger on him a moment, then turned to stare out at the water, squinting against its shimmering sparkle. ‘It was time,’ she said, keeping her answer vague, ‘and I don’t have any definite plans.’
Or a definite future.
The morbid thought had her standing. No way was she going to share her whole sorry tale. Plus, if she stayed, she’d likely start blubbering, and she didn’t want Dean seeing her lose it like that.
‘I need to get moving.’ She grabbed her shoes and socks but didn’t bother putting them on. ‘It was nice seeing you, Dean.’ Cursing the wobble in her voice, she hurried off across the sand towards home.
‘Alyssa, wait!’ Dean was suddenly beside her. He spun and walked backwards a few steps, holding up both hands as if to calm her. ‘Wait, please.’
She stopped, though her heart raced. Her tears threatened to fall, and the desire to leave pulled on her.
‘Did I say something wrong?’ Dean regarded her warily, his brow furrowed.
‘No.’ Shaking her head, she dropped her gaze. She’d come to the beach for distraction, to forget that her world was falling apart, but it clearly wasn’t possible. She couldn’t escape. ‘No, I…I just have to go.’
She stepped forward, but Dean moved with her.
‘Please, don’t go. I said something to upset you, clearly, and I feel responsible for knocking you off your feet back there, so let me make it up to you.’ He looked further up the beach and rubbed his lips together as if searching for options. ‘I’ll buy you a coffee. No need to talk. We can just find somewhere to sit and … admire the view.’
It wasn’t lost on her that he’d used the same words to explain his distraction earlier. Only this time, they weren’t accompanied by that cheeky grin. Instead, a hopeful smile pulled up one corner of his mouth. And, as he stood before her, rubbing the back of his neck and looking a little less sure of himself, she found she didn’t want to deny him. Despite the storm raging inside her, something—some spark of light or hope, or the promise of what could be—presented itself. She latched on with both hands and prayed it wouldn’t slip through her fingers.
She nodded. ‘Okay.’
Dean smiled, his whole face radiating warmth and reminding her of his boyish charm. She’d claimed that she’d been immune—and it was true she’d never let his good looks cloud her judgement—but even as he’d driven her mad, teasing her often and relentlessly, he’d had that magnetic quality about him that made her look twice, made her think about him when he wasn’t around. Perhaps she hadn’t been as immune as she’d believed herself to be.
When they reached the roadside, Alyssa sat on a park bench to put her shoes and socks on while Dean crossed to the cafe and ordered their drinks. By the time he returned with two steaming cups, the aroma of coffee now competing with the heady, salty scent of the ocean, her anxiety and desire to flee had subsided, and she was grateful to have his company.
Taking a seat beside her, he handed her a cup, and as she reached out to take it from him, she gave him a cheeky grin.
‘Thanks, Double D.’
His mouth dropped open in feigned offence. ‘Twice in one morning. I guess there’s no chance you’ll let me forget my sordid past then.’
‘You mean all the partying and girls and bromances?’
As sensible teens committed to their studies, she and Kate had cast many a disparaging eye in Dean’s direction over the years. He’d simply laughed and gone out with his friends anyway.
He gave her a wry look. ‘Yeah, all that.’
Alyssa took a tentative sip of her coffee. ‘Are you saying you’ve changed?’
