Page 52 of The Situation
“Well, let’s just say I’m not only a legend on the court but I’m one off the court, as well.”
“I expected no less.”
She laughs, settling into her seat. “It turns out that I’m one heck of a pickleball teacher. I took my boyfriend from a four to a seven in just a couple of days. Pickleball doesn’t come quite as naturally to him as it does to me. But I’ve put together a good practice schedule for him while I’m out of town, and I’ll go home as much as I can over the next couple of months. We’ll be ready to kick butt by the time the tournament rolls around.”
“This fascinates me.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know. I guess I didn’t know people took pickleball this seriously.”
“Girl, people talk about this tournament all damn year. In the middle of our town square is a statue of a pickle holding a ball. Corny, but also cute. Anyway, there are little plaques around the bottom of the statue with the names of the tourney champs from every year going back to the 1970s.” She winks. “My name is there multiple times.”
“I’m glad you had a good weekend.”
She smiles. “I did. It was also just nice to see my boyfriend. We’re doing this long-distance thing that I didn’t think would work, but we’ve been making it happen. It’s hard, for sure …” Her smile turns ornery. “But that only makes it harder, if you know what I mean.”
“Yeah, I know what you mean.”
I can’t think about that right now. I pluck my brain out of the trenches before it can fully create a picture by joiningTateandhard.
I’m at work. I’m not being paid to fantasize.
“Speaking of that, do you have anything to share with me, boss lady?”
The twinkle in her eye makes me grin.
“You’re probably thinking that now isn’t the right time,” she says.
“Or ever.”
“You opened the door to this when we spoke on Friday. So naturally, I’ll be thinking about what might’ve happened with you, and you’ll wonder if you’ll wind up telling me. You might as well get it out of the way so we can attend this meeting in a few minutes and focus. As my boss, you should clear the air so we can be productive.”
I laugh at the perfectly satisfied look on her face.
“You’re only laughing because you know I’m right,” she says, grinning.
I settle back in my seat and try to decide how to handle this with Tally. In a perfect world, I wouldn’t have brought this up with her. But I did, and now it only makes sense that she wants a resolution to the issue.
What a resolution it was. I stifle a moan.
Although I’ve been focused on work for the past couple of days, Tate has definitely been on my mind. Every time I think of him, a warmth floods my body, and a smile splits my cheeks. Being with him was exactly what I wanted and exactly what I needed. No one ever gets both of those things at once.
I’ve wondered what he got out of our night together. Despite his words of praise, I’m sure he’s on to his next hookup.As he should.
ButI’ma different woman than the one I was when I boarded the plane on Friday. That version of me was hopeful but scared to hope too much. I was quietly fearful that the best years of my life had passed me by, and I’d made peace with the possibility that I might wind up alone for the rest of my life.
But that was the me then. This me?I have a whole new perspective.
One night with Tate was all it took to realize that I haven’t really lived. I’ve settled for far less than I deserve. I’ve been accepting of things that didn’t suit me, benefit me, or were for me.
I’ve been content with living my life in mediocrity so that other people can be comfortable.
It’s a stunning revelation.
It took a stranger to show me what I’ve been missing. A man I don’t even know showed me more passion than my two husbands who took an oath before God to love, honor, and cherish me. It’s wild.
“So …” Tally prompts, watching me expectantly. “Don’t sit there and pretend you don’t have a story for me because I can see it in your eyes.”
