The execution happened as I had planned, only I played dirty and sent it to Veronica’s side. She was the less experienced player. Robert had been doing the same damn thing to Ruby. Veronica didn’t have the speed to return my serve.
Bobby threw his racket down. “Veronica! My grandma could’ve gotten that.”
“And she would’ve told you to shut your mouth or be polite,” Veronica shot back.
Chagrin flashed in Robert’s gaze. “She would’ve. Sorry,” he muttered, keeping his profile to me like I wasn’t supposed to see him apologize.
“Good game, guys,” Ruby said, coming to my side. She reached for my hand, but I pretended not to see, holding my racket, my knuckles white. I took the extra ball out of my pocket and crossed to my bag.
Robert prowled toward his bag on the other bench facing their side of the net. “Who knew Tenor here could play some tennis,” he muttered.
“He went to state,” Veronica said. When we all looked at her in surprise, she shrugged. “Robert’s not the only one who spies on your dates.”
“He took first at state,” Ruby said quietly, giving me a shy smile. But in the depths of her blue eyes was the pity I dreaded so much.
After all these years, people were giving me that look again. TheI’m so sorry you’re a loserlook. Only this time, it was coming from my goddamn girlfriend.
“No kidding?” Bobby sniffed and rimmed his hands around the waistband of his shorts. “I was gone by then.”
He was four years older than me, but he’d only been ahead two in school. His parents had started him in kindergarten when he was six and then he’d gotten held back in second grade. Sending him to live with his grandparents in Bourbon Canyon had been a last-ditch effort to keep him from getting held back again.
Too bad it had worked out for him. He’d stayed until he’d graduated at twenty, and he’d been fucking mean about it.
I loaded up my racket and grabbed my water bottle. Ruby straightened with her bag over her shoulder.
“I’ve gotta get going,” I said.
Surprise filled her eyes. “Oh. Okay.”
I felt like shit, but I couldn’t stick around Bobby Morgan.
“Why you rushing off?” Bobby bypassed his pickup to stand in front of mine.
The guy hadn’t changed as much as he probably thought he had. I was mildly impressed Ruby and her mother could get him to be less of a cocksucker.
Ruby squeezed my free hand. “Thanks for coming.”
I returned the squeeze, then let go.
Bobby folded his arms. His back was ramrod straight. “You have one conversation with us and suddenly you’re busy?”
I bit back afuck off.Heat wicked up the back of my neck. That’s exactly what I’d been doing, but this wasn’t a typical meet-the-parents scenario. “It’s not like that.”
“I don’t get it. How do you have that much in common with a twenty-five-year-old?” Robert’s snide tone made me bristle.
Ruby clutched her tennis bag. “It’s not like that, and you can’t blame him for not wanting to hang out with you.”
Bobby’s right eye twitched, but his expression didn’t otherwise soften. “I’m afraid I knowexactlywhat it’s like, Rubes.”
Veronica crossed her arms and smiled at me, her face strained with the effort. “Thank you for taking time to play with us, Tenor. Good game.”
I dipped my head. “Anytime.” But not with Bobby. I gave him a look that said as much.
Taunting blue eyes stared back at me. So much like his daughter’s.
“Still live at home?” he asked, a clear jibe.
“His place is really nice,” Ruby gushed. “A cabin in the mountains.”
