We waited for our bracket’s turn on the podium, cheering on the rest of the players as they collected their prizes.
“What’s in the envelopes?” I nodded to one of the sponsors handing out green Parks T-shirts and small gift envelopes to the winners. “I didn’t realize that we’d actually get something other than bragging rights.”
“I think some free court time here? Quite an improvement over poor old Jimmie, yes?”
I glanced around the manicured arena. “It’s an upgrade for sure, but I’m partial to Jim. Great times with great people.”
Although moving my game to courts without any Owen memories made sense. I could start fresh in a place where we’d never spent time together.
We watched another group pose for photos on the podium.
“I’m surprised that we did so well but also not,” Howard said. “There was some real talent out there.”
I gave him a soft punch to the shoulder. “No one expected Hurricane Howard.”
He chuckled. “Likewise, you surprised everyone with Brooke’s bodacious backhand.”
“My secret weapon,” I agreed.
That Owen had taught me.
“Let’s have the winners from group six,” a guy with a mic said, pacing near the podium. “Group six, please.”
“That’s us.” Howard nudged me.
We walked toward the podium, and a shout went up, including my dad’s two-fingered whistle, which I’d heard a million times at Wes’s soccer games. I laughed and waved at my cheering section, which also included Howard’s lovely wife, Susan.
We shook hands with the two other teams that beat us and took our spot on the riser.
Third place felt fuckingamazing.
“Okay, folks, presenting our group six awards, we’ve got our newest sponsor, the Chelsea Pickleball Academy,” the organizer said. “Big round of applause for this gold-level sponsor.”
I was so busy making faces at Meredith and Colton while they snapped pictures that the words didn’t register at first, until I saw a familiar form emerge from the cabana clutching a stack of T-shirts.
“Owen?” I whispered as he loped closer, dressed for a country club.
“Hey, that’s your coach!” Howard cheered. “Would you look at that? Serendipity!”
But I knew it wasn’t.
Owen was here for a reason, and I fucking hoped that it was me.
Chapter Forty-Two
My heart felt like it was about to explode out of my chest and land at Owen’s feet.
My entire body was infused with equal amounts of joy and fear, because I wanted to believe that he’dmadethis moment happen, fully anticipating that he’d be handing his former student some sort of award, but at the same time, I was terrified it was a cosmic joke on me.
Howard was oblivious, of course, so I went up on my toes to try to find Meredith in the crowd, to share the holy shit–ness of Owen showing up. No surprise, she was locked on to what was unfolding. Her eyes went wide as she pushed her fingertips to her mouth in shock, watching Owen sort through the stack of T-shirts and envelopes.
I swallowed the lump in my throat, because it would look weird to cry on the podium.
There was no hint that Owen was uncomfortable with me standing on a dumb wooden riser just a few feet away from him, to the point where I wondered if he evenrealizedthat I was his third-place recipient. But then he glanced up from the stack of envelopes and directly at me with a look that said, “I’m coming for you.”
With what, I couldn’t decipher.
The mic guy announced the first- and second-place winners, and Owen handed over their swag with a smile. Then he wasright there, just inches away as mic guy called out our names.
