Ben hesitated, as if he wanted to say something more, but then simply nodded and headed into the gym.
Amelia let out a breath when he disappeared into the gym. Though she tried to mentally prepare herself for seeing him again, the reality was still challenging.
He was just as charming and handsome as ever, and the familiarity of his smile still stirred something inside her that she'd tried hard to bury.
Amelia forced her attention to the laptop, opening her email and diving into her work. The church bulletin wouldn't create itself, and she had several announcements to incorporate from various ministry leaders. Most of the programs were on hiatus for the summer, but there were still a few that ran year-round.
Work had become her refuge—a place where she could focus on something other than her health or her lost dreams. And she was thankful the church had given her the position when Miss Marian had decided to go part-time.
It definitely wasn’t anything she’d ever dreamed of doing, but it was steady and not too demanding. And now that she’dlearned the ins and outs of the job, she felt more confident doing it.
The sounds of basketballs dribbling and sneakers squeaking against the gym floor created a rhythmic background noise as Amelia worked. Occasionally, she'd hear Cole's voice calling out instructions or Ben encouraging someone. Once in a while, she glanced toward the open gym doors, catching glimpses of the teens running drills.
During one such glance, she saw Ben demonstrating a play with one of the other men, his body moving with athletic grace.
The memory of how they'd occasionally shot hoops at the park near her house flashed through her mind. He'd always been patient with her, never making her feel inadequate, even though basketball really wasn’t her thing.
Then there had been the times when he’d joined her on the ice. Though skating was technically her job, she’d never tired of it.
And while sometimes being on the ice could be painful and even stressful, when she’d skated with Ben, it had been only fun and happiness. Hand in hand, they’d circle the ice, music blaring from the speakers in the arena at the resort.
Just like he’d always been the better basketball player, she’d been the better skater. But in those moments, it hadn’t mattered who was better. It had only mattered that they were spending time together.
The memories were bittersweet. Moments of connection and happiness that belonged to a different time, a different version of herself. Amelia pushed them away, refocusing on the church bulletin layout on her screen.
The basketball clinic continued for another hour before Cole blew his whistle for a break. Soon, the teens filed out of the gym, their faces flushed and shirts damp with sweat. They lined up at the table where Amelia had set out the drinks and snacks.
"Help yourselves," she said as the teens approached the table.
They were all polite to her, though as they moved away from the table, there was plenty of joking and teasing. There were a couple of girls who seemed to fit in with the boys just fine.
Amelia did notice that Jessi, the teen girl who’d arrived late at the start of the previous clinic, wasn’t present. And she wasn’t the only one not there at the clinic that week. There were also several new faces, kids who hadn’t been there the previous week.
Ben and Luca appeared and picked up a couple of bottles of electrolyte water on the table. Ben came around the table, then slid down the wall to sit on the floor beside Amelia’s chair. Luca moved across the hall and settled on a bench beneath the wide window.
“How’s the clinic going?” Amelia asked, feeling like she couldn’t just ignore him.
“Great.” Ben grinned. “Somehow it’s making me feel both young and old at the same time.”
“Really?”
Ben nodded. “I’m reminded of being their age, but my body reminds me that I’m definitely not.”
“Why didn’t you go on to play pro ball?”
Ben uncapped the bottle he held and took a drink, then tipped his head back against the wall.
“It wasn’t just one reason,” he said. “Once I got to college, I realized that I might not be good enough to go pro. But honestly, that wasn’t the main reason.”
Amelia stayed quiet, waiting to see if he would go on.
“I probably could have worked hard enough to make it because while I wasn’t the best, I was still better than a lot of my college team. And who I was might have helped.” Ben picked at the label on his bottle. “But I saw other college players who needed the opportunity more than I did. I saw guys who were working super hard, hoping for the opportunity to play professionally. Hoping for the chance to help their families.”
“You gave up your dream so you wouldn’t take away someone else’s opportunity?”
Ben shrugged. “I guess so, but I don’t regret it. I’ve still played basketball over the years, but it’s just been for fun.”
“Or to help teens at a clinic?”
