So while she waited, she’d decided to look around the room. In her defense, anyone would have done the same thing. When you were invited into your fake girlfriend’s childhood bedroom, you didn’t throw away that chance.
But she also wasn’t going to lie about it.
“I feel like you knew that leaving me up here that long would give me more time to snoop,” Sydney said with a grin as Reese stepped next to her, their arms brushing.
Sydney’s stare was trained on a myriad of trophies and plaquescovering most of one of the walls. Model UN. Debate team. Varsity swim team. Mathletes. National Honor Society. NationalBusinessHonor Society.
“I see you kept yourself busy,” Sydney said, ghosting her hands along a plaque honoring Reese for her first-place finish in a Future Business Leaders’ competition. “No wonder our paths never crossed in high school.”
Reese smiled wryly. “I think that given the amount of time you spent on tennis, that’s as much your fault as mine.”
“Probably.” The room made Sydney think of the one she used to have in Stoneport, with a very similar wall filled with tennis ribbons and trophies from her high school tournaments. She wondered what her mom had done with everything; only a small selection had been transported down to Florida when they’d moved.
Sydney traced her fingers around the edge of the plaque one last time before turning to face Reese. “So, how’d it go down there?”
She studied Reese then, trying to gauge her mood. When Sydney had left, the look in her eyes had been pure ice, directed at Grant. It was terrifying and incredibly sexy, in equal measures.
But now, Reese’s stare was softer again, and her lips broke into a broad smile. “Grant is drunk as a skunk, to put it mildly.”
The unexpected bark of laughter that pushed out of Sydney made her throw her hand up to her mouth to stifle it. “I’m sorry. That is not what I was expecting you to say.”
“God, he is such a mess,” Reese said, more like she was trying to figure something out than telling Sydney a fact.
But Sydney had been noticing the same thing. The Grant she’d always known was charming and witty and confident. This version of Grant she’d been confronted with all summer was like the shell of the person she’d known, not that it absolved him of any of the awful things he’d done to her.
“Do you, like, get the sense…” Sydney paused, trying tofigure out the right words. “It seems like he doesn’t even want to get married.”
What Grant had done to her was inexcusable, no matter what the reason, but somehow, it had comforted Sydney that if he was going to do it, it was because Brynn was the love of his life and he couldn’t live without her.
“It’s like Brynn is just some sort of afterthought to him,” Reese considered.
Sydney groaned. “Don’t go making me feel badly for the woman my ex cheated on me with.”
“I know,” Reese lamented, her eyes apologetic. “But she’s so sweet. Way too sweet for Grant. Maybe for this world entirely.”
Sydney had been around long enough to know that suppressing feelings only worked for so long. “It’s the quiet ones you’ve got to worry about.”
Reese lifted a sculpted brow. “Guess that means I don’t have to worry about you, at least.”
“A magazine once published that the volume of my grunt on the tennis court was more decibels than a jackhammer,” Sydney admitted, though she wasn’t embarrassed about it. In fact, Hallie had framed the reference and mailed it to Sydney when she’d discovered the article and had barely gone a week in their friendship since without mentioning it.
Reese looked at her for a few contemplative moments before speaking. “Well, was it?”
“Colloquially, it’s known as a grunt-o-meter during tournaments, and yes,” Sydney added pointedly, “that’s a real thing. They measured my sounds and then compared them. It wasn’t as loud as fireworks or a gunshot, so I guess I’ve got that going for me.”
Reese reached out to fidget with one of the trophies before straightening it. “Speaking of tennis, we haven’t discussed how your trip home was. About the meeting with your agent. Good news, I hope?”
It was the way Reese looked at her then, a soft little furrow inher brow coupled with an endearing smile, that made Sydney herself question what qualified asgoodnews.
Staring at Reese, it suddenly didn’t feel like such a great opportunity to leave Stoneport for three upcoming tournaments, all in service of ultimately getting a contract next year that could keep her on the road more than she was home.
Home.
She thought of Hallie, a constantly perky ray of sunshine who knew her better than anyone in the world. Who was going through one of the biggest changes in her own life and still always had time and love and support for Sydney.
Her parents, who’d moved to Florida to be with her and who she was sure would be willing to come back to Stoneport if she decided to move back here full-time. Even if they never let her live it down.
And now, Reese. Who’d somehow slipped through the defenses she’d built up over the last year. Who was someone Sydney could see herself falling for. Really, truly falling for.
