She went all the way to the left side, his weak spot, hers too. Got right on the edge of the court and sent it sailing, all net, did a fist pump on the Hail Mary shot she’d put in, then laughed and pointed, “There you go.”
Archer was jumping up and down and hooting and hollering over that shot.
Jayce dribbled a few times, jumped up with his perfect form, hit the rim and off it went, out of the court on a high bounce.
“You won, Mom. You won.”
“Nice game,” Jayce said, coming back over and giving her a fist pump.
“Thanks. You too. That was fun.”
“I’m hungry, Mom,” Archer said.
She looked at her watch and saw it was one thirty. Crap. She’d promised her son lunch over an hour ago.
“Sorry, bud. Time got away from me. You should have said something.”
“Let me treat you to lunch,” Jayce said. “Both of you. Loser buys.”
“I’m sure you’ve got other things to do,” she said.
“Nope. Just sitting here pondering my life. I’d rather have some company since there isn’t much else to do other than chat with my parents. I see them enough.”
“Are you living at home?”
His face flushed some over that question. “It’s short term. I’ve only been back two weeks. I’m not some deadbeat in their thirties still living at home, though it probably looks it. Being unemployed and all.”
It was the smirk on his face. “I’m positive you could work at your parents’ business if you really wanted to.”
He sighed. “That’s what I’m being asked to do.”
“Like in high school.”
She remembered he had wanted to make a name for himself. Not be looked at or thought of as theotherMcCarthy son.
“Yeah. Don’t get me wrong—my parents are good about it. I’m not hurting for money, don’t think that. It’s just figuring out what to do and where to go. No reason to be signing a lease until I get that set. My condo is under contract to sell in a few weeks.”
“You’re really not going back to Charlotte,” she said. That was interesting. She’d bet he could get any number of jobs there if he wanted. Unless he was thinking of going to another professional sporting team.
Best not to ask.
This was one meeting and lunch if she accepted.
She wanted to accept because she’d be lying to herself if she didn’t admit what a great time the past hour had been.
Hot and sweaty, filled with fun and laughter, her son’s excitement radiating beside her. It was all a reminder that life still existed beyond work and the endless weight of responsibility. That joy could be simple. That she was allowed to feel it too.
“No reason to go back,” he said. “I did what I set out to and now it’s time for another path.”
She nodded. It wasn’t as if there was anything she could add to that. She didn’t know him well enough anymore.
“Then why don’t we get some lunch so I can feed Archer. The kid has a third leg he hides all the food in.”
“Do not,” her son said and let out a warm giggle that always lit her chest up with happiness.
Much more than it had when she was married to Archer’s father who couldn’t stand noise in the house, let alone be bothered to play with his son.
“It feels that way when the grocery bill gets higher each week with all the food you toss in it,” she said, reaching for Archer and trying to tickle him. He skirted away and hid behind Jayce on her.
