nine
Levi put up a jump shot, but it bounced off the rim and dropped into Erik’s hands. Didn’t matter. They weren’t keeping score anyway. But he sure was stinking up the court this morning.
Pawley Park was quiet, the temperature comfortable. A morning fog still hung over Bluebell Lake. The fresh air felt invigorating, as did the bit of exercise.
Erik dribbled the ball out and turned back toward the hoop. “Your shot’s off today.”
Levi put a guard up on him. “Just distracted.”
“Everything okay at home?”
“About the same.”
“I’m sure things will get better now that the season is in full swing.”
Erik faked to the right, but Levi was right there. “What about you? Everything all right with Karli?”
The ball smacked the pavement rhythmically. “Yeah, it’s just getting a little old—the long-distance thing.” He’d met his girlfriend on a business trip.
“You could always move to Knoxville if things get serious enough.”
Erik made a fadeaway shot that arced through the air and sank through the hoop with aswoosh.
“I don’t know if I could leave my dad, you know?” Bill owned the local garage, and Erik was his right-hand man. When he wasn’t working on cars, he was a volunteer firefighter.
Levi grabbed the ball and took it out. “Right. And with her son in Knoxville, Karli’s not leaving anytime soon.”
“Seems kind of doomed, huh? Maybe we should just call it quits before it gets too serious.”
“Well, you can’t ask her to leave her kid.”
“I know. She’d never do that anyway.”
“So I guess the question is, would you ever move there?”
Erik winced. “I don’t know. It’d kill my dad.”
Levi moved forward, dribbling with ease. Erik was scrappier, but Levi had the height advantage. Of course, that didn’t matter if he couldn’t even sink a shot.
“So how are the honeymooners? Or have you even seen them since they checked in?”
Levi took a second to consider how much he wanted to say. “Actually, it’s just the woman. Apparently the wedding never happened.”
Erik straightened. “She came on her honeymoon alone?”
Levi was no fool—he took advantage of Erik’s distraction. Dodged him and put up a lay-up. The ball bounced off the board and dropped through the basket.
Erik made a face. “Cheap shot. But seriously, some chick is there on her honeymoon alone? With the whole inn empty?”
“That’s about the size of it.”
“What’s she look like?”
“What does it matter? She’s a guest.”
“Adam was a guest, and that didn’t stop Molly from going after him.”
“And I disapproved—for all the good it did me. We need every satisfied customer we can get right now.”
