“Willow, this is Sydney.” Tanner inches closer to me. “Willow goes to college with Jonah.”
“Nice to meet you,” I say.
“Same.” She grabs a hold of Tanner’s wrist. “We need you for badminton.”
“Badminton?” I ask quietly as she pulls him behind her. I follow them to the opposite side of the yard where, sure enough, a badminton game is going on.
Willow jogs off to one side and picks up a racket on the ground. “We’ve got Shaw.”
“Teams will be uneven,” someone calls.
“It’s fine. I’m good.” Tanner holds up a hand and stays on the sideline beside me.
Irrational jealousy and a competitive spirit that often gets me in over my head (see kissing my best friend) makes me speak up. “Not if I play on the other team.”
Tanner chuckles, which just makes me more determined.
“Afraid I’ll show you up?” I bat my lashes. “How about a little wager?”
Rackets are thrust in our hands and I spin it around getting a feel for it. Have I ever played badminton before? Not that I can remember. But determination and athleticism I have, so how hard could it be?
“A wager, huh? All right. Let’s hear it.” Tanner’s amusement is clear on his face.
“If I win—”
“Your team, you mean? If your team wins.”
“Yeah, yeah. If my team wins, then this counts as a date.”
“You’re that eager to get me naked, huh?” he asks with a cocky smirk and then straightens. “Fuck, you wanting me so bad is hot.”
“Yes, and your disinterest is a real lady boner killer.” I take off my heels. The grass under my toes is cool.
Using the racket in his hand, Tanner tips my chin up and closes the step between us. “If your team wins, then we count this as a date, but if my team wins, you let me take you out on a real date tomorrow night after Datson leaves.”
“You’re wagering with something I’d say yes to anyway. Why?”
“It’s what I want. Besides, beating you is victory enough for me.” He winks and walks away toward the other side.
It’s four against four. I’m placed in the back with a tall, lanky guy wearing a sweatband around his forehead who introduces himself as Biff. He looks like he’s taking this seriously, so that’s good for my team, I think.
Tanner’s the only guy on the other team. Willow and two of her friends crowd around him like he’s the king of badminton. I’m giving them all the stink eye when Willow takes the birdie back to a point on the ground marked by a cup of beer.
“First team to ten wins. Losing team does a shot for every point they lose by.”
“What if we lose by a lot?” Celia, one of the girls on my team, asks.
Willow says something reassuring, but I focus my thoughts on winning. No, not just winning—total annihilation.
I smile sweetly at Tanner and get in position, or what I hope is badminton position.
Willow serves. It’s low, just barely clearing the net.
“I got it,” Celia calls it and waves her racket in the air. She, in fact, does not have it.
Her friend, Molly, who is also on our team, laughs.
“Shut it. I was close,” Celia fires back, laughing at herself. “Let’s see you do better.”
No problem. Down by one. We got this.
Willow serves again with a similar result, though this time Celia doesn’t call out, she still goes for it and puts the birdie in the net.
“Sorry,” she chirps with a nervous giggle. “Sports are so not my thing.”
“We could switch places if you want,” I offer.
For the love of shuttlecock, say yes. I do not want to have to mow her down to take a swipe at the next serve.
“Oh, uh, sure.” She’s hesitant, but at her words, I step forward with a big smile and take her spot.
“Are you guys ready?” Willow asks, a note of pity in her voice that makes me grit my teeth.
“Ready.”
Tanner’s across from me on the other side of the net. “Just a game, babe. You get to go out with me either way.”
“Uh-huh, yeah, yeah.” I train my focus on Willow. “We’ve got this.”
The only thing I hate more than losing is not being able to do anything to stop it. Willow knows exactly what she’s doing or is the luckiest server in all of badminton. Now that I’ve moved up, her serves go longer so they’re still in Celia’s area to return.
When we’re down five to zero, I take matters into my own hands.
“I’ve got it.” I jog backward relieved to finally get a turn in the action, but I hit the birdie with the edge of the racket and it goes out of bounds.
“Oh,” Willow groans. “I thought you guys had that one.” She picks up the birdie and walks it back to serve for a seventh go.
I turn to my team. “Has anyone played before? Ideas? Tips?”
Biff nods. “I have. You’ve gotta hit the shuttlecock right on the cork.”
Obvious? Yes, but at least he’s offering up something.
“Okay, you play in the middle. Take the serve if you can, and we’ll act as your backup.” I look to the girls. “Don’t be afraid to go for it if the birdie, shuttlecock thingy, comes at you. Let’s be aggressive and get some momentum going. I can’t take ten shots.”
Celia nods. “Us either.”
“Let’s do this, then. Yeah?” Familiar pep and enthusiasm, the same kind that helps me on the sand for volleyball, lifts my spirits and amps up the enjoyment. Being competitive isn’t just about winning. It’s this feeling of importance and fun—capturing a moment. Sure I’m capturing it in a win/lose mindset, but the adrenaline and the thrill is what I’ll remember far beyond the outcome of a random game of badminton one summer night.
Well, adrenaline, the thrill, and beating Tanner. Winning is extra sweet when it’s against him.
This time when Willow serves, another perfect shot toward Celia, we’re ready for it.
“Got it,” Biff calls and Celia steps out of the way as he hits the birdie and sends it up toward me. I get it over the net, Tanner sends it back with a determined glint in his eye, and Biff hits it again, landing it between Tanner and Willow.
Hands over head, I’m maybe a little too overzealous about a single point while we’re still down by five. Still, it gets us the desired energy bump and the game is more interesting after that. Tanner has an easy strength and power about him that makes him good at any sport and it’s no shocker that badminton is among them.
He works hard at basketball and baseball, don’t get me wrong, but the guy has a natural athleticism that gives him an advantage in anything requiring his body. And I’m pretty sure that covers all physical pursuits. Here’s hoping.
Mind back on the game, I admit to myself maybe I was a little too confident about my own abilities of dominating any sport with a net and a ball because Willow is real close to showing me up. I admire it about her as much as I want to slam a cock in her face…. a shuttlecock, I mean.
“Game point,” Tanner says as he prepares to serve.
“Don’t you have to win by two?” I ask.
His brows raise and one side of his mouth lifts. “Do you really want to take two shots instead of one?”
Ugh, no, but if they get this point then it’s over. Two serves and there’s at least one more opportunity to turn the tables on them.
“I’m ready to be done. I want to get in the pool,” Molly says, and Celia nods her agreement.
“All right,” I acquiesce.
Even before the serve, I’ve decided I’m going for it. I won’t go down without giving it my all. Tanner’s serve is high and floats right toward the middle. All four of us head to the center. I call it and block everything else out.
Calm washes over me as I position my body and stretch the racket to my right to make the play. Everything slows down. Even the music and the noise from the party fades to the background.
I can practically taste victory w
hen another racket collides with mine and together we jam the birdie between us and it falls to the ground two feet in front of us.
“Oh, sorry, I was trying to be aggressive.” Celia smiles too big considering we just lost. She shrugs. “At least it’s over now and we only have to take one shot.”
15
Tanner
Sydney’s still bristling from the loss as I bring back fresh drinks. Feet bare, shoes discarded beside her, she sits on the edge and dips her toes into the pool.
“One Malibu and Coke.” I hand her a red cup and take a seat next to her.
“Thank you,” she says like she’s anything but thankful.
“It’s not so bad. You still get to go out with me.”
“Yeah, yeah. That would be more forgivable if this wasn’t all your fault.”
“My fault?” I bark out a laugh at how riled up she is over badminton.
“You and your stupid handsome face attracting every chick and forcing me into stupid badminton games.” She waves a hand dismissively.
“I seem to remember you offering yourself up to even the teams.”
“Yes, but I had to. I saw the way Willow was looking at you.”
“How’s that?”
Her brown eyes lock on me. The neon lights from the pool dot her irises. “Fishing for compliments?”
“Only from you. I don’t give a shit about Willow or any other girl. Not here and not at Valley. You’ve always been my number one. When have I ever put anyone over you? I care what you think. Only you.”
A little of the fight leaves her and her mouth softens. “I know. It doesn’t mean I don’t like proving that I’m better for you to anyone that tries to get your attention. I’ve waited two years for this. I don’t want anyone to get in the way. And I don’t want to wait. I don’t need five dates. I did then, but not now.”
“Maybe I do. I want to show you that I’m serious about doing things right this time around. I fucked it up two years ago and I really hate fucking up. I want to give you an epic love story. You deserve that.”
“Epic love story?” Her grin is as wide as her face. “You’re so cheesy.”
“You haven’t seen the half of it, babe.” I get to my feet and hold out my hand. “Come on, let’s enjoy the party.”
Jonah is standing in a circle with two other guys, one I recognize by face but don’t know his name. The guy to his right, though, I remember both face and name.
“Hey, Richard. Good to see you again,” I say.
“You too, Shaw.” He looks to Sydney. “See you’ve got your girl with you again tonight.”
“Always.” I’m still holding her hand and I give it a squeeze.
“Shaw, do you remember Steve?” Jonah asks and nods to the other guy.
“You were down last summer?” I ask.
He nods. “Yeah, good memory.”
Jonah takes a sip of his beer. “We were just talking about playing quarters. Do you two want in?”
“Uhh…” Shit. I just got Sydney off the ledge from the last competitive game.
“Yes,” she answers for us as she elbows me. “Don’t give me that look. I’ll be fine.” Then she mumbles, “As long as no one hits on you.”
Chuckling, I let her lead me inside to the dining table. Jonah goes to get supplies while the rest of us take a seat. Sydney’s to my left and I scoot my chair closer to her and rest a hand on her leg under the table.
Jonah comes back with Willow at his side. She seems nice and I don’t think she’s actually trying to piss off my girl, but Sydney stiffens as Willow takes the seat across from me.
“Are you as good at quarters as you are everything else?” she asks, setting her drink on the table in front of her.
“I’m not sure. It’s been awhile since I played.”
Jonah places a glass in the middle of the table and pops the tab on a beer. He fills it about three quarters of the way. “Who wants to start?”
No one immediately volunteers, but Willow is the first to give. “I’ll go.”
Jonah slides a quarter down the table. We go all the way around the table once without anyone making it.
“Well, this is going to be the most boring game ever,” Jonah says at the same moment Willow takes her second turn and drops the quarter in the glass.
“Fuck, that’s coming to me, isn’t it?” he asks Willow as she laughs and then passes him the glass.
Willow makes it two more times, forcing me to drink and then Richard.
“You get to make a rule,” Steve reminds her.
“Hmmm…” She places a finger on her chin. Her nails are painted yellow and the bright color makes me think of Sydney. Hers are currently white and I wonder if that was also for me. “I’m banning the word drink. If you say the banned word then you have to take a...” Instead of saying the word she motions with her hand like she’s taking a drink.
I’m incredibly good at avoiding the word drink in all its variations from playing this game with Datson and our teammates. I learned the way everyone does—the super painful, incredibly drunk way where you pass out downstairs in the middle of the party.
And Sydney’s been present for a lot of those games, too, so we get to sit back and laugh as everyone continually trips up and is forced to drink. Richard is especially bad, but the tipsier he gets the more handsy he gets, and Jonah doesn’t seem like he minds.
Sydney leans over, her blonde hair acting like a curtain to hide her face from everyone else. “Where’s the bathroom?”
“I’ll show you.” I push my chair back and stand. “We’ll be right back.”
There’s a bathroom on the main floor, but there’s a line of girls waiting for it, so I take her upstairs.
“Second door on the left.” I hang back at the top of the stairs and let her go ahead.
“Thanks.”
I pull out my phone and take a seat on the top stair. Tara called again tonight and left a message for me to call her back so we can make plans for the Fourth. We always do it up big with a party at the house. The last three years have been awesome, and I want this year to be even better.
I shoot Tara a quick text to promise I’ll call her soon. I don’t hear the bathroom door open or Sydney approaching before her fingers slide over my eyes. I could tell it was her even if she weren’t the only other person up here. I’m highly attuned to her touch.
“Eww. Your hands are wet.”
“At least you know I washed them.” She takes a seat next to me on the stairs. “This house is amazing. What do Jonah’s parents do?”
“His dad is a judge. I can’t remember if he’s ever said what his mom does.”
“How did you two meet?”
“We played against each other in high school and AAU. The first weekend I came down here three years ago I ran into him. I couldn’t place him, but knew I recognized him from somewhere. Luckily, he remembered me.” I shrug. “That was pretty much it. I don’t hear from him during the year, but as soon as I get to the lake each summer, we fall back into hanging out. He’s a good guy.”
“Like us,” she says. “We don’t usually hang out during school breaks, but when we’re at Valley, we always fall back together.”
“Not exactly like that.” I slide my hand up her leg to her hip and bring my lips to hers. She opens for me immediately and I waste no time sweeping my tongue in her mouth and tasting her. Sydney kisses like it’s a competitive sport and she is a gold medal winner every single time.
We’re interrupted by someone coming up the stairs and reluctantly, I stand and we head back down. I really don’t feel like playing quarters or generally being around anyone but Sydney.
“I have an idea. You game?” I squeeze her hand.
Without even asking for more details she agrees, and with a little creativity and fast thinking, I’m able to mostly create the first date I had planned. I grab all the supplies and lead her into the garage. We sit on the workout bench facing one another.
“What is this?”
/>
“Alternate date number one, of course.”
“Date number one was dinner, I take it?” she asks, taking a cheese puff from the bag between us.
“Is dinner. I said alternate, but I meant bonus date. The real one will be much classier. No plastic cups or food that comes from a bag. I did picture it a lot like this though. You in a dress, me looking sharp as always.”
“The smell of sweat in the air,” she says dreamily, holding a hand over her heart and then laughing.
“But it achieves the most important part of my first date—having you all to myself.”
“I know somewhere else you could achieve that.”
I ignore that obvious reference to sex for the sake of my dick who is looking for any reason to pop up and make it about him.
“What’s the best date you’ve ever been on?” I ask.
“Drinks at a little cafe in Italy.”
“Figures fucking Sebastian couldn’t even take you on a real date. Drinks is a bullshit excuse for a date.”
She rolls her eyes and pops another cheese puff in her mouth. “What’s the best date you’ve ever planned?”
“I haven’t.”
“I don’t understand. They couldn’t have all sucked.”
“I’ve never really been on a date like that. Not a real one where I asked a girl out and planned something specifically for her. You know how it is. You make plans with someone and you just sort of show up together at the same place. I’m not counting those.”
“What about Amelia? I thought you guys went to a couple concerts and what about the time you took her to the Diamondbacks game?”
“All her. She planned those or told me she wanted to do them and sent me links with dates and times.”
“She did the work.” As she takes a drink, she nods thoughtfully. Then, still holding the drink up to her mouth, says, “I think I finally figured out what all your ex’s have in common.”
“I’m almost afraid to ask.”
“They made it easy on you. They built a relationship and you were along for the ride.” That stings a little, but she places the cup on the bench and leans in. “I don’t blame you. Your schedule is nuts, and to fit into your life, any girl is going to have to be cool with that, but they each took control so that they never had to wait on you to make a move.”
The Pass Page 10
