“Sure.”
But as they played, Wyatt kept needling him. “Let me get this straight,” he said, panting as he dribbled the ball at the three-point line.“You flew all the way out here just togiveup?”
Grady jumped as Wyatt leapt into the air to take a shot. The ball glanced off his fingertips and went wide. “I didn’t give up. I’m not giving up.” He sprinted after the ball and circled around. “I’m just…reassessing thesituation.”
Wyattgrunted.
The sun climbed in the sky as they played, and soon sweat was rolling down Grady’sspine.
He was down five points when he heard Priya’s voice. Ball in hand, he twisted around to locate her. Wyatt snatched it away, but Grady didn’t care. Easier to strip off off his shirt when he wasbarehanded.
She was with Tegan, coming down a path. He caught her eye, then grabbed the back of his t-shirt and peeled it overhishead.
She was too far away for him to see ifshe blushed, but he was certainshedid.
“Doesn’t look like you’re re-assessing anything,” Wyatt said under his breath. Grady turned around just in time to see his friend sink the ball inthenet.
Sevenpointsdown.
Fuck.
And now he had an audience. He turned on everything he had. They were evenly matched for height, but he had a solid fifteen pounds of muscle on Wyatt,and he used it. He got more aggressive with his defense, putting his body in the way as a big, immovable barrier, making his friend travel further and shoot from worseangles.
When he got the ball, he didn’t take the shot until he knew itwasgood.
On the second pump fake in a row that Wyatt fell for, he dunked the ball and hung off the basket for a few seconds before he jumped downand got right back in hisfriend’sface.
“Are you done preening like a peacock?” Wyatt said as he smacked the ball against thecourt.
“Hardly.”
“You know what Ithink?”
“Shut up andplayball.”
Wyatt ignored the threat as he dribbled around the perimeter. “I think you know exactly what you want, and your head is doing a good job of second-guessingthat.”
“Of course I know whatIwant.”
“Then go for it. Life is short. And she’s staring at you like you’re an ice cream sundae.” Wyatt squatted low and powered himself into the air, making the shot. “Nothing butswish.”
Down three. Grady grabbed the ball and circled back to the starting pointagain.Fuck.
Now he could feel her gaze on him. Ice cream sundae? He could work withthat. He faked to the right, but then instead of charging or shifting to the left, he dribbled backward. He pointed at the net and Wyatt shookhishead.
Sure, he was showing off. And he might not make it. But if he did, he’d tiethegame.
