33. Lucy
CHAPTER 33
LUCY
P atience is not a virtue I possess. I tried as hard as I could, but the reserve has dried up. My resolve has withered.
I need to go find Jordan.
I gave him what I assumed to be enough time to have this conversation. Given what I generally knew he wanted to say, I figure he should be about done. I’m now wandering the hallways around the men’s locker room trying to find him and his parents.
I’ve run into just about every member of their team, as well as their families, the coaches and their families, the managers and their families, and even the trainers and their families.
But no Jordan.
I really hope it didn’t go so poorly that they had to leave. I want to celebrate with him. I want to tell him how proud I am again. Selfishly, I also want him to help ease my anxiety about my own game tomorrow.
More than anything, though, I want him to finish what he was saying to me out on the court.
I want to hear him say it so badly .
And I want to say it back to him.
The hallway I’m in is essentially deserted, but it looks like there’s one more back inlet where a storage closet might be. As I get closer, I hear the low, smooth voice I desperately want to be the soundtrack for the rest of my life.
The only thing better than the voice itself are the words I hear being spoken. Apparently, I’m becoming a master eavesdropper.
But this time, the words fill my heart with warmth and excitement. I stop, back against the wall, and listen.
“...and she is my top priority right now. I love this girl and fully plan to marry her someday. I won’t let anything or anyone jeopardize that.”
There’s a few moments of silence where I swear they must be able to hear my heartbeat. It’s pounding like a drum as my eyes well up with tears.
He loves me.
He wants to marry me.
I’m his top priority.
Lord, I want to run to him right now.
But I wait as he continues.
“So, what are you guys thinking? I know you weren’t expecting me to be done with basketball so soon, but law school is what I really want. I’m ready to move on. I’ve been researching the teams most likely to draft Lucy, and there are highly ranked law schools in each of those cities. I’ve already applied to all of them.”
My jaw drops. We had discussed law school, of course–Jordan is way smarter than anyone knows and is so excited at the new challenge of being a lawyer–but he never mentioned the rest of it.
He’s in this for real. It’s not just convenient or fleeting—he’s taking real steps to build a life with me. There’s a “we” right now. He’s making life decisions that revolve around us being together .
I realize my mouth is still hanging open when he continues, his voice a little more nervous now.
“Someone, please say something.”
“Honey, I don’t know if I’ve ever been prouder of you than I am right now.” His mom’s voice is thick with emotion.
The long pause that comes next feels like an eternity. His dad is apparently at a loss for words. As the seconds drag on, I wonder if he’s being defiant or just so angry he can’t speak.
Finally, I hear the clearing of a throat. “This is a lot for me to take in, Jordan. It ending so abruptly…”
He trails off and I lean sideways, straining to listen.
“I know I’ve made some mistakes. I’m…I’m sorry for that.”
The words sound painful coming out.
“It’s fair that you want space from me. I have a lot to work on. But please don’t allow that to cloud your judgment. Don’t be rash. You still have a lot you could do in basketball.”
“Yeah, Dad, you did. You hurt me quite a bit. That’s the reason I need distance from you for a while, but it’s not the reason I’m walking away from basketball.” Jordan’s voice is firm, but assured now. Then he lets out a laugh. “I love Lucy so much.” His tone is light, like he’s so happy he can’t believe it. I know the feeling.
“She’s helped me see myself and my life so differently. I realized I’m capable of more than I ever thought possible as long as she’s by my side. My judgment is clearer than it’s ever been.”
I can hear his smile as he’s talking. I feel like my face might break because my own smile is so big. My heart is full to bursting.
I’m praying this conversation is coming to a close because I don’t think I can hold off running to him and pulling his face to mine for another second. I’m a ticking time bomb.
The next voice I hear is his mom’s.
“I love you, sweetheart. I’ve never seen you like this before, and–” Her voice catches. “It’s all I’ve ever wanted for you. I can’t wait to bring Lucy out to visit.”
I can’t wait to go visit. I can’t wait to have our moms meet because it’s obvious they are going to become best friends. I can’t wait to start this next chapter with Jordan. Even the looming anxiety of the championship game tomorrow can’t touch me.
“We’ll talk soon. Take care of yourself.”
Mr. Mitchell’s goodbye is a little less heartfelt.
I take a few steps back, hiding in a different offshoot hallway. I’m not crazy about them knowing I was eavesdropping. I’ll tell Jordan, of course. I couldn’t lie to him even if I wanted to, but his parents might not love that I heard some of that.
I wait until I see the Mitchells hurry out hand in hand before taking off at almost a sprint. Rounding the corner, I collide with Jordan. He grunts, but I just throw my arms around him.
I need to be as close to him as possible in this moment.
Luckily, he gets over the shock of our collision quickly and lifts me off the floor again–I love how light he makes me feel. He exhales, pulling me into his body. His words tickle my neck.
“How much did you hear?”
“Just a bit at the end.”
Pulling his head back to meet my eyes, he raises his eyebrows. “Starting with what?”
I pretend to have to think really hard to remember. “Umm, something about your top priority and law school. I’m still trying to connect the dots.”
He sets me down, closing his eyes and shaking his head. The corners of his mouth turn up in a small smile. “Okay, so?”
I bite my lip. “So?”
“You want me to say it again, don’t you?”
I cock my head to the side. “Say what? ”
“Lucy, you are a piece of work. But despite that…or maybe because of it…”
He intertwines his fingers in mine then pulls me close, so we are only inches apart. “I love you. I don’t even remember what life was like before you, but I do know I could never go back. You’ve changed it all. I really wish I was like one of those guys in the rom-coms with the perfect lines, but I’m not. I’m just a guy who looks at you and sees his whole world.”
Damn.
“That was a pretty perfect line.”
“Well, I learn from the best.”
The grin he gives me is enough to turn me to putty in his hands.
I close my eyes, trying to absorb this moment and lock it away forever. I open them, and he’s gazing at me with a level of adoration that I definitely don’t deserve.
I feel like I don’t deserve any of this. But all I want to do is love him, so I’ll just do that until I’m blue in the face.
I can’t hold it in for another second.
“Jordan, I love you so much I don’t know what to do with myself.”
The words spill out of me so fast, it’s like the dam broke. Apparently that was all he’d been waiting for. His mouth is on mine in an instant, his hands in my hair while mine finds his face. We don’t come apart until both of us are gasping for air.
He then drops his forehead to mine. “Damn, I love you a lot. Wow.”
I gaze up at him. “I think I love you more.”
His lips brush my forehead, and I sink into his chest. “We’ll see about that.”