CHAPTER SIXTY-SEVEN
Whitney
“ A week. That’s all the time Simon gave me.”
I glance over to Suri. She’s sitting on the bleachers beside me, her head is hung down, as she listens to me.
“That’s a big decision.”
“It’s ... my head has been in a fog. It’s like life took a break from throwing me curveballs and then in the past five months, it’s thrown them at me all at once.”
“Yeah, but you hit the one out of the park when it came to Hardy.”
I nod. But Hardy’s not the problem right now. It’s everything else. “Do I want to pick up my life and move away from all I’ve ever known...and from you?”
“For your dream man and your dream job? Um ... I’m going to say the quiet part out loud. Yes . I don’t understand why you’re hesitating.”
“Simon didn’t look at me because he heard what a phenomenal coach I was. He heard about me because Hardy asked around. And so what? They’re offering me a job because they’re also trying to win Hardy over to play with their club when his contract is up next year. It’s like a political chess game that I’m a pawn in.”
“So what?”
“So, what if Hardy stays where he is? Then what? I get fired?”
She shakes her head. “I guess that’s a chance you’re going to have to take, isn’t it? Just like the chance you took in seeing Hardy. That turned out okay.”
“I’m not this person, Suri. I’m not wishy-washy. I know what I want. So why is this so hard?”
“Because all good decisions in life are.” She looks around. “I think you know the answer. I think you knew the moment Simon approached you. I think it’s scary, and you feel like the offer is a little jaded, but it’s also giving you everything you could ever want. A coaching job. More consistent proximity to Hardy. A chance to come back in the off-season to be here. I think you know, but I wouldn’t fault you for taking the full week to think, wonder, and decide.”
She’s right. As always .
“When is Hardy back?”
“A few days.” Back-to-back matches lead to more travel this week. “It’s probably for the best that he’s gone. It gives me time to think without him interfering.”
“Uh-huh, because staying in his penthouse isn’t a reminder of him, every minute of every day?” She snorts.
And she’s right.
It is.
But it’s also a reminder that I’m an independent woman who needs to make the best choice for herself.
“Sometimes it doesn’t matter how things fall in your lap, but you just have to take them and run. Your knee may still be messed up, but I suggest you start running.”
I rest my head on her shoulder and nod.
And prepare to start running.