Chapter 12 #3
The Stone’s Throw Inn boasted one of the most beautiful, unencumbered views of the coastline, and she wanted to make sure that people knew it.
Kids of varying ages ran around on the grass, some with sparklers that they twirled with glee.
It was exactly what she’d hoped it would be.
She wiped her sweaty brow and glanced over to where her mom sat, unobtrusively checking in. Her lips tipped into a smile when she noticed Hallie sitting on the arm of her mother’s chair, talking animatedly. God knows what Hallie was telling her, or vice versa.
Warmth radiated next to Reese, and the familiar scent of soft perfume enveloped her senses. “Don’t worry,” Sydney said quietly, leaning closer to Reese to be heard over the din of the crowd. “Hallie won’t spill the beans, if that’s what you’re worried about.”
Reese met her stare, and the buzzy feeling in her limbs that seemed to crop up whenever she was near Sydney reared to life. “I didn’t think she would.”
They stood, shoulder to shoulder, staring out at the expanse of grass before it fell away into the ocean below.
“I love what you’ve done with the place,” Sydney commented as she turned her focus back toward the growing darkness.
The patio was bathed in fairy lights that would be turned off when the fireworks started. They were woven around the unused outdoor heaters and crisscrossed through the trellis that created a privacy wall on the right side of the brick-laid space.
It gave the patio a soft glow, complemented by laughter filling the yard as various configurations of people silhouetted in front of them waited for the show to start.
Reese had spotted Sydney the second she’d walked through the French doors and onto the patio about fifteen minutes ago. She’d come in with a group of people Reese didn’t recognize.
Reese nodded toward them as they sat on a blanket in the middle of the crowd. “I see you brought friends.”
Sydney nodded, a vibrant smile settling on her lips. “Jenna, one of the full-time students at the training center, and her parents. I also dragged Brian here,” she added proudly, indicating her former coach.
Reese let the excitement flutter through her, knowing that she wanted Sydney to be impressed by her event.
She’d come to accept since they’d had their conversation yesterday that Sydney had that effect on her. The start of their friendship—if that was what it was—was beyond messy, but she wanted to be closer to Sydney, in whatever ways that meant.
“Are you excited for your trip back to Florida? You leave tomorrow, right?” Reese let the words hang between them, already knowing the answer to her second question. Sure, she wanted to spend more time with Sydney, but she was also intent on keeping her tethers to reality.
“Yep. I have an early flight out, and my parents are picking me up from the airport.”
“Both of them?” Reese asked. She couldn’t remember once in her life that both of her parents had come to pick her up from somewhere.
On her few, sporadic trips home over the last decade, it had always been easier to get a car at the airport than to accept her mom’s offer to drive into Boston and pick her up.
Sydney laughed. “They’re, um… very hands-on parents. And be sides tournaments and when I moved to Florida initially, this is the longest I’ve gone without seeing them.”
Reese honestly couldn’t imagine that reality. “So do you just, like, show up at one another’s houses? Have a standing weekly dinner when you’re not away?”
She found herself wanting to know more about Sydney’s life—her real life, the one that Reese would never experience.
“We live together,” Sydney said, like it was the most normal thing in the world. “I used to be traveling at least half the year, and when I’m home, I have full training days. I like coming home to people.”
That was an insane concept to her. Reese and Megan had lived together in San Francisco, but they’d spent long days in the office, with Reese mostly squirreled away working on the coding for the software.
When they’d been home together, their life had consisted of takeout dinners and discussions about work before prepping for the next day.
Living with a partner had been fine, but living with her parents? Inconceivable.
Then again, she had to assume that she and Sydney had very different parents.
Reese tried to hide the disbelief she knew was etched across her face. “Not a solitary creature then?” was what she settled on.
Sydney shrugged. “My parents have always been my biggest champions, and life on the tour can get lonely. I wasn’t exactly Miss Popularity, so it was really nice to come home to people who loved and supported me.”
Reese’s heart squeezed even though, again, she found Sydney’s words hard to believe. “I can say, honestly, you’re one of the most likable people I’ve ever met. Annoyingly so,” she teased, gently elbowing Sydney’s side.
She noted how Sydney grew still, wrapping her arms around her torso. “I appreciate you saying that, but it isn’t a sentiment shared by everyone.”
“Just don’t go into the hotel business and we likely won’t have an issue,” Reese joked again, trying to ease the tension that had permeated the moment.
That made Sydney laugh, and Reese loved hearing the sound. “Don’t worry. My experience is either staying in hotels or covering for Hallie so we wouldn’t get in trouble in this one. No fear of competition here ,” Sydney said, the implication in her words clear.
“But my family is another story,” Reese finished for her.
Sydney gave a slow nod. “In tennis, I’ve learned that focusing on what I’m doing instead of on anyone else is the most important thing. I’ll give that same advice to you.”
Reese brushed their shoulders together again, knocking gently into Sydney. “Sage wisdom, Ms. King. I’ll have to file that away for a rainy day.”
Their shoulders remained connected when Sydney said, “I’ve been thinking.
If your mom is looking for something new to try, she should consider the tennis center.
They have a ton of classes, and it could be a good way for her to meet people.
I could introduce her to Brian after the fireworks if you think she’d be open to that. ”
Could a heart melt? Because that was what was happening to Reese’s right then.
“I don’t know how anyone wouldn’t think the world of you, Sydney,” she said. “You’re probably the most thoughtful person I’ve ever met.”
Sydney evaded the compliment but smiled anyway, a flush across her cheeks visible in the dim patio lighting. “So is that a yes?” she asked hopefully.
“I think my mom would really like that. And honestly, I’m starting to run out of stories about my life to keep her updated on.”
Sydney lifted an eyebrow. “I find that hard to believe.”
“Stories I can actually tell her,” Reese corrected.
“It is a tangled web we weave. ”
Reese cleared her throat as she felt the moment growing serious again. “I don’t regret it, though. Any of it.”
The fairy lights, which had been set on a timer, turned off, signaling the fireworks would be starting soon.
Instead of heading back to find her group, Sydney slipped her fingers between Reese’s and squeezed. “Me neither.”
Within seconds, the first boom cracked loud above them, vibrant colors exploding across the sky.
Reese watched in awe, sneaking a glance at Sydney’s features. As a roman candle illuminated the sharp planes of her cheekbones in the darkness, she found herself wondering what it would feel like to not lay eyes on her for an entire week.
“I am exhausted ,” Hallie said dramatically. “I’d throw myself down in a chair, but I don’t know if I’d be able to get back up.”
“I’ve got the rest of the cleanup covered, Hallie.
Thank you for everything.” Reese said the words as more of a statement than a request, hoping Hallie wouldn’t feel obligated to help, then put her hands on her hips to show that she meant it.
“I just need to do one more sweep for any trash, and I think we’re good. ”
“You sure?” Hallie said in that same endlessly helpful way that Sydney had about her, though her voice was tinged with exhaustion.
Reese nodded. “I promise. This was my brainchild, and I take full responsibility for its management, including cleaning up.”
“I am inclined to keep arguing about this, but I’m also worried that I’ll fall asleep standing up,” Hallie said. Her surrender seemed genuine; she was already making her way over to the patio doors.
“Good night, Hallie,” Reese called out before Hallie disappeared inside, giving a half-hearted wave behind her.
The fireworks had ended more than half an hour ago, and the stragglers had finally made their way into the inn to head home.
Sydney, true to her word, had introduced Reese’s mom to Brian, and she’d loved the excited, lit-up look that had overtaken her mom’s face at the possibility of taking classes at the tennis center.
About ten minutes ago, Sydney had walked Jenna and her family, along with Brian and her mom, out to their cars.
She lamented that she probably wouldn’t see Sydney before she left tomorrow morning, but it was likely for the best. Her feelings were getting increasingly mixed up in her fake relationship with her brother’s ex; she didn’t need to add fuel to the fire.
The fairy lights were back on, casting a soft glow onto the trees that dotted the landscape. Reese scanned the grass, noting that all the guests had done a great job of depositing any trash they’d made in the large bins she’d placed outside near all the exits.
Organizing an event was similar to building software, at least in some respects. You had to give people choices but make it clear that there were desired and expected steps to follow for an optimum experience.