Page 104 of The Puckable Playbook

Her gaze staring into mine anchors me in place. “I feel like a different person,” I tell her honestly. I’d been living in so much negativity.No one’s watching my video. The scouts don’t come to see me. I’m not playing well.Those thoughts kept me prisoner, but when the coach told me to turn everything into an opportunity, my mind shifted.

I pull Len in for a hug. “Selfie for the fam? We need to take a lot of pictures to make them jealous.”

She laughs. “I think even my dad would get a kick out of a place like this.”

“You told me he wouldn’t set foot in an RV.”

“But look at this,” she says, but before I can view the scenery once more, she jets off toward the stone structure.

She passes two wooden swings that face the lake and a circular stone fireplace. Inside the half-open structure is a gas fireplace with a cozy seating area. Then there’s a small kitchenette with a sink, a fridge, and the door to the bathroom. I snap a couple of pictures until Lenore finds the staircase to the roof.

She peers over her shoulder. “You’re kidding.”

Before I can answer, she’s running up the steps. I follow after and emerge to a breathtaking 360-degree view. Black handrails surround the space on all four sides, and the comfiest-looking half-moon chair sits smack in the middle. Len crawls right onto it, spreading out with the myriad of pillows.

“I’m in love.”

“Oh, you’re in love?” I tease.

She grins, then sits up to pull me down with her. “This is the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me.”

“That’s my new middle name. It used to be pessimistic asshole, but I’ve had it legally changed.”

She giggles, and the sound is like a tinkling bell. I lie next to her, peering out over the lake. “This is the perfect selfie.” I pull out my phone and snap a picture of the two of us cozied up on the half-moon chair. I send it off to my family group chat along with another snap of the view before us.

Dad’s going to go ballistic.

After a few minutes of contented silence, Len asks, “I heard mention of dinner and possibly spa reservations. When are we doing that?”

“Dinner reservation is tonight. We still have a couple of hours. Spa reservation is tomorrow. We can get tickets into the hot springs or a trail ride whenever we want. We just arrange it through this nifty app they had me download onto my phone.”

She grimaces. “I’m kind of hungry.”

“Then you’ll love the room service feature.” I pull out my phone again, tapping on the app. “They’ll bring it right to us. We should order some snacks. Oh, and my mom made us some stuff, but I haven’t had a chance to look yet.”

We look at the options, settling on a fruit and cheese tray. It’s delivered within fifteen minutes and brought right up to the rooftop terrace for us, splayed out onto the half-moon bed. I tip the delivery girl and watch her drive away in a golf cart.

Len’s eating a piece of cheese when I turn. She talks around a mouthful. “I think your dad’s got the right idea about this RV-life thing.”

“You mean now that there are horses and room service involved?”

She shrugs. “I liked it before, the tranquility of it all, but you can’t say horses and room service don’t make everything better.”

I sit next to her, eyeing up the tray before deciding on a few grapes.

Soon, we’re cuddled up next to each other again, Lenore pulled into my lap while we watch a pink sunset over the lake. Len takes a few pictures, then sets her phone aside. Neither of us have much signal up here. I had to tie into the Wi-Fi to get the room service, but I disconnected right after.

It’s perfect like this. Just the two of us.

My stomach flips as I hold her. I planned a lot of speeches for today. I’ve fucked up a lot recently, and for whatever reason, sheunderstands, but I don’t want to be like her father. I don’t want to be someone who constantly disappoints her. Someone who she’s guarded with. I want Len to be her whole self around me.

“I need to thank you, Lenore.”

“Hmm?” she says, squeezing my forearms that are crossed in front of her.

“For believing in me. For sticking with me.”

“Of course I believe in you, Zaiah.”

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