Page 27 of A New Chapter in Rosewood Beach

“I think that sounds wonderful,” Vivian said, forgetting all about playing tennis so that she could smile at her daughter uninterrupted. “I couldn’t be happier for you. I remember when you feared that you might be a single parent forever, and now you’re in a relationship with your high school crush.”

“I know.” Panting, Hazel went to lean against the side of the net. Her eyes softened as she talked about her partner. “He’s such a good guy. Sam accidentally called him ‘Dad’ the other day, and you should have seen the look on his face. He was absolutely thrilled by it. I know she already thinks of him as a father, and it’s been such a huge help to have a man in our lives. I don’t have as much time to spend with Samantha as I did, but all this happened right when she was starting to spread her wings, so it worked out really well, I think. It’s helped me not feel as sad about her growing up, and I think it’s good for her to have a father figure right now. It helps her feel more secure as she’s starting to deal with more challenging things in life.”

Vivian nodded, standing near her daughter and also taking the opportunity to catch her breath. “He is a great guy. You’ve always deserved someone like him, and I’m so happy that it’s finally happened.”

“Me too. Maybe I was just holding out until I found a guy as great as Jacob, but I really didn’t want to try dating at all for a while there. Or maybe I just expected that most guys wouldn’t really be interested in me because I have so many extra responsibilities because of Sam. It definitely changes the dating game, having a daughter.”

“But the right guy wasn’t daunted by that at all.” Vivian wrapped an arm around Hazel. “I’m so happy for you, sweetheart.”

She meant it with all of her heart, but there was still a bittersweet feeling in her core as she spoke with Hazel. She thought of how nice it must be to have a future with a special person stretching out in front of you, instead of in the past behind you, as was her case with Frank. She swallowed as she smiled at Hazel, determined to keep a cheerful expression on her face.

“Thanks, Mom.” Hazel took a deep breath. “Well, that was enough of a break for me. Are you ready for some more tennis?”

“Absolutely.”

They played together for a while longer, giggling and exclaiming when things when wrong and whooping with triumph whenever they hit the ball. When an hour had passed, Hazel glanced down at her watch.

“Ah, I should go. I want to make sure I’m home when Samantha gets there. I’ve got to talk to her about the cheerleading tryouts.”

“Oh, of course. Tell her I send my love.”

“I will!”

“I think I’ll stay for a little while and practice my serves. Heaven knows I need the improvement.”

Hazel laughed. “Sounds good. But don’t tire yourself out too much, okay?”

“Yes, ma’am.” Vivian winked and then waved as her daughter left the tennis court and headed back to her car.

As soon as Hazel was out of sight, Vivian allowed herself a moment to feel sad that she was facing the rest of her life without a partner. She took a deep breath and then let out a long sigh.

I’m still incredibly lucky,she thought, smiling and picking up one of the tennis balls.I won’t let myself feel too down about it.

She threw the ball upward and then gave it a good thwack with her tennis racket. It sailed across the court and bounced a few times on the cement before rolling to a stop. Vivian smiled, reflecting that she loved the sound of tennis balls bouncing. She had always associated the sound with summer and having fun, and now she was enjoying the sport herself instead of observing it from a distance.

She continued to practice her serves for a few more minutes. Although many of her shots were not great, she could tell that overall she was improving, and it gave her a delightful sense of satisfaction.

She had just decided that she would stop soon and go home and take a refreshing cold shower when she picked up a tennis ball for a final shot. She threw it in the air and hit it hard with her tennis racket. Perhaps her enthusiasm over her improvement made her overly confident, because this time she hit the ball much too hard and in entirely the wrong direction. It sailed out of the tennis court and whizzed across the parking lot.

Vivian heard the ball bounce off a car, setting off the car alarm. She winced and clapped her hand to her forehead.

“Oh no,” she murmured. “I hope I didn't break anything.”

She raced out into the parking lot, ready to apologize to whoever's car she hit. She skidded to a halt when she saw the person who was getting out of the car. He was holding the tennis ball and smiling in amusement. It was Terrence.

“We need to stop meeting like this,” he teased. “If you have something against my car, just tell me.”

Vivian laughed and blushed as Terrence turned off the emphatic car alarm. He grinned at her, and she felt grateful that he was once again behaving so graciously about the situation.

She shrugged, acting a little flirtatious before she even realized what she was doing. “It seems you’re just a magnet for disaster when it comes to my handiness with a tennis racket.”

He chuckled. “Good thing your son is a car guy.”

She let out a small gasp, feeling concerned. “There’s no damage to your car, is there? If there is, I’ll pay for it.”

“No, not at all,” he assured her, smiling warmly.

There was a short pause as they smiled at each other. Vivian could feel herself grow warmer, something that she wouldn't have thought was possible after playing tennis for so long in the summer heat.

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