Page 49 of Wish You Were Mine
Major: Marketing
I clicked on her photo to view her full bio and skimmed over some of her stats. I didn’t know a ton about gymnastics or what the various numbers meant, but it mentioned a few of her career highs—vault 9.8875, uneven bars 9.9375, beam 9.9675, and floor 9.9500.
They all seemed like pretty impressive numbers to me since I was pretty sure the highest score you could get in gymnastics was a 10.
When I overheard Lucy telling Brody that she’d taken third place at her meet last weekend, she sounded disappointed. Which I’d thought was a bit strange since third place was pretty great in my book.
But maybe, with career high scores like that, she was used to winning? Or at least getting second place.
I continued scrolling down the page, reading that before coming to Eden Falls University, she’d been a level 10 gymnast from Prestige Gymnastics in New Haven under coaches Jamie and Arnold Grimwald.
Lucy was on the national team for three years with multiple regional and national medals.
Okay, so…wow.
She wasn’t just good. She was exceptional.
I continued down to the “Fun Facts” section.
Favorite Skill: Front layout on beam
Favorite Food: My mom’s lasagna soup
Favorite Musical Artist: Incognito
Favorite Movie/TV Show: The Notebook, Modern Family
Favorite Quote: “Hard now, easy later.”
Hobbies: Makeup, movies, dancing
Favorite College Memory: “The night of the rock!”
Advice to Future Gymnasts:Do it for yourself, never give up, and have fun while doing it.
I smiled at that last line, then clicked open one of the attached articles—an interview from her junior year. She talked about discipline, resilience, and how she balanced school, training, friendships, and dating.
She sounded mature. Grounded.
Not exactly the type of girl who’d kiss a random stranger in a hot tub.
And maybe that was what was messing with me. That girl—the flirty, confident one—she was real. But so was this version.
A sudden gust of cold air swept in as the front door opened. I looked up, still chewing the corner of my bagel sandwich, and nearly choked.
Because the girl I’d just been researching…had just walked into The Brew.
Along with her friend Nora and another girl I didn’t recognize.
Crap!
I quickly minimized the browser tab and set my phone face down on the table.
Caught like a kid with his hand in the cookie jar.
Had she seen my phone screen as she passed the windows?
No, probably not. She was laughing with her friends, like she had no idea I was even here.
