Page 27 of My Heart to Keep
I leaned in and kissed him. I didn’t want to talk. I wanted to kiss and feel how much he loved me.
His tongue dove inside my mouth, taking and tasting.
I whimpered as I tangoed with him.
Nibbling on my lip, he broke the kiss. “I love you. Nothing will change that.”
I wasn’t so sure. I had the sinking feeling the separation would drive a wedge between us, but I couldn’t deny Maiken his chance. I couldn’t stand in the way of his dream. I wasn’t that type of girl. Yet that didn’t mean I wouldn’t bawl my eyes out.
Senior year was about to suck the big one.
Four weeks of camp flew by, and I had a decision to make. I’d wavered back and forth on attending Greenridge. Seeing the sadness in Quinn’s eyes when she’d visited me at the academy had torn my heart to pieces. But I really liked the school. I liked Coach Green. I’d gotten to meet the basketball team, and the guys seemed nice. I also didn’t get the sense that they didn’t want a new guy taking over their territory or that there were any big egos at play.
Oddly, I felt at home at Greenridge Academy. I felt like I belonged there. For so long, especially since Dad died, I hadn’t felt whole. I’d been feeling lost, trying to find myself, and worrying about taking care of my family.
Coach Dean was talking to Mr. Thompson as I pulled into the lot at the farm store. I’d called Coach, and he’d told me he had a few minutes to chat before his weekly poker game with Mr. Thompson.
Mr. Thompson was wearing his normal scowl as he listened to whatever Coach Dean was saying. I cut the engine and glanced out at the farm, hoping to catch a glimpse of Quinn. As far as I knew, she was still grounded. But my search came up empty. No one was milling around the horse barn or even outside the house.
I climbed out just as Mr. Thompson went into the farm store.
“Let’s take a walk,” Coach said, swiping a hand over his shiny bald head.
The summer heat had been brutal with high humidity and a heat index that was off the charts.
“How was camp? Coach Green tells me you were great.”
We ambled down along the perimeter of the farm and settled near the small building Mr. Thompson used to sell Christmas trees.
“Did he also tell you he wants me to play for him?”
“He did. And you should consider his offer, son.”
I angled my head. “You don’t want me playing for you?”
He looked past me briefly. “I do. Look, Coach Green has the best connections with scouts and colleges. He even has friends in high places. Plus, the school will be good for you. You’ll do nothing but study, attend classes, and train.”
I knew he was looking out for my best interests, yet I couldn’t help but feel a pang of hurt in my gut. “I like the school.”
Coach Dean tucked his hands into his pants pockets, studying me. “But? What are you afraid of?”
I squinted at the setting sun. “Leaving my mom. Quinn.”
He gripped my shoulder. “As you should be. But think about yourself. What do you want, Maiken? I mean, look into your crystal ball. What do you see for yourself? Not for anyone else, but for you. Don’t worry about me, your mom, Quinn, or anyone. I want you to dig deep and find what’s going to make you happy.”
My eyes burned as tears filled them. What I wanted I could never have. I wanted my dad there, having the same conversation with me that Coach and I were having. If he were there, he would be asking me the same thing.
“I want to play for a Division I school. I want my dad to be proud of me. I want my mom to be as well. I want a family in the future. I want to play in the NBA. Most of all, I need Quinn in my life.”
He smiled like a proud dad. “Then pour your heart and soul into the game. Through your hard work and dedication, everything else will follow—family, girlfriend, NBA.”
“You sound so sure.”
He chuckled as he started back toward the farm store. “You’ve been through a lot, son. It’s time you focus on you.”
“You think Greenridge will help me do that?” My gut said yes. But I wasn’t so sure about my heart.
“The academy will remove all the noise surrounding you and allow you to zero in on your talent. Think of it as basketball camp for an entire year.”
