Page 1 of The Love Duet
Prologue
I’ve done a lot ofthings in my life.I’ve stared down two-hundred-pound linebackers.I’ve faced baseballs coming at me at over ninety miles per hour.I’ve ignored an elbow in the face, fighting for the soccer ball.I’ve also torn my hands up dunking those basketballs.Hell, I’ve even risked my sanity to knock that tiny fucking puck into the net.Now, while I’ve always been into sports, you had to really be insane to play fucking hockey.
Still, all those bruises, broken bones, cuts, scrapes, stitches, and concussions were nothing compared to what I was facing now.
I’d also never been one to give into my nerves.I loved challenges; they kept your mind sharp and your body ready.Crowds had also never bothered me.It never intimidated me to be the center of attention, and I was often in that position with being the star quarterback for my varsity high school football team.So, all eyes on me had never bothered me before.
However, walking into this room, glancing around at everyone looking comfortable and capable, I was feeling intimidated as hell.A novel feeling, for sure.Even when I had transferred to Yosemite High, I hadn’t felt intimidated.I hadn’t minded being the new kid, trying to find my place during my junior year of high school when alliances had already been formed years ago.
Trying out for every sport that would work with my school schedule hadn’t been intimidating, either.Not to brag, but I’d been gifted with what a lot of people called natural athletic ability, and I played most sports very well, football being my passion.I had even played hockey well, but I hadn’t been suicidal enough to want to make a go of that particular sport.
Running my sweaty palms over my jeans, I walked up to the woman who seemed to be in charge.I’d been lingering by the front door long enough to notice how she’d gone from table to table, addressing everyone, the friendliest smile on her face that I’d ever seen.
When she saw me walking towards her, she excused herself from the two guys who’d she been speaking with, then met me halfway.“Hello,” she greeted, still smiling.“May I help you?”
“Uh, yeah...I...”I had to clear my throat, and my obvious nervousness had me feeling wildly stupid.In fact, I was super close to just bolting out the front door.
Her face softened in understanding, and that just made me feel stupider.“Is this your first time here?”
I nodded.“Yeah, uh...I...I was interested in taking your summer classes,” I told her.“I mean...I know I can’t possibly learn a lot in only three months, but...I need to start somewhere.”
Her head tilted in understanding.“Well, while the need to rush the learning process is very common, it does take some time to learn.”
“I...I’m hoping that I can still take classes after school starts, but...I play football and-”
“We have very flexible classes here, Mr...?”
“Cameron,” I replied sheepishly.After all, the proper thing would have been to introduce myself when she had first approached me.“Royce Cameron, but please call me Royce.”
Her smile widened.“It’s nice to meet you, Royce Cameron.I’m Tilly Segar.”
Finally smiling, I said, “It’s nice to meet you, too.”At that, we shook hands, and I was no longer feeling like such a tool.
“Why don’t we walk over to my desk, and then we can discuss what your objective for taking this class is?”she suggested, and I nodded, following her to a large desk that was nestled in the corner of the room.Tilly had a mountain of paperwork all over the place, so it was a good thing that the desk was large enough to accommodate such a load.
After taking our seats, she asked, “So, what can we do for you, Royce?We have beginners’ classes and-”
“I’m not here to learn how to have a conversation,” I blurted, feeling like an idiot again.
Her brows shot upward in surprise.“Well...then, I’m confused-”
“It’s not that.”I shook my head, knowing that I sounded like a lunatic.“I mean...I want to learn how to have conversations, obviously, but not just that.”
“I’m afraid that I still don’t understand your meaning,” she replied, but not unkindly.
“I’m here because...because...”
“Yes?”she prompted.
Looking at her, hoping that she could hear the seriousness in my voice, I said, “I’m not here to learn how to speak in sign language.I’m here to learn how to love someone in sign language.”
