Always and Forever: Rugby Brothers, Book 3
Page 13
“Sounds to me like you don’t trust him either?”
Mano pulled out an apple and leaned on his side, his shirt tightening across his chest as he brought the fruit to his mouth. She turned away and bit into her sandwich.
“Eden, you’ve turned red.”
“Shut up.”
From the corner of her eye, she saw surprise then understanding cross his usually passive face. “Uh…am I making you uncomfortable?” he asked cautiously.
She sighed. “No. I can’t help that I find you attractive. I’ve been cursed with a face that shows the world how I feel. But we’re friends. But maybe I’ll not look at your mouth so much.”
His laughter was loud enough that others in the grove turned to look their way. “You are probably the most honest person I’ve ever met, Eden Pak.”
“I’m just not smart enough to remember things if they’re not true.” She grinned. “Anyway, Brandon said he’s fine with Aidan coming with me. There is a problem though. I’d emailed the team, and we don’t have any extra room in the house we’re renting. Most of the hotels there are booked out unless you’re willing to pay an insane amount. I don’t want you to incur any expenses for this, Mano.”
“The whole team stays together?”
“It’s cheaper that way, especially for what’s considered a local meet. Aidan can sleep with me, though I don’t think he’ll be excited about sharing the bed.”
Mano pulled out his phone and began typing into it. “Would you feel comfortable staying with me? There are a few weekend rentals still available in the area. My shout.”
“You what?”
“Shout.” Mano tilted his head. “As in, I’ll pay for it. You and Aidan can be my guests.”
Eden narrowed her eyes. “How much is it?”
“My shout,” he repeated.
She tried to grab his phone, but his reflexes were faster than she expected. Off-balance, she fell on him. Her hands splayed out on his chest, and her eyes returned to his lips. Their breathing mirrored each other, shallow and rapid.
“Did you just fall again, Eden Pak?” His voice was deep and low. He lifted her body slightly; the adjustment brought their bodies into full contact.
Granite.
“Why mess with tradition?” She couldn’t stop her hand from cupping his cheek, her thumb caressing the strong jawline. She hadn’t realized how long his lashes were until now. A faded scar crossed his temple into hair she was sorely tempted to touch. Instead, she took a deep breath and pushed herself off him, her body already scolding her for the separation. She grabbed her water bottle and swallowed the water hurriedly.
“Let me think about the rental, okay?” she said.
“I’ll book it. The boy wants to see his mother swim. He can stay with you or me. I’ll send you the link. It’s a nice place.”
CHAPTER NINE
Mano knew he was being a little underhanded when he sent the link to the rental to both Aidan and Eden. She was right in that most accommodations were booked for the weekend. Only a smattering of high-end apartments was available at the last minute.
He didn’t think twice about securing the rental as soon as he got home. It was a nice place: a two-bedroom townhouse with two bathrooms with a view of the San Luis Mountains. The Aquatic Center was only a ten-minute drive, and from the reviews, it looked like they were within walking distances to popular local restaurants.
It was a no-brainer for him, but Eden was proving to be a tougher sell.
* * *
Eden: You play dirty
* * *
He couldn’t resist.
* * *
Mano: You can check. I’ve committed the least number of fouls on the NZ National Team.
* * *
Ten minutes later, his phone buzzed.
* * *
Eden: You still play dirty.
* * *
Another fifteen minutes later, she messaged him again.
* * *
Eden: Okay, you win. But I’ll “shout” for groceries and stuff. Okay?
* * *
Before he could reply, another message appeared.
* * *
Aidan: Thanks! (And yes, my mom is making me type this.)
* * *
He welcomed the distraction from what felt like an unproductive month at the college. While Harry Winters welcomed his insights with the women’s team, Brett had dismissed much of everything he had suggested from the start. He knew Jackson and the other trainers quietly absorbed his feedback, but anything he suggested directly to the head coach himself was thrown into the recycling bin.
Literally.
He had seen his handwritten notes there in the second week.
He got up from the dining table and watched the lights from the other houses in the cul-de-sac slowly brighten up the street.
He wasn’t used to his opinion being disregarded.
More surprising, he wasn’t fighting to be heard. He had good reason to bring up Brett’s resistance to Alistair, but instincts said not to rock the boat. This was a short-term contract. Just do what he could. The nagging question was whether he was doing all he could.
If he could no longer contribute on the field, and his voice off the field wasn’t appreciated, what was next? Unlike Mitch and Connor, he hadn’t planned on staying associated to the sport he loved. He had planned on a regular job, coming home to Margot, and—when their kids were old enough—maybe tossing the ball around…like he was doing with Aidan and Matthew.
When Margot left, he let go of that dream. He was now back in his old world, but it didn’t seem like that world wanted him back either.
The next time he looked up, he was completely shrouded in darkness. Startled, he checked his phone for the time. He had sat at the table, lost in thought, for two hours. He had missed dinner. He was sure he had half a sandwich in the fridge. And there was always banana bread.
He didn’t bother with the lights. The darkness suited him fine.
Standing on the sidelines with Harry Winters was a far different experience from his time with Brett. Harry had included him in practices and in meetings with his assistants and trainers in the week leading up to their match. He even redirected a few players to work with Mano exclusively on the pitch, and the players were soaking it up. Videos of practices and matches flooded his email box. Mrs. Winters sent him lunch.
They lost by three points, but Mano appreciated Harry’s post-match speech on what had improved and what else could be improved. He scanned the locker room as Harry spoke; the team was listening, taking notes. There was a thirst to get better.
He hurried back to find Aidan and Brandon sitting on his front porch. Matthew Yuan was there as well, pulling at his laces.
“Are you sure I can’t go?” Matthew asked.
“Has your mother changed her mind?”
“Stupid family dinner,” Matthew muttered. “It’s always the same thing. We go to the restaurant and just sit there for hours. We eat the same thing every time: fried rice, fried noodles, fried prawns, sweet and sour chicken, tofu in black bean sauce…”
“Sounds like a good time, Matt,” Brandon said.
“I’d rather watch people swim.”
Aidan put his arm around his friend’s shoulder. “I’ll be back tomorrow night. Probably early. My mom said her last swim should be done by five.”
“And we’ll walk to school Monday morning, right?”
Aidan nodded solemnly. “I’ll meet you by the bridge like we always do.”
“Aidan….”
Aidan leaned his head closer to Matthew. “Like. We. Always. Do.”
Mano held his fist up for a fist bump. “We’ll go to the next rugby match together, eh? Your dad said he’ll come as well.”
Matthew nodded and returned Mano’s fist bump half-heartedly. He walked dejectedly toward home, his hands in his pockets.
Brandon watched Matthew walk to his house before turning to Aidan. “Is there more going on, son?”
Mano grabbed his bag from his bedroom and met Brandon and Aidan in his garage.
“Okay, be good,” Brandon said, hugging his son. “Wish your mom good luck for me. And don’t forget to let me know her times.”
“I won’t. Bye, Dad.”
Brandon shook Mano’s hand. “Thanks for taking him. Until Eden mentioned it, I didn’t think he was interested in watching her swim.”
“She didn’t know either.”
“That’s what she said, too.” Brandon paused then took a deep breath. “I appreciate that he had you to talk to. It’s nice to see him excited about something again. He didn’t want to do much of anything last year.”
It was a three-and-a-half-hour drive to San Luis Obispo. Eden had left last night, and they agreed to meet her after her first race, which was going to be later tonight.
Aidan remained largely silent on the drive. Mano didn’t try to encourage a discussion. If the boy wanted to talk, he would. That’s how it had been this past month.
When they reached the rental, they were greeted by the smell of tomatoes and oregano.
Aidan rolled his eyes. “One more night of pasta. Can you die of pasta? It’s all we’ve had at home this last week. Pasta, pasta, pasta. Glad I’m not Italian.”
Mano picked up the note on the kitchen counter and noticed the lanyards under it. “She said to eat before we go to the Aquatic Center.” He looked at Aidan. “She also said there’s a hot dog in the fridge for you if you were sick of pasta.”
Mano had never been to a swim meet before. It was busier than he had expected. He was unfamiliar with the vocabulary around him. Conversations about tapers, the difficulty of getting into swimsuits, and even shaving incidents were taking place around him.
He spotted Jordan Kennedy, surrounded by a group of people. Most seemed to want a picture with him. A couple had notebooks with them and were throwing questions at him simultaneously.
“Where’s your mom?”
“Probably in the warm-up pool,” Aidan said. “She’ll find us after her race. Oh—hey! It’s Mrs. Wellens! Mrs. Wellens!”
Wearing a dark navy long jacket, a deeply tanned woman with the now familiar imprint of goggles on her face smiled widely as she opened her arms for Aidan.
“Look at you! How much have you grown over the summer?” Linda Wellens looked up. “You must be Mano. Eden said you were taking care of our guy here for the weekend.”
“Good to meet you,” Mano said.
Linda looked at Aidan again. “How long has it been since
you last saw your mom swim Aidan?”
Aidan shrugged. “In a meet. Never.”
“Well, I’m very glad you made it this time. Is your dad coming up tomorrow?”
“No.”
She nodded. “Next time. Maybe he can get back in the pool again. Tell him the Beavers want him before all those folks in the city.”
They made their way up to the stands, among excited family and friends. They didn’t have long to wait for Eden’s race—the 100 Meters Freestyle.
Mano almost didn’t recognize her when she came into sight. She looked like most of the other swimmers he had seen so far. Their body types were similar: long-limbed, narrow waists, strong arms, thick muscular shoulders. She moved intentionally as she went through her pre-race routine. Every shoulder roll, arm swing, and tight slap on muscles had a purpose. He knew she was fit, but in this setting, among her peers, she looked menacing.
Introductions were made. Eden raised her arm when it was her turn, but she didn’t look up even with Aidan loudly screaming her name. Her gaze stayed trained on her lane.
“Swimmers, take your marks!”
The deep-toned beep of the starting signal uniformly released the swimmers from their stationary positions.
“Go, Mom!” Aidan was up on his feet, yelling. “Come on! You got this!”
Mano leaned forward, aware that his heart had begun to race. Excitement coursed through his body, and he cracked his knuckles as he rested his forearms onto his knees.
She took a slight lead by the midway point. He could see—rather than hear—Jordan and Linda shouting from the sidelines.
There was an aggression in the pool he hadn’t expected to see in a race. The show of power with each stroke or kick was also a surprise.
“Here she goes,” Aidan cried. He began jumping up and down. “Go, Mom, go!”
Eden exploded off the last turn, surging forward. He didn’t catch a change in rhythm or technique. It looked the same. But her kicks seemed to become stronger, creating small waves. Her arms reached deeper and pulled further.
She was the clear winner.
But he saw the disappointment in her shoulders before he heard Aidan’s groan.
“She missed the mark by point four,” Aidan said as he pulled out his phone. “A new PB but not good enough. I’m going to let Dad know.”
Eden reached over the lines to shake hands with the swimmers closest to her. He watched her leave the pool and exchange words with a short man with a notebook.
“Is she done?” Mano asked Aidan.
“Yeah.”
“Seems like a really long day for a couple of minutes.”
Aidan laughed. “Welcome to the swim world, Mano. We wait a lot. That’s why I gave it up. Dad didn’t get that I hated the waiting. That’s what I love about rugby. No timeouts. No waiting. We keep going and going.”
Thirty minutes later, a deep sense of satisfaction filled Mano as he watched Aidan give Eden a hug. They shared a smile, the similarities between mother and son finally obvious to him. That was worth the long drive.
Eden stared blankly at the ceiling then closed her eyes, willing her mind to go silent. But it was alert. She had replayed her swim over and over again. She knew better. She needed her rest. Swim, race, let go. It was over. Focus on the next one! Go to sleep!
But she couldn’t.
She sat up, deciding that a cup of herbal tea might help calm her down. She reached for the sweatshirt she had thrown casually on the foot of bed then stopped at the landing.
Mano’s door was open.
She looked back into her bedroom. Aidan hadn’t moved, his mouth was slightly opened while his eyes were shut.
She moved closer to Mano’s bedroom and peered in cautiously. He could still be there, but she knew he had shut the door after they exchanged good nights a few hours ago. It seemed empty. Walking barefoot down the stairs, she looked furtively around when she reached the living area. “Mano?”
The curtain by the sliding door swayed gently as a light breeze entered the townhouse. She walked toward it and looked through the open door. Mano stood on the deck, his back to her, facing what should have been an unhindered view of San Luis Mountains.
“You should be sleeping, Eden,” he said without turning. “You need your rest.”
“Can’t sleep. You?”
“The same.”
She slipped her hand into his and squeezed it. A few seconds later, he squeezed back, their fingers intertwined.
“Did you ever get nervous before a big match?” she asked.
“All the time. They were always big matches to me. Even in France. For club or country, they all mattered.”
“Weren’t you expecting your matches in France to matter?”
“No, I signed on for the money. I thought if that was the reason for me to go, it wouldn’t matter as much. I was wrong. I got to know the other fellas; they were all good people, good players. You don’t want to let your teammates down.”
She soaked in his answer. “Did you ever play for yourself?”
He glanced at her, surprise visible even in the shadows. “That’s a strange question.”
She shrugged. “I swim for myself. Selfish, I know.”
“You’ve been called to answer a challenge. Different sport, but it makes sense.”
�
��Is that what you do? Answer a challenge?”
He grunted. “Trust me. If I wanted to mess up my body, I could have found other ways to do it. But rugby called me. It made sense. Some things in life, you just do. Because you’re meant to.” He squeezed her hand again. “I’m glad I saw you swim today. You looked great in the water.”
“I don’t know about that. I didn’t get the time I needed.”
“You still have one more chance tomorrow, right? To qualify.”
She nodded, now holding his hand in both of hers, seeking the comfort of his strength, hoping it would soften the anxiety she had forgotten she could nurse when something meant too much. “Yes. One more chance.”
She left early for the Aquatic Center. She went through all her pre-race motions. Checked with Tommy one more time. Warm-up swims. Played her favorite pre-race music. Body felt loose; ankle felt strong.
But the water didn’t welcome her. Her start was too slow. Her strokes far from precise. She won the race but—like yesterday—missed the qualifying point.
By one second. Point seven seconds to be exact.
A blink away from fulfilling a lifelong dream.
This time, there was no reason for her failure other than she wasn’t fast enough.
CHAPTER TEN
She didn’t want to talk about the meet.
From what Mano gathered, she spoke to no one about it.
He found a print copy of the faculty newsletter, which celebrated Jordan’s and her appearances at the meet torn, in the recycling bin. Sarah could only shrug when he pulled it out and showed it to her.
Aidan said she continued to keep to her swim schedule, leaving the house at 4:30 a.m. and home by 7:30 a.m. Mano saw her at the gym on Friday, per the schedule before San Luis Obispo, except Jordan was working out with her now.