Page 23 of If It's You

“You know what basketball is, right?” Mitchell eyed him like he was from another planet.

Christian swallowed. “I’ll play.”

“Sweet.” Mitchell handed him the ball. “I’ll go get Jayce and Mason.”

Christian held the ball in his hands like it was a bomb and went back outside. He could picture the years he’d spent shooting shot after shot, perfecting each shot from every angle, only to have it not matter in the end. But now that he was holding a ball again, he couldn’t deny how much he’d missed it. His dad had been his teacher since before he could even dribble a ball. They’d spent every weekend together at the community center until Christian made the highschool team and the hours had become too demanding. His dad had always loved the game though, and told Christian that basketball was a lot like life.“Some days we miss every shot we take. But the only way to succeed is to keep shooting, no matter how tired you are. There is always another shot to take.”

Christian scrubbed a hand down his face. He was getting emotional over a basketball ball. Ridiculous.

He pulled out his phone and fired off a text to his mom, checking on his little sister Emi. He would call later tonight to make sure they were doing okay.

A silver truck pulled up to the house, its loud stereo announcing its arrival long before it came to a complete stop. A blonde guy sat in the driver’s seat banging his hands on the wheel to the music.

Maizie ran from the house in a bright yellow sundress and a scent of sweet vanilla trailed behind her.

She brushed past Christian as if he blended in with one of the tan wood pillars.

“Did you find your skunk?”

She froze and her back straightened before she turned to glare at him. “Gullible much?”

He grinned, something that seemed to make her angrier.

“This isn’t over,” she hollered before she opened the passenger door of the silver truck and climbed in.

What kind of jerk didn’t meet a woman at the front door or help her into the truck? Not that Maizie was a woman. Christian’s grip tightened on the basketball as he watched Maizie drive off with him.

Christian had his flaws, but he always opened the door for a lady. Then again, it was Maizie. If he were to open her door, she’d probably just hop in the driver’s seat instead.

Mitchell came out of the house with the other boys in tow and led the group across the street. He cracked open the door to the giant red shed and Christian’s jaw dropped. It was a full-sized basketball court, complete with cement flooring and vaulted ceilings.

“Whoa.” When he’d first seen this shed, he’d thought it was home to giant tractors or maybe some nice cars. This was far more impressive.

Dad would have loved this.

“Mom and Dad built it for Mack and Maizie,” Mason said, skipping in behind him.

“Mack?” Maizie’s boyfriend? That didn’t make any sense.

“Our brother,” Mason said matter of factly as he started swinging his arms side to side to warm up.

Brother? But why would Maizie wear his name on her wrist? Maybe he was off at college.

Mason took off down the court to do a lay-up which ended up bouncing off the corner of the backboard and flying across the gym.

“Mack was Maizie’s twin,” Jayce said, soft enough he almost missed it.

Christian’s pulse slowed. “Was?” He didn’t like the start of this story. He was sure he wouldn’t like the end.

“He passed away a few years ago.” Jayce’s face showed the pain he still dealt with on his own.

Christian sucked in a breath like he’d been punched in the gut. No wonder Maizie had gone pale when he’d mentioned Mack in the truck last week. She wasn’t just a spoiled princess, she was wounded and guarded and had every right to be.

Maybe he knew her better than he thought.

“I’m sorry,” Christian said, then he remembered.ThatMack. The one Jayce had been torn up over a couple years ago. He couldn’t recall exactly what had happened, something to do with a four-wheeler maybe, but he wasn’t about to reopen that wound for his best friend.

“It’s all right.” Jayce looked wistfully at the court around them. “We used to play out here all the time. Even Maiz. But I don’t think she’s even stepped a foot in here since he passed.”