Page 14 of Pick Me

I ’ d gotten used to Meredith’s stomp-step-stomp noises around the apartment, but based on the note taped to our door, our neighbors

downstairs still had a problem with it. I walked in, holding it up in the air.

“They called you a Clydesdale this time.” I laughed.

She looked up from where she was meal prepping in the kitchen. “Ouch. I think I like ‘roller derby reject’ better.”

“Should we respond?”

“Sure. I’ll make it look like I have a black eye, grab a crutch, then go down and knock on their door to apologize for being

noisy using an Elizabethan orphan voice. Guarantee they’ll stop giving me crap.”

“Please. Have you ever been confrontational in your life?”

“No,” she admitted as she expertly trimmed a handful of green beans. “But maybe it’s time to start?”

“You know I’m a fan of the strategy.” I dropped my laptop bag on the futon and plopped down next to it.

“How was writing?” she asked.

“My first 7,562 words are now sitting in Piper’s inbox.” I pumped my fist half-heartedly.

Meredith frowned at me. “But I thought you needed to turn in—”

“I know , I know, but now I can bill them,” I interrupted her. “I did the best I could. She said as long as I hit my real deadline,

we’ll be fine.”

“And how likely is that?”

She stopped chopping to stare at me.

“We both know what needs to fall in line in order for me to get my mojo back,” I said. “But I’m inching closer. Owen said

I’m ‘exponentially better’ at every lesson.”

We’d had another since my second breakthrough session, and I finally felt it as well. My court confidence was getting stronger

with every dink and volley.

“Don’t forget that Kai might be at the Hamptons party,” Meredith added. “So there’s a chance you could run into him there,

make him fall in love with you, which, duh , and then all of the pickleball stuff will be unnecessary. You have enough knowledge now that you can talk about it like

you really play. Perfect icebreaker.”

I stared at the ceiling, imagining how it would go down if I did manage to corner Kai in the Hamptons. How cheesy would it

be to call him a “big dill” as my opener?

“Have you been getting intel about him from Bucket Hat?” Meredith asked.

“Owen,” I corrected. “Yeah, no, I haven’t. He keeps me working the whole session, and since we finish right as the club opens,

it’s not like we have time to hang out and chat.”

Plus it would feel awkward pumping him for information about another client.

When he mentioned Kai, it was always in passing, and to pause and ask something like, “Yeah, about Kai . . . Do you happen to know if he maintains positive relationships with his exes?” or “How does Kai treat the support staff here at the club? And does he have a good sense of humor?” would be awkward.

We were busy enough during my lessons using every second trying to get me to the next level.

Or a level, since I’d started in the basement.

“You still enjoying it?” Meredith asked, eyeing me with the tip of the knife planted in the cutting board.

“You think I’m going to say no, don’t you?”

She placed the trimmed beans in a glass storage container. “I mean, based on your history... ”

“Okay, okay.” I laughed. “Point taken. It might go against everything you know about me, but I’m really liking it. Once we

figured out my weirdness, it was like everything changed. I’m nowhere near as naturally athletic as you and my family, but

I’m not as bad as I assumed I’d be. At least not anymore.”

“He’s a really good coach if he was able to help you work through that,” Meredith said as she moved on to peeling boiled eggs.

“Intuitive and observant. It’s what I try to do with my students. Find their blocks and help them move past them.”

“I didn’t even know I had a block.”

“And that’s my point. Sometimes you need an outsider to help you see what’s right in front of your face.”

The fart odor of the eggs wafted over to me and I wrinkled my nose.

“Sorry,” she apologized. “I tried to make them when you weren’t home.”

“Do you have any other workout hand-me-downs I can borrow?” I asked. “I think Owen’s getting tired of seeing me in the same

two skorts.”

Meredith raised an eyebrow at me. “Worrying about how we look on the court, are we?”

“No, not at all,” I said quickly. “I just figured since you’re not using them, at least not for . . . How much longer are you in that thing?”

“Three more weeks until Frankenboot comes off!” she cheered. “Early!”

“Overachiever,” I fake-grumbled at her.

“Sounds like I’m not the only one,” she shot back. “Someone’s becoming the teacher’s pet.”

I grinned at the thought of it. “And now we’re going on a field trip.”

“When is that?”

“Next week. It’s perfect timing because a big part of Archer involves alicorns, and it’ll be cool to weave in some of my new horse knowledge.”

“And an alicorn is...?” Meredith asked.

“A Pegasus and unicorn hybrid. Everyone in Verdantia thinks they’re extinct, and only Einar knows there’s a herd of them living

in the woods. Which is great because Zandria needs them for the resistance army.”

Meredith stacked her prep containers and turned to load them into the fridge. “And this new horse knowledge will also translate

into the cowboy book that you’re actually getting paid to write, yes?”

I frowned at the thought of poor Austin and Abby, who were both signing up to work the pie booth at the county fair when I

left off. It should’ve been a layup chapter to write, but instead of focusing on their simmering sexual tension over cooked

fruit, I’d opted to research the ten most popular country fair pie flavors for an hour.

Apple was number one, obviously.

“Yes, of course !” I answered quickly. “It’s the main reason I’m doing it.”

She stomp-stepped over to join me on the futon and perched her boot up on the coffee table. “Is it going to be weird hanging out with him off the courts?”

I was caught off guard by the question. “I hadn’t even thought about the possibility of it being weird, so I guess that means

no?”

“From what I’ve heard, he’s a good guy. Colton loves him. And little Martina? Come on, they’re adorable together.”

“Yeah, I feel pretty lucky getting coached by a pro.”

“Speaking of, haven’t you run out of lessons?” Meredith cocked an eyebrow at me.

I shook my head. “Since I can get there early, he’s letting me do some extras.”

“And why is that?” She leaned toward me, now in full therapist mode.

“Beeeecaaause...” I elongated the word as I tried to figure it out for myself. “He appreciates the writer’s struggle, and

he wants to make sure this muse thing happens for me?”

“Right, of course.” Meredith nodded and pursed her lips. “That’s such a normal thing to do for someone who’s basically a stranger.

And then take said stranger on a date to a horse farm. Got it.”

“Oh my god, it’s not a date!” I insisted. “Mere, he knows I’m into Kai. Owen brings him up all the time, actually.”

Five times, to be specific.

“Okay, okay.” She put her hands up in surrender. “Point taken. It’s just very... generous of him to do all of that.”

My phone rang right as I opened my mouth to give her shit for suggesting an ulterior motive. “My mom,” I said when I glanced

at the screen. “Weird that she’s calling.” I answered. “Hey, iseverythingokay?”

It was my typical shorthand any time she called without texting first.

“Hi, sweetheart—yes, everything is great! Has your brother reached out to you yet?”

“Not in a week or so. Why?”

“He’s sneaking home for a quick visit before the season starts! It turns out your father and I are signed up for a race the

Saturday he’s here, so we were thinking he could come into the city and hang out with you that day. Maybe spend the night?”

I glanced at Meredith and she was already nodding. She pointed to her ear. “I can hear her and it’s fine,” she whispered.

I refrained from reminding my mom about my punishing writing schedule because I wasn’t about to miss time with Wes.

“Yeah, that would be great,” I said. “What are the dates?”

As we mapped out his visit, I tried to ignore the echoes of a lonely cowboy, wishing I would finally let him fall in love.