Levi

LEVI

IT WASN’T UNTIL THE buzzer sounded at the end of the first quarter that I saw her. She was sitting in the stands just like she’d done all those years ago when she came to my games. Her blonde hair was piled high in one of those messy bun things and she was wearing a plain gray hoodie, but she looked every bit as beautiful as she had at eighteen. My heart jumped up into my throat at just the sight of her. After I got over the momentary shock of seeing her in the stands, my mind immediately asked, Why is Emily Davis here?

“Coach?” Henry asked. I quickly pulled my eyes away from the bleachers and back to the group of young men gathered around me. I rambled off a few things about what they’d done well in that quarter, and what they needed to improve on in the next. I hoped the team couldn’t tell how distracted I was.

As the boys took the court for the second quarter, my eyes again went back up to Emily. She had her head turned to the side and was saying something to her mom. Was she visiting her parents? If so, why had she come to a high school basketball game? I couldn’t recall her parents ever being at a game before, but then again, I didn’t usually spend game time looking at the people in the stands. I spent it focused on the game…much like I needed to do at the moment.

I let out a cheer as my new player, Noah, landed a three pointer. His second of the game. I tried to quiet all the racing thoughts about Emily by telling myself I’d try and find her after the game to say hello and catch up.

IT TURNED OUT I didn’t have to go far to find Emily. The boys were really amped up about the win that night, so I kept my after game speech short and sweet before they hit the showers. As soon as I stepped out of the locker room, I saw her standing on the sideline of the gym with her back against the wall looking at her phone. Her face was scrunched up as if she didn’t like what she was looking at, and I was hit with the overwhelming urge to fix whatever it was that made her look so unhappy.

I took a few steps closer before I said, “Emily?”

Her head turned quickly as she shoved the phone into the back pocket of her jeans. The expression on her face immediately softened. “Levi,” she said with a slight smile. “What a surprise to run into you here.”

I couldn’t help the low chuckle that escaped my lips. “I could say the same thing about you.”

Emily turned and leaned her shoulder against the wall. Once she was facing me, I couldn’t help but smile at the small red stain on the front of her sweatshirt. Even after twenty years, she was still spilling on herself when she ate. It was one of those things that was so adorably Emily it made my heart skip a beat. I used to keep extra sweatshirts in my locker for her because it was inevitable she’d spill on herself at least once per week and rather than have her walk around the rest of the day embarrassed with a stain on her shirt, I’d give her one of my sweatshirts like it was no big deal. She’d always been so appreciative and it made me feel like I was taking care of her.

Emily tipped her head slightly to the side. “My son is on your team.”

“What?” I asked in complete surprise. I wasn’t sure which I was more taken aback with—that Emily had a son, or that he was on my team and I had no idea. I could feel my brows come together in confusion. “But there’s not a Davis on the team.”

Emily cleared her throat. “Noah. Noah Williams. He’s my son.”

I paused for a moment. I should’ve put two and two together sooner. Now that she’d said something, Noah had the same light blonde hair and blue eyes as his mom. Only Emily’s eyes didn’t hold the same sparkle they once had and despite the smile on her face she looked tired. She was still the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen, only it looked like…like she’d been through some stuff. That thought didn’t settle well with me. Neither did the fact that Noah had a different last name than Emily which meant…

“Williams is my married name,” Emily said cutting into my thoughts.

“I see,” I answered slowly. It was as if my mouth couldn’t properly formulate the words. That was the answer I hadn’t wanted to hear. As I took in a breath, it felt like a lead weight was crushing my chest. Married. Emily was married and had a fifteen-year-old son. All the fantasies I’d had over the past twenty years of us reconnecting vanished in a puff smoke. Of course she was married. I should’ve known. I was foolish enough to let Emily go once, and I couldn’t imagine someone else making the same mistake.

Emily rolled her bottom lip between her teeth. “But I’m in the process of changing it back to Davis,” she said quickly. “Noah’s dad and I are divorced and there’s already another Mrs. Williams, so…” she trailed off and gave her shoulders a shrug.

The lead weight on my chest instantly lifted and was replaced by something that felt oddly like hope. My brain on the other hand wanted to know if her ex was the one who had dimmed the sparkle in her eyes and made her scrunch her face up when she looked at her phone. I felt my hands fold into fists at my sides at just the mere thought of someone hurting Emily.

“Mom!” Noah’s voice rang out from behind me.

Emily tipped her head to the side to look around me. “Hey!” she said enthusiastically with a big wave. Noah jogged over and wrapped Emily up in a hug. My heart instantly melted. I wasn’t sure any other kid on my team would do the same thing in front of anyone, let alone their teammates coming out of the locker room.

“You were amazing!” Emily said as she pulled away from him and reached up to brush his shaggy hair out of his face. I wasn’t sure she caught it, but I clearly saw Noah roll his eyes. “I think this may have been your best game yet!” Emily was beaming from ear to ear.

“Yeah, Coach has helped me out with a few things,” Noah looked over at me.

“Noah’s a great kid and a hard worker both in class and on the court.” I reached up and patted Noah on the shoulder.

“Did you meet my mom?” Noah asked me. I opened my mouth to respond that I had, but before I could say anything, Emily jumped in.

“Levi and I went to high school together, so we’ve known each other awhile.” Emily avoided eye contact with me and looked only at Noah.

“Is Levi your name?” Noah asked with a hint of confusion.

I chuckled. “Yes. I do have a name other than Coach.”

Noah answered with what sounded like a grunt—like he’d never considered I had an actual name. I had to bite my lower lip to keep from laughing. I remembered being that age and was surprised to see a teacher in public. I’d only thought of them existing within the walls of school. Noah turned to Emily. “I’m going to go to the car and see if I can convince grandma to make me some grilled cheese sandwiches when we get home. I’m starving. Night Coach.” Noah hooked his thumbs in his backpack and took off across the court leaving Emily and I alone in the gym.

“You’re a high school math teacher?” Emily asked as soon as Noah was across the gym. The surprise was evident both in her tone and on her face.

I couldn’t help but laugh and flash her a big smile. “I had an amazing tutor in high school who got me interested in the subject.” I swore there was a light blush that crept up Emily’s cheeks. I couldn’t take my eyes off of her. I felt like a kid in high school again trying to talk to his crush. I wondered if she was thinking about all the times we’d kissed under the bleachers or if I was the only one.

“That’s really incredible, Levi. I’m so happy for you.” Her voice was soft, but the sincerity was evident. I saw her hesitate for a moment and had a feeling I knew what was coming next. Emily had always been so easy to read. “Is there…is there a Mrs. Hall?”

I shook my head. “The only Mrs. Hall there’s ever been is my mother.”

If Emily was surprised, she didn’t show it. In fact, she looked to be rather pleased with that answer.

There was a pause in the conversation while Emily and I maintained eye contact. I wondered if she felt the same way I did—that whatever we’d shared twenty years ago was still there bubbling under the surface and by us being together again, it was starting to erupt.

“I…I should get going,” Emily pulled her eyes away as she reached up and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. “My parents and Noah are waiting in the car.”

I nodded. “Please tell your parents hello for me.” Before I even thought about what I was doing, I reached out and took Emily’s hand in mine. It fit perfectly, just as it always had. “It was really good to see you again, Em.” I brought her hand up to my lips and gave it a soft kiss. I swore I heard her suck in a breath. I had never been that forward before, but this was Emily. My Emily. If I was going to get a second shot with her, there was nothing that could stop me from taking it.

Emily left her hand in mine even after I lowered it away from my lips. “It was good to see you too, Levi.” She paused before slowly pulling her hand out of mine. “Maybe I’ll see you again?”

I couldn’t help the huge grin that plastered itself on my face. “You can bet on it.” Emily gave me a soft smile before she turned and started across the gym floor. I stood rooted to the ground as I watched her walk. I was glad I did, otherwise I would’ve missed her turning around to glance at me over her shoulder and flash me her beautiful smile once more.