Tristan looks confused. “I’m sorry, but can you speak English? Frosting what?”
“Are we going to play this game, or not?” June props one hand on her hip and points to the sun with her racket. “I guess we have an hour before it gets too hot and we need to play three sets in that time.”
“Ready to put my sister back in her box?” Will ignores Tristan’s question and wraps his arm around my shoulders.
Marley holds up a hand. “I think we’re all missing an important detail here—where’s Mason?”
Silas scratches at the back of his neck, wincing. “Yeah, so I’m sorry to break this to you, Marl, but you’re partnered with me and I’ve never actually played tennis before. Actually, no, that’s a lie. I played one semester in high school.”
I feel Will’s arm tense around me. “Where is Mason?” he asks.
Silas shrugs, clearing his throat. “I assume still in bed like the rest of us should be. It’s 8 a.m. on a goddamn Sunday.”
Marley seems to buy Silas’s explanation; however, Will doesn’t look convinced as I peer up at him. Vesper’s expression looks similarly concerned. Mason disappeared without saying goodbye to anyone last night and didn’t show at breakfast either.
Vesper thumbs behind her toward the main hotel building. “Let me go and check on him. He might’ve forgotten about playing tennis this morning.”
With that, she spins on her heel, leaving an uneasy silence resting between us.
At one time, Mason was the life of our group, but over the past twelve months he’s gradually distanced himself from his teammates and life in general. He only agreed to come to Banff because Will’s teammates were invited by Kate and Jensen and he didn’t want to come off as rude. But open bars and Mason don’t mix well these days, and I don’t think Vesper will find him down at breakfast.
My sister looks between me and Will as Tristan peels off to join June at the baseline, both of them already bickering over who serves first.
“All right”—Will slaps his thigh, breaking the tension-filled silence—“Jones versus Vaughn. Let’s do this.”
“Excuse me.” June points to her chest. “I’m no freaking Vaughn!”
The smile as it creeps onto Tristan’s face is unmistakable, even from across the other side of the net.
His grin makes a change from the usual frown plastered to his face.
“June Monroe Vaughn.” He rolls the name around in his mouth, dismissing the prospect with a headshake. “Yeah, you’re right, Princess. That name sounds fucking horrendous on you.”
“Game…” June holds her hand over the net for her brother. “Set.” She taunts when he takes her hand and shakes it. “Match.” She tacks on a wink.
“You’re actually intolerable,” Will groans.
She releases his hand and pinches his cheek. “Yeah, but you love me.”
Wiping the sweat from his brow, Tristan has been officially played off the court—and I’m not referring to me and Will. June ran the show out there with Marley ending up umpiring after Mason remained a no-show and Silas ducked out to catch up with Vesper. They never did make it back to the court.
“I want to know what we win for kicking your asses,” Tristan says as I take his and June’s rackets, ready to return them to the clubhouse.
June—who organized the mini competition—clicks her tongue, smiling sweetly at the brooding Rogues forward. “I’d say the look on your face right now is reward enough for me.”
He scowls at her. “The win was a team effort, and you know it.”
As they both engage in another game of back-and-forth—only this time with their words instead of a ball—I reach up and plant a kiss on Will’s cheek.
“I’m proud of you for being gracious in defeat.”
He grumbles and I can’t help but laugh, interlacing our fingers and pulling him toward the clubhouse which is around a hundred yards from the tennis courts.
June wasn’t wrong, the July sun is intense. Relief is palpable as we step into the cool clubhouse and I hand the guy working the equipment rentals our rackets and tennis balls.
“Do you have a bathroom on site?” Will asks.
The attendant points to a door straight ahead and I follow Will, wondering why he can’t wait until we’re back in our hotel room. Our flight home to Seattle leaves in four hours and we need to pack, head to the airport, and get through security.