Chapter 12: The Offer

Nate answered the phone with his voice still rough from sleep.

"Coach. It's six in the morning."

Jesse lay on his side and watched his face.

He couldn't hear the other voice, only a low, urgent rumble.

Nate sat up slowly.

"When?" he said. "No. How bad?"

The rumble went on.

"I see," Nate said. "And the spot."

A longer pause.

Nate looked at Jesse across the pillow, and his expression was one Jesse could not read.

"Friday," Nate said. "I understand. Thank you. I'll call you."

He ended the call and sat holding the phone in both hands.

"What did he say?" Jesse asked.

"One of the Eastern swimmers tore his shoulder at a meet last weekend."

"That's terrible."

"It is. And he was the one holding my old spot on the trials team."

Nate stared at the screen.

"They want me back. The scholarship, the lane, all of it. I'd start in two weeks."

Jesse sat up too, with the sheet around his waist.

His stomach had dropped through the mattress.

"Two weeks," he said.

"They need an answer by Friday."

"And what did you tell him?"

"That I'll call." Nate set the phone down. "I didn't say yes."

"You didn't say no."

"I didn't say anything." Nate turned and took his hands. "Jess. Look at me. I'm not going to decide this at dawn. Not like this."

"It's your dream."

"It was."

"It still is."

"It's one of them," Nate said, and kissed his knuckles. "I have a few now."

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