Chapter 51

“Satisfied, Brawley? Let’s go.”

We drove about thirty minutes before we found a high school with courts. We knew we wouldn’t find clay, so we settled for a hard court. At least we’d be more evenly matched.

I bounced a ball against my racket. “Do you want to be angry or do you want to be pumped up?”

Cameron blinked. “What are you talking about, Doug?”

I realized that “pumped” sounded sexual. “I meant which works better for you on the court? Being pissed off or having your ego primed?”

“I have no idea.”

I took the net so Cameron could practice passing shots, one of his specialties.

“Okay,” I said, “blast them by me.”

He whipped a backhand, angling it down the line, but I had a long reach and punched it to his forehand. He was there. This time he tried passing on my right, but I’d anticipated and volleyed the ball out of his reach. I heard him mutter a curse.

“Don’t get down,” I said. “Think: Cam is great! Cam is the best!”

He rolled his eyes.