As it turned out, she didn’t need any assistance. She remembered the way easily. The enormous building was on the far side of the campus beyond a cluster of science labs and next to the football field. Nancy spotted a parking space near the front entrance and turned into it.

“All right!” George said, zipping up her down-filled ski parka as she leapt out of the car. “This is what I like to see!”

“Yeah, a whole building devoted to self-torture,” Bess finished. She pulled on a pair of pink wool mittens. “I don’t understand it, George—don’t you ever get tired of working out?”

“Nope!”

“Come on, let’s get inside. It’s freezing out here,” Nancy urged, locking her door. She was wearing jeans, boots, and a fleece-lined leather flight jacket, but even so the icy winter wind was making her shiver.

Inside, a security guard instructed them to sign the guest register, and a moment later they made their way into the main gymnasium. The basketball team was finishing their practice with a scrimmage. Sneakers squeaked on the polished wood floor as the players ran up and down the court.

It took Nancy a moment to spot her boyfriend. At six-feet-two, Ned stood out in most crowds, but among his supertall teammates he looked almost short. She hoped he would notice her on the sidelines, but it wasn’t until a foul brought the action to a halt that he did.

“Hey, Nan,” he called, sending her a half-hearted wave as he jogged over. “You made it. How was the drive down?”

A small lump formed in Nancy’s throat. Some hello, she thought. Where were his usual “Hey there, gorgeous” and “It’s great to see you“?

“The drive was fine,” she managed to say. She waited for him to kiss her or give her a sweaty hug, but he didn’t do either. Instead, he merely nodded at Bess and George.

“Glad you guys could make it. Come on, I’ll introduce you to the coach.”

Pat Burnett was a tall, silver-haired man in his late fifties. Nancy had seen him on the sidelines at games she had attended but had never met him before. His gray eyes shone with gratitude as he shook her hand. Standing with him was a stocky, pleasant-looking gentleman who appeared slightly older.