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Lady Wynwood #7 early release Kickstarter

I worked on my first Kickstarter and it got approved! It’s for the Special Edition Hardcover of Lady Wynwood’s Spies, volume 1: Archer and the release of Lady Wynwood’s Spies, volume 7: Spinster. I contacted my graphic designer about the Special Edition Hardcover of vol. 1: Archer—it’s going to be SO beautiful! The Kickstarter focuses on the Special Edition Hardcover, but it’ll also include vol. 7: Spinster so that it’ll sort of be like a launch day for vol. 7, too. A third special thing that’ll be in the Kickstarter is Special Edition Paperbacks of all the books in the series. They won’t be available in stores, just in the Kickstarter (and later, from my website, and also in my Patreon book box tiers if I decide to do them). The Kickstarter is not live yet, but you can follow it to be alerted when it has launched. (You may need to create a free Kickstarter account.) Follow Camy’s Kickstarter

ひとり寿司第16章パート2




「ひとり寿司」をブログに連載します!


ひとり寿司



寿司シリーズの第一作

キャミー・タング

西島美幸 訳

スポーツ狂のレックス・坂井 —— いとこのマリコが数ヶ月後に結婚することにより、「いとこの中で一番年上の独身女性」という内輪の肩書を「勝ち取る」ことについては、あまり気にしていない。コントロールフリークの祖母を無視するのは容易だ —— しかし、祖母は最終通告を出した —— マリコの結婚式までにデート相手を見つけなければ、無慈悲な祖母は、レックスがコーチをしている女子バレーボールチームへの資金供給を切ると言う。

ダグアウトにいる選手全員とデートに出かけるほど絶望的なわけではない。レックスは、バイブルスタディで読んだ「エペソの手紙」をもとに「最高の男性」の条件の厳しいリストを作った。バレーボールではいつも勝つ —— ゲームを有利に進めれば、必ず成功するはずだ。

そのとき兄は、クリスチャンではなく、アスリートでもなく、一見何の魅力もないエイデンを彼女に引き合わせる。

エイデンは、クリスチャンではないという理由で離れていったトリッシュという女の子から受けた痛手から立ち直ろうとしている。そして、レックスが(1)彼に全く興味がないこと、(2)クリスチャンであること、(3)トリッシュのいとこであることを知る。あの狂った家族とまた付き合うのはごめんだ。まして、偽善的なクリスチャンの女の子など、お断り。彼はマゾヒストじゃない。

レックスは時間がなくなってきた。いくら頑張っても、いい人は現れない。それに、どこへ行ってもエイデンに遭遇する。あのリストはどんどん長くなっていくばかり ——

過去に掲載済みのストーリーのリンクはこちらです。

***


**********


「心配するな、っていうのが無理だろ?」エイデンは、折り畳まれた観客席に頭の後ろをぶつけた。

レックスは席を調整して、足を伸ばした。ハイヒールで仕事に行くのは嫌だった——短い時間でも、ふくらはぎとハムストリング筋が痛くなる。「選手だったらこういうこともある、って分かってると思うよ」

「試合を抜けた方が良かったよ」ジェスチャーをしている方の腕が、レックスにかすった。木のブリーチャー席(観覧席)で、彼女は横にずれた。

「ダメ、抜けるのは臆病よ。試合に出たら、最後までやるの。そうやって自分の足を引っ張るべきじゃないわ」

「僕のボールが当たったあの子は試合を抜けた——」

「キャミー? あの子は磁石みたいにボールを吸いつけるの。ウォームアップ中にコートの後ろを歩いてるだけで、ボールを当てられるんだから」

「だって、僕は彼女のど真ん中——」

「あなたはボールを正しい方向に打った。ブロッカーがそうさせてくれたのよ。ボールが飛ぶべき場所は、まさにそこだったの。キャミーはもっと下がって、レシーブするべきだった」

エイデンは、不機嫌に次の試合を見ていた。「残りの二試合も座ってようかな」

「もう、何言ってるの」

レックスの不愉快な声の調子を彼は楽しんでいるようだった。この臆病者を立ち直らせることだったら何でも言う。ヒッターが角ギリギリにショットして、相手チームの後衛センターがボールに飛び込むのを見ながら、レックスは手を叩いた。「あなた、最近良くなったわよ」

無表情なエイデンの顔が少し温かみを帯びた。かすかな笑顔が見えた、と断言してもいい。「そう?」

「うん」

「ここ何週間か、スタンフォードのバレーボールキャンプに行ってるんだ」

「そうなんだ! あれはすごく役に立つわよ。何てったって——」

「ヘイ、レックス」

キンムンが目の前に現れた。全然気がつかなかった。「ハーイ」

彼はいつもの笑顔を見せた。温かいホットチョコレートを飲んで、お腹の中が温かくなるような笑顔だ。「新しい仕事、始めたんだって?」

彼女はうなずいた。「SPZの同窓会リエゾン」

「すごいじゃん。どう? 楽しい?」

「最高よ。大学のスポーツチームのことを調べて、その同窓会の代表と話すだけでお給料がもらえるんだから」

キンムンは笑った。「天国だね。いとこが昔、同窓会の代表をやってたことがある。スポーツですごいお金儲けしてたよ」

変に躊躇気味な彼の言葉が少し引っかかった。彼女はそれを振り落とした。「そうね、SPZのウェブサイトで自分の学校のスポーツの宣伝をしたいみたいよ」

「UW(ワシントン大学)とは話した?」

「ああ、来週電話をかけることになってる。どうして?」

「別に」キンムンはまだ終わっていない試合の方に目を移した。「来週末、シアトルに行くんだ。できればフットボールの試合を見に行きたいんだけど、チケットが手に入るかどうか分からないんだ」

レックスは、チケットを取ってあげることができるだろうかと考えた。電話で話しているときに、フリーチケットをくれると言うAA(同窓会担当者)はいるが、いつもそうなるとは限らない。それに、ワシントン大学の同窓会と話すのは来週が初めてだ。

「まあ」キンムンが笑って彼女を見下ろすと、ホットチョコレート入りのカップがまた温かくなった。「仕事がうまく行っててよかったよ。今日はみんなと食べに行く?」

「うん。チリーズへ行くのよ」

「やった、僕の席、取っといてよ」

「もちろん」

キンムンは、ぶらぶらと歩いていった。

「彼はいい友達なの?」

レックスは、エイデンが隣に座っているのをすっかり忘れていた。「うん、昔からのね」

ただ、今日のキンムンは、まるでレックスに興味があるような様子だった。変だ、違う、心が弾んでいる。それも違うな、変だけど心が弾むようだ。

レックスはそのチケットを手に入れることができるだろうか。

***

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