The late afternoon air was crisp and smelled like cut grass.

The courtyard was mostly empty, paved with old red bricks that echoed under my uniform shoes.

Richard stood near a wrought-iron bench and watched me walk toward him.

His shoulders were slumped, but he tried to stand taller as I got closer.

He was still looking for an angle to win.

“We drove three hours to get here today,” Richard said.

“Nobody asked you to come,” I said.