Page 14 of A Scoring Chance

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Page 14 of A Scoring Chance

I don’t dare take my eyes off him, afraid that I’ll miss another sign that something is wrong, but the question is, what is it? Cooper doesn’t look like the type of man to react to just anything. He seems to be very go-with-the-flow, but whatever the man said hit him hard. Harder than anyone else in this room knows. Anyone except me. Me and my stalker tendencies, whichliterally has me refusing to look at anything else but him since he spoke to me earlier.

I could always get up and go ask him. We spoke to each other earlier; it wouldn’t be out of the ordinary for me to call out to him before heading closer to the ice. He’s close enough that if I called his name, he’d hear me, but I wouldn’t dare. For one, the last thing I want to do is bring attention to whatever is happening right now, but mostly because I could be wrong. Although I doubt I am. Cooper’s hands clench tightly at his side, and his muscular arms seem to tremble with the effort to keep whatever is going with him under control.

“What the heck are you going on about? He’s fine.”

“No, he isn’t,” I insist, having no other way to explain to her that something is going on with her brother from another mother and she isn’t seeing it.

There is no reasonable explanation I could give Alise to explain to her how I know there is something wrong with Cooper, but that isn’t the point. He needs someone to help, to talk to, whatever people do when they see a friend in trouble, and he needs them right now. We’ve flirted a few times with each other in the last twenty-four hours, but that’s it. I’m probably the last person he would open up to about whatever is going on.

“Alise. Look at him. Really look at him.”

I don’t even need to look at her to know she is rolling her eyes at me. I should let this go. If someone who has known him for most of his life, like Alise, notices nothing wrong, I’m probably overreacting. Am I overreacting? Am I so wrapped up in this man that my mind is making up reasons to be near him? No, that’s not it at all.

“I am looking at him. He’s just standing there, which is odd. Maybe the other coach asked him to wait for the boys to come out?”

“Alise…” The moment her name is out of my mouth, Cooper takes off towards the other side of the rink, not even bothering to slow down as he reaches the edge and steps onto the floor, charging toward the locker room.

“Maybe there is something wrong,” Alise whispers as I turn toward her. This is not the time for me to say I told you so, but I really want to. “I’ll text him.”

She immediately pulls her phone from her pocket, her fingers moving furiously across the screen as my mind races. My chest tightens as the anxiety takes hold. This is insane. I barely know Cooper, but anxiety chose this moment for my mind to spiral. What the hell could that man have said to him that caused him to react like that? He was fine when we chatted earlier and even seemed excited to be demonstrating the drills to the boys at the end of practice. What could have caused that drastic mood shift?

“He says he’s fine,” Alise says, her eyebrows pulled down as she stares at her phone screen.

“And you believe him?”

“Of course, I don’t. Storming off isn’t Cooper’s thing. He’s the brooding-in-silence type.”

“So, is this his MO? Just a different execution than usual?” I question, not sure what I’m asking.

There was nothing usual about the look of pure anguish that flashed across his face before he left.

“You could say that…” she begins, but Darius cuts her off, shouting both our names. “Look, you gotta check out the parents' meeting with our little nugget. I’ll go figure out what the hell is going on with Coop.”

“I’m not too sure there’s even still going to be a parent meeting if Cooper is hiding in the locker room.”

“Correction. Hewashiding in the locker room. Now he’s probably on his way back out here to ease your worries abouthim.” Alise turns her phone in my direction so I can read their text exchange.

Why the hell did you just skate out of here like your ass was on fire?

Coop? Are you okay?

Cooper.

Cooper Owen Hendrix, you better answer me or I’m calling your momma!

CooptheGoof

You worry too damn much, Lissy Loo Loo. I’m fine, but next time, give me a chance to answer you.

Fucker. I gave you more than enough chances to respond. Ramona was worried.

CooptheGoof

Ramona? Was worried about me?

Yes, I practically had to hold her back from running into the locker room after you.

CooptheGoof


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