Unbeknownst to Ma, Dad started pulling money out of their savings to bet on my events when I was just a kid. I was the one to beat from a young age, and he saw a way to make a quick buck. It was a good scheme for a while, until he bet too much on a competition I ended up losing.
Jace’s dad, who was my coach, helped Ma save the house, but eventually I moved in with them so I could train full-time while I finished school. That’s about when Dad turned into a drunk as well as a gambler, yet instead of hating him, Ma just felt sorry for him.
“I guess she thinks losing his family was enough punishment, which makes me think you might be onto something, Trevor.”
“Me?” Trevor points at his chest.
“Yeah. Did he really lose us if he knows where to find her? If I threaten to take that away maybe he’ll stop chasing me.”
“Your mom will never go for that.” Jace shakes his head again.
“Can’t hurt to ask. Otherwise, I’ll be doing this hiding shit forever.”
“Are you sure you want to change things up now?” Nick asks. “I mean, right now he’s a nuisance, and when he does make contact with your mom it’s generally harmless. But if you change the status quo and he doesn’t know how to find your mom, how will he react? How willyoureact? If he’s making you lose focus just by being a nuisance, things could get worse than skidding off the trail if he doesn’t take the news well.”
Nick makes a good point, which is a whole other mindfuck considering there’s no part of this conversation that’s real.
I should come clean. Tell them I’m all up in my head over a hookup, not my dad. I could probably even leave out the part about Lennon being a guy so long as I confess there isn’t a reason for us all to be on edge. But even revealing part of my secret will lead to questions I don’t want to answer yet. Questions that will force me to think of the future in a way I’ve never had to do before. And I’m not ready.
“No time like the present, isn’t that what they say?” The words taste sour on my tongue, but if the guys knew the extent of my thoughts about Lennon, my career, they might insist on leaving, thinking that distance will solve the problem. Maybe it would, but I’m holding outhope Lennon isn’t so freaked out by that kiss that he goes into hiding, and if I leave now, I’ll never know.
Chapter nine
Lennon
I’m tired to my bones.
Despite being open for locals only today, there was a constant stream of patrons drowning their sorrows in comfort food and alcohol, and while their presence was cathartic in many ways, it was also gut-wrenching. Saying goodbye is never easy, but saying goodbye to someone who hadn’t even hit twenty-five… There was no shortage of tears and hugs, and while the occasional laughter when people shared their memories of Chase was fuel for the soul, the roller coaster of emotions has left me physically and emotionally drained, to the point I'm barely able to stand.
Thank God Randy stepped in when he did, forcing me to leave. So far, he’s proving to be a great Assistant Manager, and a much-needed reprieve on a day like today. Having only lived here a year, he didn’t know Chase like the rest of us. So, while he's hurting, too, he’s far more capable of closing up than I am so I can head home. But that’s not where my feet carry me.
I have no more energy to talk, yet I’m too restless to be alone. That’s a dangerous head space to be in, and as I trudge up the front walk,I’m well aware I’m not acting with common sense. Somehow, that knowledge doesn’t stop me from stretching my arm forward to press the doorbell I swore I’d never ring again.
A brown-haired man only slightly taller than me opens the door, a curious look on his face as he studies me. “I know you from that restaurant, right? The one with the patio?”
“Yes.”
That doesn’t seem to clear anything up given the way he cocks his head to the side. “Why are you here?”
“I’m looking for Axel.”
“Axel?” His brows draw together as he looks toward the bedroom, though when he faces me again, he’s once again wearing a curious expression.
He opens his mouth. Shuts it. Opens it again, and looks down the length of my body, blinking when his gaze falls on my bare legs, peeking out between a black kilt-like skirt and my combat boots. Then he shuts his eyes, shakes his head, and finally meets my eyes.
“He’s in his room.” The man flicks his head over his shoulder and steps aside to let me in. “Should I assume you know where it is?”
I nod as I pass him, too distracted to care that he’s clearly trying to do the math with outdated information.Oops.
Opening the door, I find Axel sitting on the bed, leaning against the headboard in nothing but a t-shirt and a pair of boxers, with an iPad on his lap. His amber eyes look golden in the light coming off the screen, though they’re missing the mischievous glint they usually have. Lips pressed in a firm line, his gaze is focused on the images in front of him, until he hears the door close with a loud click.
He stares briefly, blinking away his confusion with a curious smile. “I wasn’t expecting to see you tonight.” He sets the iPad on the nightstand, eyes tracking me closely as I cross the room. They’re full ofheat—they always are when he looks at me—but there’s a hint of concern, too. It nearly makes me turn around.
“You’re not the only one.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” A crease settles between his brows.
I come to a stop at the foot of the bed. “I’m pretty sure I just outed you to whoever answered the door."
