Now he was a stranger.
“I guess that explains your story earlier,” Roxie said to Greer. He nodded in confirmation, glancing between the two of us. I’d never seen him so shaken.
“His story?” I choked out, looking at her for an answer this time.
“I ran into him earlier at the pool. We scent-matched, which was what I wanted to talk to you about after dinner,” she tacked on. She’d mentioned it but we’d gone up to the room so late we had to rush to get here on time. “He told me about his past and wanted to take things slow and figure it out more when we were back home.”
“Because I already fucked up with an omega once,” he clarified, glancing at me. “I didn’t want to fuck up again.”
“Oh shit,” Kota breathed out. “You’re both scent-matched to Greer? Looks like we’re pack, old man.”
Kota wasn’t oblivious to the tension, he was trying to lighten the mood. It didn’t work. Greer looked at him like he’d grown a second head.
“Is this going to be a problem?” Coach asked. He was looking at me for the answer this time.
This job, even if they paid me a fraction of what they were paying Roxie, could be life-changing for me.
This was the man who had stolen my hometown from me. He ruined it when he disappeared.
“No,” I said, glaring at Greer.
“Are you sure?” Roxie asked as gently as she possibly could.
“I’m positive,” I said firmly.
Greer studied me, swallowing hard enough that his Adam’s apple bobbed.
My face stayed hard, giving him no reprieve.
“Greer?” Coach asked him now.
“No, it’ll be fine. But I understand if he doesn’t want to work with me.”
“No,” Coach said firmly. “The whole point is for you to have the extra physical therapy. If you can both handle being around each other, then I will allow it, but youbothhave to be certain.”
He gave a hard look to both of us, as if to drive his point home.
“Yes, sir,” I said, my voice full of conviction.
Greer swallowed hard and offered a weak nod. Not exactly convincing. My eyes tracked the movement, and my cheeks warmed before I caught myself and forced my gaze away.
“I can be professional,” Greer clarified.
His voice was stronger this time, even though he looked like he was about to vomit.
Coach clapped me gently on the shoulder in a move that was likely meant to be reassuring. I felt so out of my depth it was insane.
The table around us was silent now. It wasn’t just our little group that had heard the exchange, but the whole damn table.
“We should talk before we move into a professional setting.” Greer managed to get the words out, but it seemed like it hurt him physically.
He was curling in on himself. I’d never seen him look so small before. The sick and twisted part of my brain was satisfied.
Let him hurt like he hurt me.
The part of me that once loved him, the bond that was tingling in the old faded mark, was begging me to give him a chance.
And my omega? He was practically a puddle of hope and terror in my chest.
