Page 37 of Westward

“You hopped on a plane and flew to Denver without telling me. Unless it’s in some text message that I missed? I mean, I have more than one group chat that I’m ignoring right now.”

“You’re a leader… you’re not supposed to ignore your team.”

“When it’s about fart jokes and what bar they’re heading to? Maybe.”

“And how will you know to mother hen us?”

“Because I have spies everywhere. And if one of our teammates—even in the summer—fucks up like that, we all know that Coach would call us.”

“Then why were you so worried that I did something?”

“Because you hadn’t been caught yet. Speak.” I drained my water bottle and reached for another one from the fridge. “Want one?”

“Yeah. Damn, the elevation is ridiculous here.”

“Stay hydrated. You can find an oxygen bar if you need to. They don’t call it the Mile High City just for kicks.”

“And Ashford Creek’s even closer to the skies.”

“Pretty much. And now that we’ve evaded enough, talk to me.”

“You know the assistant trainer, Noah? He keeps sending me all this info I need over the break and while I get it, it’s weird, you know? He wants me to be at my best but I feel like he thinks I can do anything or nothing. It’s just…stressful.”

I frowned. “He doesn’t bother me, but then again, I’ve been at this awhile. I have a list of things the trainers want from me during the break. But Noah doesn’t bother with me since he’s newer and I’ve been here awhile. Do you want me to say something?” I would if I had to. I trusted the trainers and staff—even with the idea a fan could have gotten through and hurt me—but I cared for my team too.

The kid shook his head, his cheeks pink. “No, I don’t mind. It gives me things to do. You know? To make sure I’m up to my game and all.”

I studied his face and knew that wasn’t the end of it. Something else was bothering him and I might not be captain, but I was a leader of this team. “What else.”

He sighed, his gaze going distant. “My brothers and cousins keep asking for money, my dad wants tickets in order to make his friends happy, and my mom, well. You know my mom.”

I nodded, knowing that his mom had been in and out of rehab throughout his life. His parents were still together, and his mom was sober, at least she had been last I had heard. Still, though, it was a lot. The fact that I had grown up in a stable household with parents and siblings who loved me was honestly out of the norm these days. I was damn grateful for that, and I was damn thankful for my family. That’s why I still had a touch of guilt every time I avoided coming home.

But I didn’t want to avoid coming home any longer. Not without Lizzie. And that was enough of that train of thought.

“Well, I’m here if you need me. Hell, you’re here, so I guess you did need me.” I winked as I said it, knowing that Jacob’s family didn’t make things easy for him. When I had first been signed, there had been people who came out of the woodwork to be my friends and tried to capitalize on my own failures and successes.

My core group had never been one of them. They gave me shit for it like any good friend would, but they didn’t ask for money. Didn’t have any ideas that needed investors.

No, they treated me like a resident of Ashford Creek, and sometimes a visitor, and I needed that more than anything.

“So, since you’re here to stalk me, what can I do for you, Jacob?”

“I wasn’t stalking you.” The younger goalie frowned. “Perhaps I was stalking you a little. I know I should have texted or something, but I just ended up on a plane, and here I am.”

“I don’t mind. I was just working out, and apparently getting scared to death.”

“And shitting your pants.”

I flipped him off and nodded toward the weight bench. “In the mood to work out?”

“Always. Are you sure you’re okay with me staying here and working out with you? I don’t actually mean staying here. I got a room at the B&B. Which apparently was lucky, because it was booked full, and they had a cancellation.”

My lips twitched. “Promise and Keely will take care of you.”

“Oh?” he asked, his eyes wide. “Something I should know?”

I rolled my eyes. “You’re as bad as a reporter or someone in this small town. They’re friends of mine. Well, Promise is a friend of mine from back in school, and Keely is new to town. But they own the place together, and I’ve heard good things.” And the last time I’d been there, Lizzie and I had had our single fight. Not about our relationship, or lack thereof. But about the rumors. And the stares. It was something so stupid that it didn’t mean anything in the end. But I had hurt her because I hadn’t thought about her feelings when I had come back to town. Because this was her place, not mine. At least not yet. Figuring out what to do with all of that was on my to-do list. Just like figuring out if I was actually going to retire.