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ChapterNine
Tripp
There should have been some satisfaction watching Cruz stand in the goal like an idiot as he stared into the stands at his sister. He had a crush on her and probably even slept with her since he walked into practice yesterday with a freshly fucked face. She was wearing my jersey, though, and it was slowly killing him. Almost to the point of not even being able to concentrate.
It was hilarious.
But I couldn't laugh.
Especially when he ran off the field and left me to answer media questions. It was the second game I'd had to use my words in a row, and it wasn't my thing. It had always made me uncomfortable to have all eyes on me, and even worse when the team was struggling so badly. I mean, we won, but barely.
Against St. Louis FC, it should have been a more significant points spread. Cruz should have stuck around for his interviews. At least Rhys was there since he was the one who bailed on me the game before.
"You have a lot of pressure on you, how are you balancing that as the season all comes down to Friday's result?"
"I don't concentrate on what the bosses are doing," I lied to the reporter. "All I can do is show up and play my game."
"There are a lot of trade rumors swirling if the Inferno misses the playoffs this year. Are you prepared for that?"
"I will give 100% to whatever team I'm on. Right now, that is the Inferno, and that is all I want to talk about."
Thankfully, the questions moved on to the actual game and were things I could answer without wanting to tear someone's head off. When Rhys got to his locker, they all moved to him for questions, and I grabbed some clothes and left without even getting a shower. The quicker I got home, the quicker I could relax.
At least, that was the plan. Hunter sitting in front of my door waiting for me was not part of my plan. I actually considered backing away to hide at the beach until I was sure he was gone, but he looked up when he heard the elevator open, and I was just standing there frozen.
"Hey, good game man." He stood and stepped aside while I opened my door and followed me in.
"What can I do for you?" Maybe I was cold when I spoke, but I was fresh off the adrenaline of a game and the frustration of the media questions. If Hunter saw the game, as he apparently had, he should have known I wouldn't be in the mood for visitors.
"I need to cash in the favor you said you'd do for me."
"Right now?" My voice was loud and angry. Not only because I didn't remember telling him I'd help him but also because I was under an enormous amount of stress, and he had the nerve to pile more on for me. "What do you want?"
"Look," he held up his hands to placate me. "You know what I need and you agreed. So I didn't think asking was going to piss you off."
Instead of admitting I didn't know what I agreed to because I didn't want him to know I didn't remember, I just asked him to repeat himself again. "What. Do. You. Want?"
"My girl," he sighed. "I'm too distracted, and she is pushing me away. Like I said the other night, she thinks I'm not into her anymore, but I'm just having a hard time balancing both."
"Have you not realized that I'm a loner? Relationship advice isn't where I shine, Hunter."
"I don't need advice, I need you to fill in for me."
"You want me to steal your girl?" Fuck, I was laughing, and it was making me feel better. Hunter was crazier than I thought he was.
"It's not stealing, it's taking my place for one dinner."
"And then what? You'd want her back? Like some toy that you're letting me borrow until you're ready to play again?"
"It's one dinner. A chance meeting with Tripp Maddux. Act interested in her, then let her tell you she has a boyfriend. Offer to buy her a meal anyway, then part ways."
"What if she doesn't want you back? What if she's interested in me back?" Fuck I didn't want Hunter's girlfriend to be interested in me. That would be the beginning of a nightmare.
"She will. She's obsessed with me."
"If she cares about you that much, why are you doing this to her?"
"We went over this the other night." Hunter started pacing and running his fingers through his hair, clearly agitated that I wasn't just saying yes and moving on. "It was your idea. I told you I kept letting her down and you said, 'Just let me know, I'll fill in and distract her.'"
