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I dredge up a smile and jab a fist into his ribs. “I’ll remember that next time you’re heartbroken.”
Cool leans away from me and takes his time scouring my face. He whistles. “You were really into this one. I thought it was all part of the show. When you came down this morning, you were too mad for me to see the truth.” He ruffles my hair. “Sorry it came to this.” He pauses. “You sure she’s that bad? No chance it was a mistake?”
I shake my head and pull away. “Nah. She meant to ruin me. It’s a good thing I found out now instead of later. Before I fell any harder.”
“Don’t think there’sisany harder than where you are right now.” Cool points straight at me, his finger so close I almost go cross-eyed. “You love her. Like the real kind of love.”
“Glad it took you so long to notice. I might have a prayer of getting over her.” I hurry into the locker room and to a minute of peace in the shower.
Not quiet, but peace. The showers are a riot of noise as the guys sing to whatever is on the speakers.
The sound of James crooning the newest Taylor Swift in falsetto is enough to make me laugh through the pain. Man. Cool’s right. I got it bad.
I hurry out of the locker room and go straight to Coach’s office. We’ve been practicing all day, and it’s close enough to six I don’t bother leaving the gym. I’ll grab food on my way home...if I can convince my stomach to stop somersaulting long enough to eat.
Coach’s office has been transformed into a meeting room. Chairs sit in two rows, enough for the whole team. His desk is pushed back against the wall, and he stands with his arms crossed.
“Coach,” I say as I enter. “I’m sorry.”
He puts his hands on his hips. “It’s not your fault, Liam. We all pushed for you to accept the spot on the show. I should have realized the potential fallout should anything go badly. We wanted publicity.”
“But not this kind,” I finish for him.
It was a gamble going on the show. I expected it to be complicated, but I never dreamed I’d fall in love with Trina of all people, only to have it backfire on me. Again.
Jeez, I’m a broken record. Love for me is like a bad shot at the hoop. The ball smashes against the glass and rebounds, then it’s a free for all.
He rubs his neck and motions for me to take a seat. “Let’s take it one day at a time. Things in this industry are never static. And reality TV is no different. In a few days, another sensational story will make headlines, and you’ll be off the hook. In the meantime, we just have to figure out how to keep you safe.”
I hear the others coming our way, their steps loud now that we’re practicing.
Cool enters first, followed by Tandy. They take a seat, one on either side of me, showing their solidarity. The rest of the players file in and fill the chairs. Thank goodness we all showered. I can’t imagine the stench if we’d all piled in this tiny room after practice. Even my socks dripped sweat when I peeled them off.
“Alright.” Coach slaps his hands together and puts his fingers under his chin. He waits for the room to quiet, which doesn’t take long. “What’s our first step?”
“Beat the stuffing out of the Morgans tomorrow night and make everyone forget about Liam’s problems?” offers someone in the back.
Coach grins. “Aside from that?”
Cool stands. “We should find out exactly what’s being said.” He looms over Coach, his expression sincere. “We don’t know what we’re up against if we’re sitting here in the dark.”
He’s right, but the last thing I want is to hear what they’re saying about me.
Cool taps the button on the TV. The screen flickers and fades in and out of focus for several seconds.
The guys groan. “Coach, when you gonna get a new TV? That thing’s a relic.”
Coach grins.
The picture stabilizes, and I suck in a sharp breath. Trina sits at a picnic table with a woman who’s holding a CNN microphone. They look like old friends, and the sight churns my gut. I don’t want to see her. “Turn it off.” I lock my teeth and growl when Cool turns up the volume.
My ears ring, and all I see is Trina. As much as I want to hate her, my pulse still slams hard against my ribs. I wish I still had the right to kiss her. Good grief, I’m pathetic. She was right. I’m nothing but a love-sick pup.
I’m about to stand and leave the room when a single sentence cuts through the anger wrapping me so tight I didn’t hear anything she said before.
“I will always love you, Liam.” The sweetest words in the world come from Trina’s lips.
The world stops turning. I can’t breathe. Can’t move. Can’t think.
