AllFreeNovel
Share Us
It’s not right for me to ask him to sacrifice everything he’s worked so hard for.
I don’t even know if it’s right to give him the chance to …
34
LIAM
Ipop the cap off my first beer of the evening and bring the bottle up to my lips, drowning a big gulp of it.
I plan on this sip being the first of many tonight.
We have a game tomorrow, but I don’t care. I’ve played hungover before, we all have, and I’ll just have to do it again.
I’ve sat my ass in an old lawn chair pointed away from the house, and I’m going to look out into space and dull the pain in my heart the old-fashioned way: with an unhealthy amount of alcohol.
I told the guys I need some time alone, so I’m hoping they respect my wishes and leave me to drown my sorrows.
Somehow, as I tilt my head back to let my second sip stream down my throat, I have a feeling that might be wishful thinking.
A couple days ago, Hunter told the rest of the guys about what happened with me and Zoey. I wanted to keep it to myself, but the rest of the guys were getting too concerned with how clearly depressed I’ve been for days on end. Hunter felt like they had to know.
I couldn’t be mad at him for it. I understand where he’s coming from. If I saw any of our teammates acting the way I’m acting for this long, shit, I’d be concerned to. I’d have to know the reason.
The guys have mostly kept their distance about it since then, not prying into things or trying to force me to talk.
But something tells me that’s going to come to an end real soon.
No sooner is my third sip finished, than I have confirmation of that. I can hear and sense someone approaching me from behind with slow, measured steps.
I roll my eyes and bite down a groan. I know who is has to be. There’s no question about it.
Here I am, moping alone over heartbreak. Over the last two years, plenty of the guys on the team have found themselves in a similar position in their relationships. And every fucking time, Tristan’s had to stick his nose in it and pump them up to do something heroic that sets everything right.
I couldn’t have reasonably expected I’d get away without him trying to do the same for me.
“Fine,” I call out, not even looking behind me. “Get it over with, Tristan.”
His familiar voice rumbles with laughter as he sets down a second lawn chair next to me and lowers into it.
For a couple beats, he doesn’t say anything. He thrusts his hand out to me, and I fulfill his silent request for a beer. He spends another minute next to me in silence, popping off his cap and taking a sip of his own, letting out a satisfied sigh after he’s sucked it down.
“It’s different this time, Tristan,” I say.
It’s the truth. The other Hot Shots guys who are in relationships now all had moments where it looked like things were about to fall apart, often because they’d done something stupid, or there was a lack of communication at a crucial moment.
But this is different.
I want so badly to fight for Zoey and me to be together—but if I do that, I know I could be fighting to harm Zoey’s whole future. How could I ever fight for that?
“Look,” Tristan begins, “I’m graduating this year. I’ve helped so many of you knuckleheads out in your times of need, you’ve gotta give me a chance to do it one last time before I leave Ridley.”
I actually chuckle at that. The first time I’ve laughed since I walked away from Zoey. My ribs hurt from it; it’s like the soreness you get in a muscle you haven’t used in a long time when exercising it.
“If you knew what was on the line, you wouldn’t even try,” I say.
“Maybe I’m here to tell you what reallyison the line.”
I whip my head to him, an eyebrow arched in confusion. “What do you mean?”
