Okay, no. I’ll just be vague for now.
Spencer: I wanted to stop by tonight, but I’m not gonna be able to. A friend asked me to come over. I’m gonna hang here for a while.
The rumble of conversation in the kitchen seems steady. Which means they’re probably getting all the information they need from Amber. I don’t have any input to provide, so I decide to sit on the couch and wait.
My phone buzzes the moment my ass hits the cushion.
Noelle: No worries. I’m hanging out with Ellie tonight.
Spencer: Should I be worried?
Noelle: Of course not. No way in the world am I telling her anything about us.
I figured as much. I’ve wanted to talk to Noelle about that since the night I spent with her on Halloween. I don’t like this secrecy thing anymore. She has used it as an excuse to avoid going on a real date with me. And yes, I’ve tried. More than once, might I add.
She continues to insist that this thing between us is casual. I find that a little hard to believe since it looks as though she’s making room for me in her apartment. An extra toothbrush, men’s shampoo and body wash, an extra alarm clock on the secondary nightstand. She hasn’t said anything about it, but yeah, I’ve noticed. I’m not bringing it up because, honestly, I’m not sure what to say.
“Will someone be staying with you tonight? Or do you have somewhere else you can go?” the female officer asks as they start toward the front door, her gaze locked on me as though I might be suspect.
I meet her gaze head on.
“Yes,” Amber says, her voice shaking. “My parents are on the way.”
“I’ll stay with her until they get here,” I offer, not moving from my seat.
The woman nods, then reaches for the doorknob. “Do you have a security system?”
Amber shakes her head. “I didn’t think I’d need one.”
“It couldn’t hurt,” the man tells her.
“Okay.”
Amber stands at the door and watches until they leave. When she looks back at me, I see that their presence did little to ease the strain on her face.
“You don’t have to stay,” she says softly. “I’ll be fine until my parents get here.”
I ignore her. “You got anything good on this television?”
A smile forms, but it’s not a real one. “I might have something.”
“Good. Now sit down. We’ll wait together. I don’t have anywhere else to be tonight.”
“You’re not going to see Noelle?”
I shrug. “She’s at my sister’s. They’re doing that whole chick thing.”
This time Amber laughs and it’s real. She doesn’t sound quite so broken, which helps settle my nerves. I’m not good at consoling women. I’ve never had to do it before.
Still, I can’t help but think Noelle would be so much better at this. She’d probably know exactly what to say. But Noelle’s not here.
Much to my dismay.
25
Spencer
Tuesday, November 8th
THIS IS UTTER BULLSHIT.
Knowing I’m going to get thrown in the box, I shove the fucking dickhead back, lifting my stick higher than is allowed and tapping him with it. It’s not as hard as I would like, but I’m only willing to let my team suffer two minutes for this bullshit. We need something to shift, and hopefully this is it.
The whistle blows and I head to the penalty box, knowing what the call is going to be. I make eyes with Coach before I head over. The subtle head nod tells me he knows what’s going on.
Thank God the game is almost over. I risk doing something that’s going to get me ejected from the game if it doesn’t hurry the hell up. That little fucker keeps smarting off about how he finds it disgusting that I’m letting my sister spend time with a woman-beater.
The fucker doesn’t know shit. I shouldn’t let it get to me, but it’s pissing me off to no end. I’ve racked up plenty of penalty minutes tonight, which everyone has noticed. It only makes sense that this team would give me shit. Detroit is where the incident between Kingston and that woman allegedly happened. Key word being allegedly. It didn’t fucking happen. Hell, the woman who made the claim recanted her statement, but then disappeared off the map. Some people are claiming Kingston paid her off to shut her up, but that’s rumor. He didn’t pay her off. I would know.
I take the penalty as a break I desperately need and watch the penalty kill my team is after. Four on five requires a hell of a lot of defense, but we’re good at it. When we want to be. I get the feeling Benne is fed up with the shit, too. More than once he’s made a smartass comment. I’ve ignored him.
If I thought for a second that Kingston would ever lay his hands on my sister out of anger, I would take him out myself. But he won’t.
Of that, I have no doubt.
But it’s not my place to explain that to anyone else. Especially not some little douchebag punk.
26
Spencer
Friday, November 18th
I’M NOT GOING TO LIE. I think Evan Dunbar took lessons on how to give an appropriate speech from a sleep therapist. His lack of inflection would make someone think he doesn’t care about this at all, but we all know he does. He simply lacks the skills necessary to rally the troops.
“I think some of you pretend not to know this, but you each have a verified Twitter account. Some of you, I might add, have a rather hefty following.”
With a long weekend looming before us, the fact that Coach insisted we come in for this today is rough. When it comes down to it, sure, we know we need to make our presence known on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, even Snapchat. Yes, I’m happy to say that I know what Snapchat is. I happen to be quite skilled on these apps because my niece is twelve years old. If I wasn’t, she wouldn’t talk to me. That’s the way it works.
So, the best I can do is let him drone on and do my damnedest not to take a nap.
“I’ve seen increased activity on a few accounts…” Evan peers around the room, his eyes coming to rest on Rush. “Like yours. Seems quite a bit of activity as of late for you, Rush. Whoever the woman is that you’re conversing with has garnered quite a bit of interest from fans.”
I turn to look at Rush. He looks somewhat uneasy about being called out. He should, the bastard. I’m not mad, but yes, I noticed that he was blatantly flirting with my sister on Twitter, and no, I don’t think it was for pretend. Nothing between them is pretend, and I’m having to wrap my head around that fact.
Evan turns his attention to Mattias.
Luckily for me, he can’t call me out. I do the obligatory picture from time to time. I’ve caught the guys before the games, posting so the fans get a glimpse of their favorites. All in all, I consider it part of the job.
“I know you’ve heard me spout this before, but unlike then, we’re trying to make a push to revamp the team, to get the fans on board again. When you have a good game, take a minute to say something. Otherwise, my team is attempting to put limited information on each account so that they’re active. But we need more from you.”
I want to ask him what we’re supposed to do when we have a bad game? Nah. I don’t want to give my teammates any ideas.
Finally, Coach gets to his feet. Bless him for bringing this to a close. “This isn’t rocket science, guys. Fucking toss out a few words, but keep it civil. It’ll appease the execs and that’s what we’re trying to do. That’s it. Go home, enjoy your days off. This doesn’t happen often; take advantage of it. I’ll see you back here bright and early on Sunday morning.”
As I head out the door, I see Amber coming my way.
She offers a small wave. “Hey, you got a minute?”
These days, I have nothing but minutes. “Yeah, I’ve got a minute.”
“Hey, Optimus! Rush!” Seg yells from halfway down the hall. “Wanna head ov
er and grab a beer?”
Kingston rattles off a lengthy response, and I turn my attention back to Amber while Seguine makes an announcement to everyone else that they should join us. It’s Thursday afternoon, but what the hell. I don’t have anything else to do today.
But I have to deal with Amber first.
Amber seems to be keeping her distance from me when she says, “I need to nail down the details of the food drive. I’ve already got it set up, but I need to let them know how many people will be there. Have you had a chance to get with the team?”
Shit. I forgot all about that. “Not yet,” I tell her. “But I will.”
“You’ve said that already.” Okay, so she’s obviously frustrated since she’s asked me to do this at least once. Maybe more.
“And I will,” I assure her.
“Look, if you’ve got a problem with me, I can talk to Mark and Phoenix about this. I can’t let your inability to work with me affect me doing my job.”
Hold up. Where the hell did that come from? I thought she and I had come to terms with this. This anger seems to be coming out of left field.
“I don’t have a problem with you, Amber.”
“Are you sure?”
Honestly I don’t get this girl. Hell, I don’t get any of them. One minute we’re relatively civil and the next she’s questioning my ability to do my job. I know she’s got shit she’s dealing with, but I don’t think I deserve to get the brunt of it.
But I do my best to appease her. “I’m sure. I’ll talk to the guys in a bit, and I’ll text you and let you know.” When she seems content with that answer, I find myself adding, “Better yet, you wanna come over to the bar and have a couple of beers? We can talk to them together.”
“I’d like that.”
“Cool. See you in a bit.”
I can feel Kingston staring at me, but I hope he waits to open his big fucking mouth until after Amber moves farther down the hall. There’s no telling what kind of shit is going to come out of his mouth.
“Bro, what’re you doing?”
“Nothing.”
“You asked her out.”
“I did not.” Holy shit. That was not me asking her out. “She’s part of the team. No reason she shouldn’t hang out with the guys at the bar.”
“What about Noelle?”
I try to play off my confusion. I haven’t mentioned Noelle to Kingston at all. “What about her?”
“Please tell me you’re not entertaining the idea of … getting with her?”
Noelle, absolutely. Amber, definitely not. And I know Kingston is referring to Amber.
“Not a chance.”
“Have you even talked to her about when she broke up with you?”
“Of course not. That was ages ago. It’s ancient history.”
“Well, for your sake, I hope that’s where you can leave it. In the past.”
I can hear the guys heading out, and I’m more than ready for this conversation to be over with, so I turn to Kingston. “You ready for that beer?”
“Abso-fucking-lutely. But I need to run a couple of errands first. I’ll meet you there.”
I’m happier about that than I should be. The fact that Kingston won’t be there to pay attention to my every move will be in my best interest. I know how I get around Noelle, and I don’t figure today is going to be any different.
I’m not too far behind my teammates when I finally make it to the Penalty Box. The only person who is noticeably absent is Kingston. Whatever his errand is must be important to keep him away from this. He’s not usually one to miss having a beer with the guys. Especially not after a long run on the road. It’s good to be home, no doubt about it.
Hoping I’m not looking too obvious, I spend a few seconds searching out Noelle as soon as my eyes adjust to the dim interior. I find her bustling about, bringing out food. Not once does she look my way. I know I’m not supposed to make it obvious, but damn it all to hell, I just can’t seem to help myself.
We’ve spent quite a bit of time together lately, and I’m getting comfortable with Noelle. I like her. A lot more than I’m willing to admit, and having to pretend otherwise is getting old.
Really old.
Noelle
I’M NOT SURPRISED TO SEE half the team arrive a few minutes before four. They tend to do this after they’ve spent some time on the road. They like to come in and hang out. Some will stay for an hour, others for many hours waiting for the evening crowd to show up. A few are even a rather permanent fixture around this place.
I’m watching them walk in, so that’s the only reason I see Patrick Benne head directly toward my sister. Before he can say anything, she turns and storms off.
Holy. Crap.
What in the world was that about?
Julie darts by me. Based on the look on her face, I know now isn’t the time to talk to her. If she…
God, I can’t even think about her being with Benne. It doesn’t make sense.
The ruckus coming from the others draws my attention their way. Of course, my eyes search the group, looking for only one player. I know I shouldn’t, but I can’t help myself. It’s what I’ve been reduced to. But Spencer isn’t with the initial group, so I hide my disappointment, greeting them and setting out to get them set up with their drink of choice.
A few minutes later, Spencer saunters in, a huge smile on his face. He looks happy. And when his eyes meet mine, his smile doesn’t falter. I shouldn’t feel good about that, but I do. I definitely do.
“Hey,” Spencer greets Ellie, waltzing right up to the bar.
Of course, I try to fade into the background. Now that I think about it, I don’t know how I normally greet Spencer when he comes into the bar. I mean, before we started this thing we started. I’m not sure I ever treated him differently, which means if I run over there, I’m going to make a spectacle of myself.
“Hey. Y’all did great last night.” Ellie’s smile is bright.
I grab a rag and wipe down a few tables, doing my best not to eavesdrop. The place isn’t all that big, so it takes a little effort. Finally, Spencer heads back to the tables where the team is sitting, so I head for the kitchen to grab the last order of food I placed.
“What brings them by?” I ask nonchalantly.
“Didn’t say.”
Suddenly, I stop and peer over my shoulder, feeling Spencer’s eyes on me. I want to mentally warn him to look the other way, not to make his sister suspicious, but I think I just did that myself.
Ellie is watching me closely when she says, “You okay?”
Crap. Busted. “Of course.”
My best friend is no dummy. The fact that her gaze tracks Spencer across the room tells me she already suspects that something is going on with the two of us. Or maybe that’s just my imagination. When she mentioned something about me and Spencer the other night, I purposely broke into a fit of laughter, telling her she’s lost her mind.
I don’t think she bought it then, and I don’t think she’s buying it now.
The door chimes again, saving me from an awkward situation. I peer back to see who the newcomer is only to find Amber walking in, a wide grin on her face as she looks directly at Spencer.
“I’m gonna check on Lance,” I blurt, bolting for the kitchen.
Shit.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
I have to pull myself together. I can’t go out there looking like a crazed girlfriend. I don’t want to be an ass even though I can’t deny that I’m jealous of Amber. I don’t want to be, trust me. In fact, I don’t want to want Spencer enough to be jealous of anyone. That’s not how this is supposed to work.
“Want me to get you a pillow so you can take a nap?” Lance retorts.
I look up to see Chef Diva watching me closely. He might sound put out, but I think he’s worried about me.
/>
“Yes, if you don’t mind. That’d be great,” I counter, smirking at him.
“Here.” He hands over the hamburger plate.
“Thanks.”
Shoring up my nerve, I head back out, plastering a smile on my face. I deliver the food, then make a beeline for the bar. I need to greet Amber as though she’s my best friend. Hopefully, that’ll draw any unwanted attention away from me.
“Hey, Amber. How’s the new job going?”
Ellie casts a confused glance my way. I shrug. What else am I supposed to do?
“It’s good, thank you.” Amber reaches for her drink. “We’re working on more charity drives.”
“Spencer’s helping, I assume?” I smile, praying no one can tell it’s fake.
“He is. He’s great. I think he’s nervous, but people love him.”
Okay. That’s true. She obviously understands him a little.
“What’s coming up next?” Ellie asks, her tone cautious, as though she’s approaching a dangerous animal. It’s kind of funny.
“We’re doing a food drive on the twenty-third. I’m hoping Spencer can convince the team to band together, put together boxes to be delivered to needy families.”
“I’m sure they’d be happy to help,” I offer, not thinking before I speak.
Ellie peers between the two of us, then turns to Amber. “Have you asked them about it?”
Amber shakes her head. “Spencer offered, so I was hoping he’d do it before I had to.”
Now this is something I can handle.
“Hey!” I glance out at the Austin Arrows players currently sitting in my restaurant. “Amber and Spencer are working on a food drive. Putting stuff together and delivering to those in need. Day before Thanksgiving. Who’s in?”
What a bunch of sour pusses. No one jumps up to say they’ll do it, so I add, “Free beer for a month for any Austin Arrows player who signs up.”
“I’m in!”
“Hell yeah.”
“Count me in, too!”
Kaufman: The Season (Austin Arrows Book 2) Page 20
