Page 50 of Snap

I let him down. I let them all down. I slumped onto the bench, my eyes to the ground.

Unlike me, my replacement was on the ball. Literally and figuratively. By halftime, the Rapids were trailing by only a couple of points.

I pulled off my helmet and ran a hand over my sweaty hair. If the team won the game, it would be in spite of me.

I know what they say, no team consists of just one person, but it only takes one to screw up badly enough to ruin it for everyone else.

I was tempted to get up and walk out right now. Have a shower, go home, never look back. That would not go unnoticed. The field day the reporters were already having would continue on for longer. I'd probably spend the rest of my life fielding questions about it. Not to mention I had a contract.

I set my helmet down on my lap and focused on the game.

Once I put aside some of my self-pity, I saw the guys were playing exceptionally well. They should, every single one of them knew their stuff, even Pinky Innocenti and his dickhead friends.

Now I had time to think about it, maybe Octopus wasn't such a bad nickname after all. Certainly better than God's Gift. I mean, a football player with four arms and four legs was a good thing, wasn't it?

So they meant the name as an insult, that didn't mean I couldn't embrace and put my own spin on it. That would wipe the smug grins off their faces.

I almost smiled at the thought of it.

The siren signalled halftime and the crowd went crazy. Most were cheering for the home side, but plenty were shouting, "Rapids, Rapids, Rapids."

I managed a faint smile and a wave as I jogged into the locker rooms with the rest of my team.

"What was that?" Hawk pulled off his helmet and eyed me.

I shrugged. "I dunno. Just one of those things. We all have off days. Remember the time Bam couldn’t catch a ball to save his life?" I sounded more bitter than I intended.

Hawk slapped me on the back. "Save the aggression for the field. I'm worried about you, okay?"

I exhaled. "Sorry dude. I just… I don't know. I hate screwing up that bad."

"I know you do," he said. "We all do. But this is do or die. We don't have room for mistakes." He gave me a curt nod, turned and walked off to get a bottle of water.

"Tucker," the coach called out, "get your ass over here."

Yeah, I was in trouble. I deserved it.

I tucked my helmet under my arm and trudged over. He was probably going to tear me a new one too, but as pissed off with me as he might be, he wasn't as pissed off with me as I was with myself.

CHAPTER 16

RUBIE

"He doesn't usually play this badly," Dad said, half to himself.

I’ve lost count of how many football games I've been to. I knew as well as any armchair expert when a player was having an off day. The coach made the right call, taking Ollie off the field.

I picked up my coffee and cupped it in my hands. The private box was warm, but I couldn't seem to fight off the chill. It seemed to have seeped down into my bones.

Was it wrong to feel bad for Ollie? Even a little? After what he did, maybe he got what he deserved.

My inner bitch wanted to smile at his misfortune, my heart hurt. I didn't want to see him fall flat on his face no matter what he'd done.

Shit, I was going to have to give up my bitch card if I wasn't careful.

I leaned forward and rested my forearms on my thighs, my forehead almost touching the glass. From here, I could see the crowds as well as the game. Kids, families, football fanatics, they all seemed to be having a great time.

Lucky them.

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