Page 79 of The Trouble with Players

“What do you mean he disappeared?”

“I went to his game, and he wasn’t there. When I came back home, all of his stuff was gone. I tried calling him, but he hasn’t returned any of my calls or texts. His teammates don’t even know where he went.”

“Does your father know?” she asked.

“If he does, he’s not saying.”

“Oh, honey. I’m sorry. There’s got to be a good explanation. No guy in their right mind would leave you without a good reason.”

I closed my eyes, wishing she was right.

“I’m flying up,” she said.

“No. Stay with Grandma.”

“I can be there by morning,” she assured me.

“I know. But there’s nothing you can do. I don’t think there’s anything anyone can do.” He’d left. He’d cut off contact. He’d broken my already broken heart.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

“You did not hear this from me,” Gina said as she swooped into the gift shop two days later.

I stood from where I was crouched fixing shirts on a bottom shelf. “Hear what?”

“He’s staying with DePetrillo.”

“What?”

“Crew. He’s crashing there.”

My mind reeled, and I couldn’t believe my ears. “He’s still on the Cape? Is he all right?”

“From what Cody heard, he’s not doing a lot of talking. Something’s up, but he hasn’t told anyone what it is.”

“I’ve gotta go see him.” I bolted toward the door.

Gina grasped my arm. “I swore to Cody I wouldn’t tell you.”

“Why aren’t you supposed to tell me?” I asked.

“Because Crew doesn’t want to see you.”

It was as if the floor had dropped out from beneath my feet. “What? Why?”

She shook her head. “I don’t know. That’s all DePetrillo could get out of him. But I figured if you came to the game tonight, maybe you could get some answers.”

“But why is he avoiding me?”

She shrugged.

“I’m going to the game tonight.”

“I hoped you’d say that,” Gina said.

* * *

Gina picked me up at five. The pit in my stomach couldn’t have been any bigger. I hadn’t eaten all day, and despite it being in the nineties, my hands trembled no matter what I did to stop them.

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