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“I agree.”

They sat in silence for a few minutes sipping their beers. Chance knew more was coming is Sam was here this late at night. It meant a phone call wouldn’t do.

“I appreciate your honesty,” Sam finally said. “I’ve got to be honest, though. I don’t know if it will be enough.”

Chance set his empty bottle on the table. “I don’t know what else I can do.”

“Be at the office Monday at two. I will let you know then what happens from here,” Sam told him.

With nothing left to say, Chance stood and walked Sam out. There was no arguing it. Everything was on video and he’d been a fool to think it wouldn’t catch up with him just because the clinic had worked out.

There was no fight left in him. Everything he’d been imagining about the rest of his life wasn’t meant to be. It was his own actions that had led him down this path as much as he wanted to put the blame on Tori, it was his own fault.

Chance grabbed another beer and carried it to the living room. He didn’t have anything to do tomorrow anyway. Didn’t have anything to do until two o’clock on Monday when he learned his fate with the team. It didn’t look like good news was headed his way any time soon.

Nineteen

Tori had woken up with renewed energy Saturday morning. She didn’t feel better mentally, but she at least felt like she could get stuff done.

She was making french toast for both her and Emmett this morning. He wasn’t up yet, no game due to the rain on the fields. She played music lightly as she plated the food and got ready to go wake him up.

“Mom?” Emmett’s sleepy voice made her jump.

“I thought you were asleep,” she laughed. “You scared me.”

Emmett fell to the floor laughing and she left the food to go tickle him. This was what she was missing the last few days. She needed to be there for Emmett and not wallow over a guy.

The doorbell rang. Tori grabbed Emmett around the waist, stopping him from taking off to the door. She wasn’t expecting anyone.

“Clean up and set the table so we can eat. I will see who it is,” Tori told him.

She brushed the crumbs off her shirt and walked to her front door, looking out the peep hole. For a moment her stomach flipped, thinking it was Chance, but the build wasn’t quite right.

Pulling the door open, she looked at the newcomer. “Maddox?” she asked.

“Tori.” He nodded. The first thing she noticed was he didn’t have his usual casual and happy demeanor. Something was wrong.

She backed out of the way and let him in. “What’s wrong?” she asked.

“Where’s Emmett?”

“Running around, waiting to eat.”

“I need to talk to you, but I don’t know if we want him to hear it.”

Now more curious than before, she went to the kitchen. “Can I interest you in some french toast before Emmett goes to get ready for the day?”

“Maddox,” Emmett jumped out of his chair and wrapped the man in a hug.

“Sounds great,” Maddox answered.

She gave him a slice from her plate and set it down for him at the table. Maddox was quiet making her concern grow. The only reason for him to be here is if it were something to do with Chance.

Emmett chatted enough for everyone. He asked Maddox a ton of questions about their upcoming game. Maddox answered every single one of them with no frustration showing.

“Emmett, can you go get ready for the day? I need to talk to Maddox about adult stuff.” That was their code for him to know he wasn’t part of the conversation. It was usually used with Isaac.

He did as asked after telling Maddox bye. She led Maddox into the kitchen where they could talk quietly but she could see the stairs to know if Emmett came down.

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