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“I’m sorry for bursting into your morning.”

“Maddox, I haven’t known you long but I can tell something is wrong. I assume it’s Chance?”

He nodded. “The videos are out everywhere of him punching Isaac. I’ve done all I can but I’m hoping that you might come speak on his behalf?”

“Speak to who?” Had Isaac called the cops?

“The owner of Bardley and the coach. Chance has given up and won’t speak on his own behalf anymore. They’re going to cut him.” Maddox ran a hand down his face. “He’s given up.”

“What? Why?” It wasn’t like Chance to give up.

“He hasn’t been right since things happened between you two. I’m not going to get involved in it other than to say he really wasn’t listening to them and you weren’t a ploy to change his image.”

“I know,” she whispered.

“When Sam, the owner of Bardley, went and talked to him Thursday, Chance shut down. He isn’t letting anyone in and hasn’t tried to plead for his spot back. He just shut everything out,” Maddox explained. “They are making a decision about his fate by Monday.”

“Over this?” She held back tears. “They can’t do it over this.”

Maddox nodded. “I’m hoping you’ll come meet with Sam and see if there’s anything you can do?”

“Like what?” She was going to go, but she failed to see how it would help. “Isn’t that seriously overstepping?”

“Sam is a family guy. I think he will listen to you. I don’t have anything else to try,” he pleaded.

“Let me get dressed. Can you watch Emmett for a few?” She knew he was on the verge of coming down any second.

“Of course.”

She went upstairs and told Emmett to go talk to Maddox. As she got ready, she quickly texted Leah to tell her what was going on.

Tori threw her ‘soccer mom’ sweatshirt over her head and brushed her hair before running back down the stairs.

“Leah wants to know if there’s anything she can do?”

Maddox seemed to think it over. “I don’t think so. Tell her I will call her if I think of anything.”

Tori arched a brow, not realizing they had exchanged numbers but let it go. She didn’t have time for that. Later, she would grill Leah about it.

“I’m ready then,” Tori told him.

“I can drive so you don’t have to do all the security stuff.”

They moved Emmett’s seat over and were on their way. She second guessed bringing Emmett the whole ride. He was a valid person to speak about Chance’s character, though.

As they got out, a few teammates approached them.

“Sam is still in his office,” Buddy confirmed.

“We all spoke on Chance’s behalf,” Aaron told him.

“I brought reinforcements,” Maddox said pointing to her and Emmett.

“I don’t know what I can do, but I’m going to try,” she told the guys.

“That’s all we can do,” Aaron told her. “We don’t want to lose him even if he’s given up on himself.”

Two players she recognized as Shawn and Benson came up to her.

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