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Shawn spoke first. “We wanted to apologize for causing any problems between you and Chance. We were just teasing him.” He elbowed Benson.

“Ooph. Fucker.” Benson muttered. “He’s right. We were just talking nonsense and we didn’t know that you could hear us. Chance wouldn’t really do that.”

It was almost comical that these two tall men were standing in front of her apologizing like they’d been called to the principal’s office and she was the principal. This group of men was a family, she saw that now more than ever, and she was in their fold with or without Chance.

Emotion filled her. “I talked to Chance, too. It’s okay.”

“We didn’t talk to Chance,” Benson told her.

“Maddox, Buddy, Steven, Taylor, and Aaron told us what happened,” Shawn explained. “We never meant to cause problems.”

She knew all those men as the ones from the clinic. Well, she knew them from the team, but more personally from the clinic.

“Thanks, guys. I appreciate the explanation,” she told him.

“Come on,” Maddox said to her. “We need to get up there before Sam leaves.”

Tori followed him and Emmett to Sam’s office. She’d wondered what was this high up in the stadium but didn’t think she’d ever know for real. Definitely wished this wasn’t how she was finding out.

Maddox knocked on an open door. “Sam. I have some people to talk to you.”

“Mad, I told you…” he stopped as he caught sight of her. “Well, it’s going to be interesting. Keep the kid with you for right now. Come in, Tori.”

Nervously, she looked at Maddox. “I’ll watch him,” he said.

She wiped her sweating palms on her sweatshirt and went into Sam’s office.

“I take it Maddox filled you in on what’s going on around here?” he asked. “Please have a seat.”

Tori took a seat across from Sam’s desk and waited for him to take his own seat. “He did. I’ll be honest, I don’t know what help I can be.”

“Me either, but I don’t want to lose Chance either so why don’t you just tell me what you think might help and we can go from there?” Sam said.

“I don’t know what to say, really. I don’t think Chance should be punished. Isaac, my ex-husband, was being a jerk and had looked him up. He was purposely pushing Chance’s buttons. I don’t really know why because anyone that looked him up would know he might hit you.”

Sam nodded.

“He seemed to be doing it to make my choices look bad or something. I don’t know and didn’t ask him. I sent the video to my lawyer and am using it to press for less custody with Emmett. I can also say that I don’t think it will be a problem going forward as Chance and I aren’t together.”

“You don’t think you guys can work it out?” Sam asked.

Tori dropped her shoulders. “I screwed up more than once. Then all this happened. I’d say it’s for the best that we go our separate ways.”

“Good decisions shouldn’t leave both of you a wreck,” Sam said.

If the team we a family, then Sam was the wise uncle you went to for advice, she decided. He was good at making you think about things. She’d been here for just a few minutes and already wanted to tell him more and get his opinion.

“Maybe. But please don’t punish him over this. He was clearly baited into it and I know he’s been working hard to get himself under control. Besides, nothing like that has ever happened off the field and if it weren’t for him meeting me and getting wrapped up in my crap then it probably never would.”

He nodded again. “I will think about everything you said. I can’t tell anyone the outcome before I meet with Chance on Monday.”

“I don’t expect you to tell me anything. Just please don’t let him go,” she pleaded.

“Come see the last game with us next week. Bring Emmett. My seats are better than the ones that Maddox already asked for.”

She smiled. “Thank you.” Hopefully, that meant good news would be given.

“Can I talk to Emmett?” he asked.

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