Page 29 of Mistle-Ho

Just not in the way he thinks.

Leo tips back a water bottle, squeezing a steady stream into his open mouth before swallowing it down. “And for the record, Miss Miller and I are taking it slow.”

Sure they are. So slow she’s already practically living with him.

“Line up,” the conditioning coach barks at us from where he stands on the edge of the pitch, ready to push us to our limits. Power and speed are two of the most important skills a player can have, so developing them is a large part of our pre-season training.

I take my spot and narrow my focus, putting everything I have into the drills he puts us through. By the time we’re done, I’m dripping with sweat and every inch of me is protesting, but it’s clear Leo is right. I am faster than last season.

At least something’s going right.

When our field speed session is done, we separate out into forwards and backs for unit skills. Leo’s with the forwards and I join the backs, slapping hands with Owen, the other winger. Together, we bring the best of both worlds to the team. I’m big enough to power my way through just about anyone and fast enough to dodge the rest, and he’s a fucking speed demon with an amount of agility that makes him a nightmare to catch.

After another hour of grueling exercises, we finally head in to prep for the weight room where we’ll wind down our day with lower body strength training. Tomorrow’s a rest day, so everyone is in a great mood and there’s a good amount of laughing and conversation happening alongside the heavy, metal clang of weights meeting, and the accompanying grunts.

I push myself, wanting to be bigger, stronger, better—worth what they pay me to be here. When I’m done, my thighs are on fire and I can barely walk, but I feel fucking fantastic. One step closer to the best season yet.

That’s what I need this to be. I learned a lot from my short time with Al, but the biggest thing is that my career will have to be enough. I’m not capable of handling anything more, so I’m going to do everything I can to find some sort of fulfillment in my life.

After taking a quick shower, I’m getting dressed when Leo props a shoulder against the wall next to me. I lift one brow as I button the fly of my jeans. “Can I help you with something?”

“Me and a few of the guys are taking you out tonight.” Leo looks over my upper half. “You need to find another outlet for your energy. You’re making us all look bad out there.”

I tug a shirt over my head and pull it into place. “I don’t want to go out.”

“Didn’t ask.” Leo shoots me a grin. “I’ll pick you up at eight.”

I scowl as he strides away, looking un-fucking-bothered that he’s being a dick. If he’d pop his head out of Maddie Miller’s ass for ten seconds, he might have noticed I’m a fucking mess. That I’m miserable and fucking disgusted with myself.

But maybe it’s better he’s distracted. I can only imagine what he’d do if he found out the shit I said to Al. Probably kick my ass. And I’d likely let him. Might make me feel better to get some of what I deserve.

I finish getting dressed, grab my bag, and head out into the afternoon. After loading my bag into the back seat, I climb behind the wheel and start the engine.

The drive home gives me time to reconsider my aversion to going out. Maybe an evening of hanging out with a few friends is exactly what I need. A break from the nights of lonely self-loathing I’ve been attending.

And maybe it will be the start of finding my way back to where I need to be. I’ve proven I’m not capable of handling anything more than a casual hook-up, so—like it or not—that’s where I have to stay.

Even though the thought of touching someone besides Alexis turns my stomach.

After parking in the underground garage beneath my condo, I ride the elevator up to my floor. I’ve barely got one foot out when Val yells my name.

“Gavin. There you are.” Valerie lets out a sigh of relief as she turns from my door, where she’s probably been banging at the steel for ten minutes instead of calling me like a normal person. “I have a problem and Fynn is taking his mother to a doctor’s appointment so I don’t want to interrupt him.”

I like Val. A lot, actually. She’s sweet and smart and makes Fynn the happiest I’ve ever seen him. She showed up in his life when he needed someone most, and I’ll always be grateful. My friend was in a real bad way before she came along. Now he’s a husband, and in a few months he’ll also be a father. And he’s loving every fucking minute of it.

“What’s going on?” I drop my bag by the door to my condo, unworried about abandoning it since it’s only their place and mine on this floor.

Valerie’s steps are quick as she rushes back to her own front door, cautiously opening it to peer through the widening gap. Suddenly, she yelps, jumping back as she slams the door closed. Turning to me with wide eyes, Val lowers her voice to a whisper. “There’s a lizard.”

My brows lift in surprise. “In your condo?”

She nods, lower lip pinching between her teeth. “It was so nice outside and I wanted some fresh air, so I left the door to the balcony open. I’ve done it a million times and it’s always been fine, but I went to the bathroom because I constantly have to pee now, and when I came back, it was right there.” She widens her eyes. “Staring at me.”

I scrub one hand down my face. How in the hell am I going to catch a tiny little lizard as it runs around all of Fynn’s expensive shit? “Do you have a net or anything?”

Val shakes her head. “Can’t you just grab it?”

She wants me to pluck a minuscule, scrambling anole off the wall as it whizzes past me? I’m fast, but I’m not that fucking fast. “Let me see what we’re dealing with here.” I grab her by the shoulders and gently shift her to one side.

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