Page 42 of Ricochet

He grunts disapprovingly. “Early practice in the morning. Might want to get some rest.”

“I won’t be long.”

He nods, his face set in hard lines. “See that you’re not. You have a position on the team to keep.”

Can’t say I didn’t see that coming.

“Yes, sir.”

Turning around, I continue to the front doors of the hotel and push my way through. A late night chill soaks right into myspine, and I shove my hands in the pocket of my hoodie. There’s a faint hint of smoke in the air that sends goosebumps up and down my arms as much as the cold does. Heading left in the direction I saw Stone take off, I keep an eye out for him. I have no idea what my plan was. I can’t exactly walk down every street until I find him.

I decide to keep heading straight in the same direction, sticking to the sidewalk along the street. It’s already late, so there are only a few cars driving past.

After about five minutes of speed walking, I see him up ahead. He’s little more than a dark silhouette in a black hoodie like mine, a backpack strapped to his back.

Where the fuck is he going?

I’m too fucking curious, so I continue following him. I slow down to keep a good distance between us, sticking to the shadows. There aren’t really any other people walking the streets this late, so if he spots me, it’s game over.

But I can’t head back. I have to know where he’s going and what he’s up to.

It’s definitely more than simple curiosity.

Fifteen minutes pass, and I manage to remain undetected as I follow him around corners and down side streets. When he heads down a narrow path between two buildings, I hang back, knowing my steps would echo. Sure enough, as Stone disappears and I make my pass, my footsteps reverberate off the walls. I swear I hear two echoes. But when I peer back, there’s no one there.

Once on the other side of the buildings, I look to the left, then the right. I spot him, heading straight for the beach.

What the…

Once more, I follow after him.

There’s a small grove of trees beside an empty picnic area. I choose one of them and tuck myself behind the thick trunk as Iwatch Stone heading across the pebbled beach toward the lone dock. There’s no one around save for a single figure standing at the end, leaning against the railing and staring out over the water.

It’s slightly cloudy out, the thin, wispy clouds currently veiling the third quarter moon. Other than the two dim, yellow lamps standing over the picnic area, the lights from the city in the distance, and the stars up above, it’s dark. Everything is thrown into shadows. Including Stone and whoever the man he’s meeting.

At first, I think maybe it’s some kind of drug deal. That maybe Stone is chasing something to take the edge off from our first loss. That what looks like a hug is a slip into a pocket, an exchange of money.

Except the stranger appears to run his hand down Stone’s chest.

My jaw clenches.

So, it’s possible the thought that he was leaving to hook up had occurred to me, and now I’m hating myself for following him.

Is he looking at him like he looks at me?

Is heseeinghim too?

Is this because I told him to stop and now he’s done with me?

He apologized, but then he spent the past week avoiding me. I didn’t think he was upset withmeuntil our confrontation in the hotel room before the game. It threw me off even worse. I was an idiot for thinking he wasn’t angry about it.

I don’t want to watch whatever is going to happen on that dock, but I also can’t bring myself to look away.

Ihaveto know.

Then maybe I can move the fuck on and forget anything even happened.

So I stay. A few minutes turn into ten. Stone removed his hoodie, which was enough for me to nearly crack a few teeth, but they’re still just out there talking. I hear their deep voices carry, but I can’t make out what they’re saying. Every now and then, the other guy laughs, loud and slightly obnoxious.

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