Page 71 of The Grinder

Coach went on to say more and Riley heard and responded to everything, but half of his brain was doing somersaults in victory.

He’d made it. He’d fucking made it.

“Get yourself fed and rested and back here ready to play tonight. And send CJ in if he’s out there.”

As Coach stood, he held out his hand. Riley jumped to his feet and shook, his face actually hurt from smiling.

“Yes, sir. And thank you.”

He walked out into the hall, still grinning, and caught sight of CJ, slumped against the wall waiting. The kid shoved away from the wall, eyes wide like a deer in the headlights.

Riley nodded toward the coach’s office. “You’re up.” He reached for CJ’s shoulder. “Breathe. Seriously. Try not to pass out.”

“What’d he say?”

“We’ll talk when you get out, okay? I’ll wait for you.”

CJ looked ridiculously relieved. “Okay, yeah. Sounds good.”

Then he disappeared behind the door and Riley started to grin again. He needed to call his parents. His dad had mentioned flying in for a game. He didn’t think they’d be able to get in by tonight, but they had another game Saturday night and one Tuesday. Maybe they’d be able to get here for one of those.

And what about Aly?

Should he call? Text? Hell, did she even want to hear from him? Or had she already written him off? They’d exchanged a few texts over the past two days but he’d been busy so there hadn’t been many.

Fuck, maybe he needed to face facts. She just wasn’t that into him. Maybe she never had been. Or maybe she’d only wanted him when it’d been convenient.

Either way, she fucked with his head, and he didn’t need that right now.

So he pulled out his phone and called his parents.

And tried not to think about a certain blonde.

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