Page 9 of Off Season

“It’s good for you.” I roll my eyes again and nudge him out of the way.

“It’s a big nope from me.” He quickly grabs a bowl of fruit and some cheese and moves to the pantry to grab the potato chips I only buy for him. I don’t know what he’s planning to make with the random mix of food, but I’ve learned not to question him. Elliot tends to march to the beat of his own drum.

“So, what’s going on? Why have you been ghosting us?” Blaine presses, crossing his arms over his chest.

Zach’s face falls. “You’re not retiring, are you?”

I sigh, closing the fridge door with my elbow, and pass them both a bottle of water. “No, but I’m not going to deny that it’s been on my mind a lot recently. I’ve probably got at least one more season in me, maybe two if my kneedoesn’t act up again, but this loss hurt a bit more than normal.”

My jaw clenches at the pity in their eyes. It makes me want to tell them to get out. It’s fine for them. They’re still in the prime of their careers.

But I don’t, because I know they care.

They don’t want me to stop playing any more than I do.

“Let’s go sit outside,” I suggest, needing to break away from their pointed stares.

We take a seat on the balcony. Blaine is still looking at me with concerned eyes like he’s trying to find the right words to say. I feel like a bug under a microscope with their inquisitive eyes boring into me.

“Your bad mood isn’t just about the game, though, is it?” Zach asks once he folds himself into the chair beside me. “We’ve had losses before. When we lost in the final two seasons ago, you didn’t retreat like this, so there’s got to be something else bothering you.” He pauses for a moment. “Is it something to do with you going to visit your mom?”

I’ve never told the guys about Ian.

It was before most of them joined the team anyway. The only ones who know are Adam Kendrick and Jonathan Peyton, and I didn’t think it was necessary to rehash my humiliation for these guys. I didn’t want the additional wave of sympathy from being jilted.

At the time, Ian didn’t really make an effort to get to know my teammates. We didn’t have a boys’ night like we do now, but he always made an excuse for not attending team events or going to the Kendricks’ for dinner with me.

I wasn’t sure if it just wasn’t his thing or if he wasashamed of me. He didn’t give me anything. In retrospect, I should have asked. I should have made him tell me.

I’ve kept that bit of my history under lock and key for ten years, and I don’t plan on sharing it now.

“Do you remember me mentioning my cousin’s wedding?”

The three of them nod.

“Well, I don’t want to go. There’s going to be a lot of people there asking questions about my relationship status, and I’m dreading it.”

Which is only somewhat true.

Yes, people will be questioning why I’m still single when I’m a professional athlete and have a lot of money. They never seem to fathom that sometimes being in the limelight and having wealth can be one of the loneliest places of all because people rarely want you foryou. But there will also be a lot of people waiting to see how I react around Ian.

“Can’t you take a fake boyfriend?” Blaine suggests.

Elliot snaps his fingers. “Yes! That’s a genius idea!”

“No.” I shake my head. “That’s a ridiculous idea. Plus, who would I take? It’s not like I can just find someone to take with me across the Atlantic for a couple of weeks.”

“Take Jacob,” Blaine quips, grinning, his gray eyes gleaming.

Uh… What?

“Think about it. He needs a break, right? You know him. I’m sure you somewhat trust him because you fucking paid off his debt, and you go and see him in the bakery all the time.”

My eyebrows shoot up, surprised. How does he?—

“Oh yeah, Alex tells me how you drop in without even buying anything.” He lifts a brow in amusement.

“How can you leave without buying anything?” Zach gasps. “That’s like?—”

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