Page 56 of Stick Play

“Jesus Christ.” I snort out a sarcastic laugh. “Are you guys all in a knitting club or something? Sitting around gossiping about my love life?”

“Love life?” Noah arches a curious brow, as he quickly zeros in on that one word.

I step up to the shower, hang up my towel, and turn on the spray. “You didn’t let me finish. I was going to say, or lack thereof.”

“Ash,” Noah begins, and I hold my hand up to cut him off.

“I don’t need a lecture.” Actually, I probably do, because I don’t know what the fuck I’m doing anymore, other than falling in love with a single mom, and let’s face it, her daughter too. I have never in my life felt like this before. It’s messing with me in the worst way. But that single mom isn’t interested in bringing anyone into her life. Relationships are nothing but complications to her—she has her and her daughter’s heart to protect—which is why this is all a secret.

Maybe you should show her you’re not a threat, Ash.

“Mountain,” Noah continues, despite my protest as he turns on the spray and steps under it. “All I was going to say is, it looks good on you.”

The fight drains out of me—they all know me too well—and my shoulders sag. “Yeah?”

“Yeah, buddy. She’s a keeper.” I glance at Tanner who’s showering beside me and he’s frowning.

“What?” I ask and brace myself. Is he the only smart one here who thinks messing with a single mom with trust issues is bad, and that coach and the media would have a field day with it?

“I was just thinking I needed to add an adult woman and youth mitts to my list this year.”

I grab the soap and start washing. “Jesus, enough with the mitts.”

“You don’t like them?” He almost looks hurt.

“Yes, but I need a hat.”

We all laugh and there’s a new kind of lightness about me. The guys think this looks good on me. But it’s Gina I’m worried about. She sees things differently. As more guys jump in the shower, I push those thoughts to the back of my mind and finish washing up. I don’t expect Gina or Zoe to be outside waiting for me. I’m sure she took right off to put Zoe to bed. The thoughts of that sit heavy in my chest. Maybe I can call her later. Jesus, I got it bad.

I head outside and cameras flash in front of my face. I search for Gina, but my eyes are burning out of my head thanks to all the glaring lights. Digging into my back pocket, I pull out my cell phone and slide my finger across the screen, to see if Gina messaged. With my phone still in my hand, a girl comes running up to me, and the next thing I know she’s wrapped around me, legs around my back, one hand behind my head as she snatches my phone from my fingers.

“Ash, you were amazing tonight.”

I inch back and that’s when I realize it’s Callie, Margot’s granddaughter, and she’s in the jersey I signed for her. Fuck, she’s young, and now everyone is probably going to think we’re an item. This isn’t a good look for me.

I try to set her down, but her legs are around me holding like a vice. Jesus. “Callie,” I begin. “Let’s get you on your feet.”

She pouts and practically rubs her breasts in my face. I hear cheers from the crowd, and it’s not like I can see anyone with the cameras still flashing. I finally manage to peel her off me, and she holds my camera out to take a selfie of us.

The camera flashes, and I’m sure I must look like a deer in the headlights. “Send me these,” she says.

“I don’t have your number.”

She does something, then when her phone rings, she pulls it from her pocket and hands me mine back. “You do now.”

She trots off, and blinking to get my sight back, I peer into the crowd, just in time to see Gina bend down to say something to her daughter. They start to walk away, and it looks as if Zoe is dragging her feet. She either doesn’t want to go, or is dead tired. Probably both.

Shoving my phone back into my pocket, I push through the crowd, and touch Gina’s shoulder to draw her attention. She has an uneasy look on her face when her eyes meet mine. “Were you going to leave without saying goodbye?” I half joke. I want to lighten her mood, because in no way do I want her to think I liked Callie’s little performance back there.

She glances around me, and winces as someone takes her picture. “You were busy. You have to go do your after-game thing.”

“After-game thing?”

Zoe tugs at me. “You took that guy out hard, Ash.” She rubs her tired eyes and I suddenly don’t give a shit who’s watching. Let Coach ream me out again. I bend and pick Zoe up, and she rests her tired head on my shoulder.

“Close your eyes, Zoe.” I rub her back and glance at Gina. “Did you drive here?”

She nods and fights a yawn. “I’ll walk you to your car.” I note the dark smudges under her eyes. Maybe I shouldn’t have asked her to come to this game. What a selfish prick I am. “Better yet, how about I drive you both home?”

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