Page 66 of Tight End

I want to stick a flaming fire poker into his fucking dimple.

The smile on Sam’s face fades the second he locks eyes with me and I stop moving, paralyzed to the spot.

“Hey,” he says hesitantly.

We haven’t really talked over the past week. He was at an away game last weekend and has been at practice most of the times I’ve been here.

Besides, it isn’t like I even know what to say to him.

I made choices.

We both did.

Backpedaling isn’t an option.

I need to focus on the future, not the shit in the past I can’t change.

“Hey. I was just gonna take off?—”

“Yeah, so Chase is going to make it to dinner tonight,” Jack interrupts. “Looks like he finally got a night off.”

“That’s great. My parents are excited to see you,” Sam says, his eyes still flickering over to me.

My phone pings from deep inside of my pocket. I pull it out and wave it in the air. “See you guys.”

I can still hear Jack’s voice reverberating between my fucking ears. Makes me want to tear out his voice box and shove it up his ass.

Swiping up, I frown at the text from Ben on my screen.

The label wants to meet. You, me, and Tyler. Friday.

That’s two days from now. And there’s nothing comforting about the message, either.

I scrub a hand down the front of my face.

This could be really bad. The nail in my coffin.

A deep sigh slumps my shoulders as I walk toward the door for another night of nothingness. I tried to reach out to Lane a few times over the past week but he hasn’t returned my calls. I tap on the screen to type out a message.

Hey, I’d love to talk.

My finger hovers over the send button when I hear my name. I quickly hit send and look up.

I swivel around, furrowing my brow when I see Sam jog toward me. “Yeah?”

He sweeps a hand through his dark hair, his lips lifting into a small smile. “I heard James is doing really well with you.”

I shrug. “He’s got a lot of talent. That’s not because of me.”

“Yeah, but you’re doing a whole lot more than teaching him guitar. You’re giving him confidence, a reason to be happy and proud of his accomplishments.” He pauses. “I’ve watched you with him. He’s really responsive to everything you say. You’re a great influence on him, whether or not you want to believe it.”

I let out a snort. “Can’t remember the last time someone said that to me.”

Sadness glows in the depths of Sam’s dark gaze. “How are you holding up? Have you spoken to the guys?”

“Nope,” I say in a flip voice. “Tried with Lane but…” I shrug. “I guess he needs more time. I don’t blame him. I’d have written me off, too.”

“You were going through a lot. He’ll come around.”

---