Page 30 of Against All Odds

What the fuck? “How the hell did you hear that?”

Bunch of gossiping assholes they are.

“I went to check on Violet’s house since I knew it was closed up for a while. I wanted to be sure her fire alarms worked and the chimneys weren’t a fire hazard.”

“Well, aren’t you just the nicest fire chief to ever live,” I toss back.

I should’ve done that. I make a mental note to make a list of things she might need to do and people to contact if something goes wrong.

Lachlan continues as though I didn’t even speak. “While I was there, she was cooking and said she was having dinner with her neighbor to thank him. She went on and on about how nice the people are in Ember Falls and what a difference it is. Since you’re her closest neighbor, it didn’t take much to figure out the rest.”

“Did she say anything else?” I ask.

What is wrong with me?

Why the hell did I just ask that?

I wonder what the chances are that they pretend I never said anything.

Lachlan and Miles share a grin.

The chances are a big fat zero.

“She mentioned something today at work,” Miles informs me.

Don’t ask. Don’t ask. Do not ask him or you’ll regret it.

“She did?”

I’m a fucking idiot.

“No, she didn’t say shit!” He bursts out laughing, and the other two follow. Miles sobers the fastest. “I’m sorry, that was mean. I couldn’t help myself. Anyway, I didn’t see her today. I had three students who thought it would be funny to paint a mural of a penis in the bathroom. I was tied up with that, so I didn’t see Violet.”

Killian shakes his head. “Are we going to practice today or what? I have to head back to Boston this week.”

“Fine, let’s play.”

After two hours of running up and down the field, I swear my legs are going to break in half. We have an indoor tournament coming up, since we were able to find a winter league, muchto Ainsley’s and Penelope’s dismay. They both hoped they’d get their significant others back at the end of the last tournament.

I’m sitting on the bench, working to catch my breath while Lachlan is laid out like a star on the ground. Miles is on the bench beside me, panting. It’s only Killian, who is the oldest out of us, who looks like he could go for another hour.

How is that even possible?

“Dude, are you on some kind of performance-enhancing drugs?” Miles asks him, clearly thinking the same as me.

Killian chuckles. “No, it’s called exercise other than just at practice.”

Lachlan lifts his head. “I’m in the gym every day. Everything hurts right now, and I want to die.”

“Do it quietly,” I toss back.

He gives me the finger. “Sit and spin, fucker.”

“Only if you promise to be gentle.”

We all chuckle.

Miles pushes up off the bench. “All right, I need to get home. Don’t forget the home game Friday. Brutus’s presence is required.”

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