Page 51 of Rocking Player
Money. That was his only goal. Not mine, not Jeremy. I picked up my wine glass and brought it to my sink. Then I said, “Then take it, but I’m not going anywhere near you.”
“What are you saying?”
I needed a broom and to stop shaking. I swallowed and said, “We shouldn’t have gone crazy and gotten married. It was a mistake.”
He asked in a higher pitched tone, “You’re leaving me because I want New York?”
“Yes,” I said and froze. I’d never be calm there. Once I stopped seeing Michael, then I’d be safe and not be pushed.
“You’re being unreasonable.”
“Goodbye Michael. We’re not going to New York,” I said and hung up to get my broom.
Maybe I was wrong about marrying Michael and thinking we had a shot. I was never going to quietly transform into someone who doesn’t speak out about her life or her son. If I moved with him, it would start. We were all better off this way.
Chapter 16
Michael
Never makephone calls in the car. I’d almost crashed a mile after I'd hung up the phone on my way back to the hotel. Luckily, I came to and slammed on the breaks.
Georgie’s pretty smile replayed in my mind from the day we met at the pool. And now our wedding in Vegas when she walked under the green archways toward me on that gondola.
Sleep hadn’t washed those pictures from my mind. Neither had driving to work the next day.
My blood ran cold as I headed to the parking lot for players.
We’re not going to New York. No discussion? Just no. I turned off my engine but stared at the palm trees of LA and tried to move. But I couldn’t. My memories of Georgie in the stands that day replayed. There she’d been, with my son.
I never saw it coming that she’d just say no and was willing to get divorced.
I’d spent my entire adult life working to be the best. Contracts showed how much teams valued the players and I wanted to be one of the highest in the league, because it meant for sure I was the best.
I’d been trained since I was smaller than Jeremy for this and I was inches from achieving everything I’d worked for.
What the fuck had happened? How did I fix this?
I loved Georgie. I’d waited for seven years to find her again. But did that mean I had to give up everything I'd ever worked for?
Now I needed to play. I needed to scream. I should have ignored her that day, but she’d been the angel I’d searched for, for years.
But that had been a lie. An angel wouldn’t make me choose like this.
Finally, I made it out of the car and dragged my ass into the game.
Somehow, I needed to get rid of this cold sweat that made my spine tingle and win.
Thirty million for ten years had always been the first dream.
I’d spent my entire life working toward being the best.
I went to my locker to grab my uniform.
Rodriguez came beside me and stared at his old beat up Swatch watch that he wore at every game instead of any of the fancy ones everyone had bought him. “About fucking time, Irons.”
“I need a shower,” I mumbled and stripped off my t-shirt that still had a small trace of Georgie’s hugs on it.
I’d have to burn it if the smell didn’t dissipate. I tossed my sneakers in the locker and Rodriguez said, “Go clear your head, Pinstripes.”
