Page 123 of Breaking Point
She coughs out a laugh. “Yes.”
Taking the opportunity for what it is—a blessing—I wrap my arms around her too and bury my face in her neck, soaking up the way her body melts perfectly against mine. I made her cry tears of joy. Usually I don’t love claiming that I make girls cry, but this must count for something, right?
Bella is the first to step away from the embrace, the lack of her warmth like stepping into Antarctica, her retreat a jolt to my system.
“Good luck with your games. I’ll see you at the airport,” she blurts, then rushes from the room.
Turning to the large jar sitting on the kitchen island, the cause for my sudden whiplash, I scratch my head and frown.
I thought she liked it?
The phone in my hand remains silent. No messages. No calls. No updates.
I haven’t heard from Bella intwo days.
She sent me a congratulations message when we won our first away game, but I’ve received radio silence ever since. I was even a big enough stalker to check my Ring camera and she hasn’t been to the house.
I don’t care about the job or the packages piling up, I care abouther. This isn’t like Bella—she’s reliable and she’s smart and she’s hard working. I may not care what duties do or don’t get done, but she does. She takes her work seriously, so the fact she hasn’t returned any of my calls or stopped by my house speaks volumes.
“Crawford, get your head out of the clouds,” Coach Anderson barks from across the locker room.
“Sorry, sir.”
It pains me, physically pains me to put my phone back in my bag and pay attention to Coach as he gives us our pre-game pep talk. He still hasn’t appointed anyone else to be captain and I doubt any of the guys would accept it even if he tried.
I gave the pep talk for the previous game, but my heart isn’t in it tonight. It would be a load of bullshit and they would feel it—they’re already feeling it. Everyone has given me a wide berth tonight, all the while giving me pitiful, worried glances.
They probably think I’ve fallen off the wagon again. I haven’t—I’ve been doing Zoom AA meetings while away from home—but I know something is wrong. I can feel it. I’m just unsure if it would be a stretch to send police to her house for a welfare check.
I can just imagine her expression and the look on the police officer’s face as she has to explain her boss has a crush on her, spent four hours picking out red and yellow gummy bears for her, and won’t stop calling after he left because she was uncomfortable.
That’s why my mind thinks she’s ignoring me, and yet that doesn’t explain the congratulations text. If she was uncomfortable by the gummy bears, she wouldn’t have talked to me after that…right?
Rubbing my temples for the headache forming there, I can do nothing as I skate onto the ice with a pit in my stomach and my heart screaming at me that something is deeply wrong.
“Dude, you have to get out of your head,” Kieran calls as we skate off.
“I’m trying. I’m genuinely trying.”
Coach pulls me aside the moment my skates hit the away bench. “What’s happening? You’re sloppy and you’re uncoordinated.” His lips press into a thin line. “I hate to ask this, Crawford, but”—he lowers his voice—“are you drunk?”
I can’t even be offended he’d ask. Last season I did play drunk and turned up to practice hungover and puking, but it feels like a slap to the face nevertheless.
As the timeout clock ticks down, I turn my back on the guys and the cameras, keeping my helmet on to avoid anyone seeing the pure worry I have etched across my face.
“It’s Bella, sir,” I whisper.
He frowns. “Did she break up with you?”
I shake my head. “No, she hasn’t returned my calls or texts, and she hasn’t showed up for work. I’m worried something has happened.”
At that moment, the assistant coach, Olivia, rounds the corner. “What’s wrong?”
Coach Anderson holds my gaze for a moment, no doubt trying to see if I’m lying to him once again about my drinking. His shoulders slump slightly as he turns to Olivia, lifting his clipboard to hide his lips from the cameras, but I can hear him as he whispers, “Get Crawford’s agent on the phone and try to locate Bella. Grayson’s worried something has happened to her.”
Olivia’s eyes cut to mine before she nods and leaves, her tight blonde ponytail swishing with the movement. It isn’t her job description to be making calls like that, but nevertheless, I’m eternally grateful and make a mental note to thank her afterwards.
Coach Anderson claps me on the shoulder. “Can you play now knowing someone is looking for her?”
