Page 21 of Finding the Forward: Part One
Rusty laughed. “Team Mom thought he was a fútboler?”
“She was a collegiate fútboler. He said he played forward. That’s where her mind goes.” Mercy shrugged as if that explained everything.
It sort of did.
“You’re the little sister,” I breathed. I’d found a sister.
Thank fuck. The person I’d called this morning wasn’t going to call me back, and I wasn’t creative enough to arrange a fake photoshoot through her modeling agent.
Her brown eyes blinked. “She talked about me? Isn’t the flight like two minutes?”
“She did.” Hope exploded within me.
“When did you start a discovery league, Rusty?” Dean eyed another very young-looking player whose hair was in black and pink puffs, who was now playing table tennis against Liv.
“We didn’t. There was a mix-up, and some of the discovery league candidates ended up on the draft list. It was a huge thingwhen it finally came to light during the actual draft because we don’t make the draft lists public until it happens,” Rusty told me.
Oh, Ihadheard about it. I’d felt so bad for the players who’d had their offers rescinded when the PSSL discovered the mix-up.
“Aren’t you sixteen? Don’t you have to be eighteen to go pro?” I asked Mercy. That’s how it was in hockey. Though good for her.
“I’m now seventeen,” Mercy corrected. “Little known fact, skate smash is under the International League of Ice Sports, like figure skating, not the International Association of Team Sports like you. The ILIS allows emancipated minors my age to compete at the elite levels, as long as they can hold their own. Pro skate smash iselite.”
Well then.
“Unlikesometeams, we made it work. An administrative mix-up doesn’t change our need or want for them,” Rusty replied. “We chose them for a reason. If a teenager can do it, then why the fuck not? Right, Mercy?”
Mercy grinned and looked at the girl with the hair puffs. “Fuck yeah.”
“Oh yeah, you all have way more input on players than we do,” Dean murmured.
Well, I was glad they’d done right by them.
“Is Verity okay? Where is she? Briar wouldn’t tell me where she transferred,” I asked Mercy, bouncing on the balls of my feet, needing to make sure Verity was okay.
“You looked for her? Impressed. Let her keep the sweatshirt. I’ll buy you a new one. I mean, she’ll give it back if you ask. She has this thing for giant omegas.” She eyed Dean. “But let her keep it? Please?” Pleading notes filled in her voice.
Verity had a thing for giant omegas? Huh. I filed that away for later.
“Will you give her my number? Or tell me where to find her? I played the best game of my life after sitting next to her. Also,I worried about her because she told me a little about the very shitty day she was having.” Desperation filled my voice.
“Oh, I see.” Rusty gave me a sly look and turned to Mercy. “What do you think?”
“She’s only ever said good things about him. But I’m not giving you her number.” Mercy shook her head. “Maybe you could help us out in the ice bath challenge this afternoon? Say, around four? We’re going to be in the student center at NYIT.”
Ice bath challenge? It wasOctoberin New York City.
Who was I kidding? I’d walk through fire to find Verity.
“If we help you, you’ll help us find her?” Dean frowned at her.
Her look went sly. “I suppose.”
“Okay. Sure.” Whatever it took. If that meant dunking myself in ice, then I would.
“I get the luck thing. Please, take her to all your away games. She needs fun. Just...” Mercy looked up at me and frowned. “Don’t hurt her. Please?”
This was someone who loved her older sister as much as I loved mine. I respected that.
