Page 112 of Racing Heat
Chapter Thirty-Nine
~CASSIE~
Idon’t watch the game, but I know we lost. I feel bad for the team. I wanted them to do well. I wanted them to win. We need to keep wining if there’s a chance of a post season. I hear the ‘we’ in my thoughts and shake my head. I have to keep reminding myself that it doesn’t matter anymore. August fired me. I no longer play for the Blaze.
It’s weird because not too many of the girls have stopped by my apartment to see me or ask questions about why I was let go. Apparently, ‘let go’ is the phrase they used when they told the team. I guess ‘fired’ sounded too harsh.
My girls came and checked on me before they went to the game. Talk of what’s happening with the team has been kept to a minimum. I’ve been removed from all the group chats and team communication. Not that I’m surprised. I’m not part of the team anymore.
That fact hurts more than I can say. I haven’t even called and told my parents that I’ll be going back to Portland. I need to find a trainer to keep myself in top shape. IthinkI want to play again. I’m going to try to get picked up by another team or walk on. It’ll be months until that can happen, so I need to keep working to stay in shape for a new team.
I wonder if the girls will go out after the game. Even after a loss, it made us feel better, and usually August’s antics and Danny quick wit made for a fun evening. I’m not sure if they’ll do that tonight. From what Mac has said, Jase and August aren’t really talking. It’s made things a bit uncomfortable for them. Jase was reminded just how much of our boss he is. August might be feeling guilty about firing me or having to bust us. At least, that’s what Mac thinks. I’m not too sure about that. He seemed like he was doing what needed to be done when he fired me.
Sighing, I get up and do another lap around my apartment. It won’t be mine for much longer. I need to figure that aspect of my life out. Maybe get some boxes so that I can ship things back to my hometown. Living with my parents again; I’ve really fallen from grace. All self-inflicted, because I could have said no. Or I could have been stronger and not let him draw me in the way he did. But I wasn’t and I didn’t. Now here we are.
A knock at my door pulls me from my thoughts. “Come in,” I call to the closed door, but no one opens it. If it was one of the girls, they would have just come right in. Part of the habits of still living like we’re in college. I walk over and pull open the door.
There he stands.
He looks as handsome as the day I left him in the restaurant. There’s a bit of a five o’clock shadow on his face. His brown eyes look tired and a bit sunken in with the dark circles beneath them. He’s still wearing his Blaze polo and a pair of khaki shorts—his normal game day uniform.
I smile at the sight of him.
I hate that I do it. My relationship with him caused my demise. I shouldn’t be happy to see him.
“W-what are you doing here?” I ask, stumbling over my words.
“I wanted to see you,” he says with a shrug. “But I realize that might not have been the best idea.”
Jase’s eyes roam over my body. I’m wearing my black tank and sleep shorts set. The shorts are tight and leave nothing to the imagination. His expression is hungry when his gaze finds mine again. I cross my arms over my chest, which only accentuates my breasts.
He smirks.
“Knock it off.” I try to make my tone scolding, but he doesn’t appear to care.
I hear car doors closing outside. He looks around and then back at me.
“You should probably come inside. It sounds like the girls are getting back from the game.”
He nods and walks into my apartment. I close the door and gesture for him to sit on the couch.
“What are you up to tonight?” Jase asks.
“I was just trying to figure out my next move,” I admit with a shrug.
“Any luck?”
“Nope. I just know that I only have this place for less than sixty days, then it’s back to Portland for me.”
“Oh, you’ll leave? Not stay in Tampa?”
I shake my head. “What for? There’s nothing here for me.”
“I’m here.” He says the words like it’s so simple, and I should have considered them before I thought about going back to Portland.
“You are. But that shouldn’t make a difference, right? Because we’re not supposed to be together,” I spit out.
“Who told you that?” Jase gets up and comes to stand in front of me. “Is that what August told you when he called you?”
