Page 86 of Crew
We’d come so far.
And just like that, our season was over.
The atmosphere in the clubhouse felt like a different worldcompared to the week before. Instead of champagne showers and hugs, it was silence as the guys packed up their lockers.
“Hey.” Crew wrapped an arm around my shoulder. “Don’t beat yourself up. You had a hell of a season.”
I let out a breath as I tried to take comfort in his words, but the disappointment that I couldn’t lead the team to victory would likely stick with me for a while.
A few seconds later, Parker walked in and looked around the room. We all sat down and waited to hear what he had to say.
“Every single one of you should be proud of what we accomplished,” he praised, and a few of the coaches nodded. “Back in April, no one would have guessed one of the expansion teams would make it to the playoffs. But you made Portland believe in us and proved all the critics wrong.”
A few shouts of agreement rang out.
“This isn’t the end,” he continued. “We’ve built a foundation here. And I can’t wait to do this again next year. Only better.”
Once we were showered and packed, Crew laced his fingers with mine. “Let’s go home.”
I looked over at him. Despite how the night had gone, this team had changed everything for me. And that was something a loss couldn’t ever take away.
“Yeah, let’s go home.”
32
CREW
One MonthLater
Mallory didn’t sayanything right away when we stepped inside.
She just stood there, eyes sweeping over the open floor plan, the high ceilings, the curved staircase, and the windows that made the place feel like it was built out of light. Her voice, when it came, was soft. “This place is huge.”
I tried not to grin. “It’s not that big.”
She gave me a look that said: you’re joking right?
“Okay,” I admitted. “It’s kind of big.”
Behind us, Grady pointed toward the back of the house. “Race you to the yard!”
“You better run fast,” Knox called, already jogging after him.
Their footsteps echoed onthe wood floors, then disappeared through a set of French doors. Mallory watched them go, shaking her head softly.
“He doesn’t even know where he’s going.”
“Neither does Knox. This is only my second time here.”
The agent had stepped out to take a call, giving us a few quiet minutes to look around on our own. When I first saw the almost 8,000-square-foot house, I knew it was perfect and I had to get Mallory to see it. The kitchen was open and practical, with more space than she’d ever had to cook in. With all the bedrooms, she’d have room for her family to visit, a room Grady could make his own, and even a movie room downstairs. The backyard had a pool and a cabana, and beyond that, a dock that went right out to the river. It had everything I could imagine Grady needing, now and years from now.
They’d been in Portland for a few weeks now, living in a temporary apartment down the hall from mine until I could buy them something more permanent.
Mallory turned back toward the foyer. I followed her as she moved through the kitchen and toward the back of the house.
Out in the yard, Knox was crouched behind an imaginary plate while Grady wound up like he was trying to break a radar gun with the foam baseball I’d given him. He brought it everywhere and the baseball player in me loved it. The dad in me loved it even more.
Mallory’s gaze landed on the pool. And stopped.
