Page 28 of He Saved Me

“If you keep playing like you got your head up your ass, the scouts won’t take one look at you. Is that what you want?”

“No, of course not.”

“Then what is the problem?” he yells.

Everything.

“Nothing, sir.”

He stares at me for a long minute.

Then he speaks.

“Tennessee is interested in you, and They’re going to be here for the next game.”

My head snaps up.

“Really?”

“Yeah, really. So get your shit together before the game. You need to kill it out there if you want to make it to the pros.

You got it?”

“Yeah, Coach.”

“Get out of here. Don’t ever let me catch you playing like shit again.”

I nod and walk out.

I grab my phone and dial Shorty’s number to share the news. Shorty has always been my biggest cheerleader.

Her voicemail picks up. “Shorty, can you please call me back.” I pinch the bridge of my nose. “Please, call me back, text me, anything.” The automated voice alerts me that my time is up.

“Fuck!” I punch the lockers and storm out of the building.

Chapter 16- Sadie

Maybe this was a bad idea.

Why I thought going back to work was the right thing to do is beyond me. But when I looked into my baby girl’s eyes this morning, it was the push I needed that I need money to pay for her needs. She always comes first.

An hour later, I was able to get into a routine behind the bar. Tia was sick with a cold, so she couldn’t come in. She was pissed at not being able to support me on my first night back, but I made it the entire shift without incident.

“Night, Sadie,” Boston calls out as I walk out the back door. I hold my jacket close to my chest when the cool spring breeze hits my face. As I walk toward the front of the building, Seb is nowhere to be seen. He sent me a text an hour before my shift ended, reminding me to wait for him in the front.

“Shit.”

I pull my phone out to call him when I feel eyes on me, watching each step I take I frantically look around, but I can’t see anything. I lean against the front of the building. The traffic is constantly flowing, and people walk by. I feel a little safer knowing nothing will happen to me while out in public.

Right?

I look down at my phone, ready to unlock it when a text message comes through.

Unknown: Why do you look so nervous?

What the…

Unknown: I told you I’d be back for you.

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