“I want you to leave this on until you leave, got it?”
I nod, saying nothing as I get up off the table and make my way back into the locker room.
“Anderson!” King says, coming into the room and I know what he’s going to say before it leaves his mouth. “Your turn, man, the media is waiting.”
I take a deep breath and let out a loud groan. Usually, the media is allowed inside after games, but I’m guessing Coach blocked them considering what happened tonight.
When I open the door, a bombardment of camera flashes blind my vision and I squint, waiting for the torture to begin.
“Josh! I see that your shoulder is iced, was that the reason for the errors tonight?” one reporter yells from in front of me. It takes all the patience, strength, and self-control I can muster not to roll my eyes at the stupid question.
“No,” I begin. “The ice is just precautionary. I have no excuse for my play tonight. It’s not like me and I guarantee that I will do better next game.” I look to my left and motion for another reporter to ask a question.
“Any bad blood between you and the rest of the team? It seems there was a lot of tension in the dugout during the game,” a young reporter asks, and I can tell they’re new at this, and I completely understand their need to write a good story, but right now all I want is for them to fuck off and leave me alone.
“What happened tonight in the dugout was just frustrations boiling over, it happens and tonight it happened to me. I take full responsibility for the loss tonight. My teammates deserved better play from me, and I intend to make sure it never happens again.”
“Are you still hoping for a repeat of the MVP title this year?” The question catches me off guard and I can’t fight the smile because to me it’s a stupid fucking question.
“Of course. I fully intend to make the race as interesting and heated as it was last year.” With that I say goodbye and head back into the locker room, making my way to where Will is sitting, fully dressed beside me.
“You need a ride?” he asks as I shake my head. “Need company?”
I shake my head again. “I need to be alone for a bit. Get out of here and just clear my head.”
He nods, understanding. He takes his bag, flings it over his shoulder, and gets up.
“I know tonight was rough. But if you need me to come here early tomorrow to help you practice, I’ll be here,” he says, clasping my shoulder. He leaves and I’m suddenly alone and start to wonder how the hell I’m going to fix this.
Walking up to my truck, I pull my keys out of my pocket and am about to unlock the door when I hear heels clicking behind me. I lower my chin to my chest, taking a deep breath and preparing myself for the reporter I know is behind me.
“I hoped I’d find you here…” I narrow my eyes, not recognizing the voice. When I turn, ready to tell the person to fuck off, I recoil.
“What are you doing here?” I ask Angela, wondering why the hell she seems to turn up everywhere I am. She looks different; she’s in a short skirt, knee-high leather boots and a look in her eyes that tells me exactly what she’s doing here. “I told you at the game I wasn’t interested, and at the coffee shop” My tolerance for this shit is running thin and my patience is thinning with every second.
“Well, I was in the area when the game ended, and I thought I’d see if you wanted to get a drink?”
I purse my lips, hiding my smirk because the idea is laughable. Not only because she’s no longer my type, but because I made it very clear the last two times how I felt. Before I have a chance to respond, her hand comes to rest against my chest, her fingers sliding between the gaps between my buttons and the second her skin touches mine, I step back.
“Woah, okay. I don’t know what you think is happening here, but it’s definitely not that.”
She gives me a quizzical look, smiling in that way I know girls do when they have a secret and my heart starts to beat faster.
“I’m seeing someone,” I bust out before thinking better of it, and when she rolls her eyes and tries to touch me once more, I wrap my fingers around her wrist and hold it away from me.
“You mean Harper?”
I quirk an eyebrow, remembering what Harper said about Angela being the bane of her existence.
“That girl can throw herself at you all day long, but we both know you belong with someone like me.”
This time I can’t stop the laugh that bubbles out of my chest.
“Listen, Angela,” I grunt, trying to step away from her, but she annoyingly follows.
.
“I need you to back up and check yourself before you come at me again saying shit that isn’t true. You can think whatever you want, but Harper is who I’m interested in and that won’t change.”
She rolls her eyes, pulling her hand out of my grip and stepping back.
“You’re making a big mistake, you know.” She spits toward me as she lifts her purse back onto her shoulder, puffing out her chest and composing herself. “You’ll change your mind.” She winks and before I can’t say anything more, she’s walking away and leaving me in stunned silence.
What the hell just happened?
12
Harper
I love the quiet when everyone leaves for the night. Working late usually doesn’t bother me, sometimes I even prefer it. It’s quiet and I get to take my time without people bothering me with questions or even worse… complaints. Plus, Henry loves when I stay late because he knows I’ll do all the paperwork,
