“Thanks again for the ride.”
I got out of her car and started to wave good-bye but was stunned when she walked over and wrapped her arms around my waist. Her head pressed against my chest, and I instinctively weaved my fingers through her hair.
“You’re welcome,” she said before letting me go. “Don’t forget about that text.”
“I won’t,” I promised.
Melissa walked a few steps away but paused and turned around to look at me, conflict in her eyes. Then her eyes hardened, and she spun around to head toward her apartment.
Just when I started to think we might be having a moment, it ended before it began.
Damage Control
I sat in Jack’s truck, drumming my fingers on the steering wheel as I waited for the team bus to arrive. To be honest, I wasn’t excited about the conversation that lay ahead of us. Jack wasn’t going to be happy to see me in his truck instead of Cassie. Hell, I knew he’d be confused more than anything.
The bus pulled into the parking lot, huffing out black smoke, and my nerves surged. I got out of the truck as the brakes squealed loudly and the bus came to a stop. A moment later, the team started piling out one after the other at a sluggish pace.
I saw Jack before he saw me, his face expectant as he scanned the parking lot for his vehicle. When he noticed me leaning against it, his expression fell, and he gave me a small nod of acknowledgment.
He retrieved his bag and slung over his shoulder, and headed toward me at a slow pace. Jack looked tired, which wouldn’t be good for his mood. I knew that from experience.
“What’s up, bro?” he asked. “Where’s my girl?” He peered inside the truck like she might be hiding there.
“I’ll tell you in a second.” I motioned toward the Bronco, not wanting to have this conversation in the middle of the school parking lot. It wasn’t going to be pretty.
He chucked his bag into the backseat before pausing at the driver’s door. “Tell me now. Something was wrong, huh?”
“Just start the truck,” I said as I tossed him the keys.
His jaw clenched tightly, he slid into the driver’s seat and started the truck, and then turned to face me. “I started it.”
“Smartass.”
“Tell me what the fuck is going on, Dean. Where’s Cassie?”
I exhaled slowly, hating to be the bearer of this news.
“Okay, just listen first. Some chick grabbed Cassie at school and showed her a bunch of pictures of you letting some girl into your hotel room in Texas. I didn’t see the pictures, so I only know what I heard. But Cassie is really messed up over it. She thinks you cheated on her.”
“What the fuck?” He slammed his hands on the steering wheel before revving the engine and pulling out of the space we were parked in. “Did anyone tell her I didn’t fucking cheat on her?”
“Melissa and I tried, but hell, we didn’t really know.” I gripped the oh-shit handle as he made the turn a little too quick. “Dude, slow down. You trying to kill us both?” I yelled over the sound of the wind whipping through the truck.
“I need to get to her place. I have to talk to her,” he yelled back.
“Well, you’re not going to get us anywhere if you don’t calm down.”
He nodded and eased off the gas, apparently listening to me for once. Giving me a quick glance, he said, “What else? What else happened? Tell me everything, hurry.”
“I don’t know. She saw those pictures and took off for the bathroom. I think she was crying. Melissa went in after her.”
He stayed silent for a minute, maybe two, and I wasn’t sure exactly what was going through his head, but I knew it couldn’t be good.
Jack’s expression darkened as he made the turn into the girls’ apartment complex. The tires squealed as he pulled us into a visitor space and came to a screeching halt. He turned off the truck, and the truck’s engine ticked for a moment as it cooled.
“What else do I need to know?”
“I told you everything,” I insisted, thankful I no longer needed to shout to be heard.
“Why the fuck didn’t you tell me this when I called you? She was already upset by then, wasn’t she?”
“Yeah, but I didn’t want you to have to deal with that kind of drama when you had to pitch. I know how important every game is for your future. I was only looking out for you.”
Jack practically growled at me. “Next time, tell me the fucking truth so I don’t come home to this kind of ambush. A little warning would’ve been nice.”
He hopped out of the truck before pointing a finger at me.
“Stay put,” he insisted before sprinting toward Cassie’s place.
I should have run after him, but I didn’t. I pulled out my phone, thinking about texting Melissa like I’d promised, but I didn’t do that either. Jack seemed pissed at me, and it made me feel like shit.
A few moments later, a door slamming echoed in the distance, and I instinctively knew it was Jack. I glanced up to see him stalking toward me, looking more pissed off than happy.
When he jumped back into the truck, I asked, “What the hell happened?”
“She doesn’t trust me.”
He started the engine and pulled out of the parking lot, turning the truck toward home. When he glanced at me a few blocks later, his eyes were a little wild.
“We had sex before I left. I told her I loved her, and she doesn’t fucking trust me. At all. She never even considered that I was innocent.” He clenched his jaw, looking straight ahead as his fingers tightened around the steering wheel. “I can’t do anything right by this girl. She knows how different she is to me, and she never even gave me a shot. She tried and convicted me before even asking my side.”