Chapter 52
Trinity
It was the last game of the season. The one everyone talked about all year long. The Stallions were our biggest rivals, and my stomach swarmed with nausea as we gathered up all of our supplies to place on the gator that would truck it to the field.
“I think that’s it.” Julia rubbed a hand over her belly.
“You look like you could domino any day.” I smiled. “You ready?”
“Yes. I can’t even remember what my toes look like and you can bet your ass I’m having a margarita the second he exits my womb.”
I chuckled again as we started down the hallway, but I pivoted when I realized I left my phone. “Meet you out there.”
She waddled toward the exit, while I jogged back to swipe my phone from the training room. As I passed Preston’s office, I skidded to a stop. The light was off, but I could still make out the shape of his desk.
His clean desk.
I flipped the light on, my heart dropping to the floor when the entire office was empty. The only remaining items were the desk, his two chairs, and a computer monitor. Nothing else.
No, no, no.
The thrash of my heart against my rib cage was painful, sheer panic crawling up my throat as I glanced around the hallway.
What happened? My feet moved before my brain did.
I hurried down the hall, barging into Wesley’s office.
He was rising from his chair, his phone to his ear. He paused when he saw my face.
“Let me call you back.” He ended the call. “What’s wrong?”
“Where are his things?” My voice cracked.
His eyes volleyed between mine in confusion.
“Preston,” I croaked. “His office. It’s empty. Where are his things?” I was practically shrieking at this point, but I didn’t care.
Was he fired?
My throat clogged, my hands clenching and unclenching as Wesley rounded the desk.
“Hey, breathe. I’m sure everything is fine.”
“It’s not fine!” I shrilled.
He gently reached for my shoulders, just as Shaw’s voice flowed from the doorway. “Wes. We have a situation.”
Wes peered around me, giving him a subtle nod. “Be there in a sec.” He looked back at me. “You need to go to the field, Trinity. You can talk with him after the game.”
I still didn’t understand. “But I—”
“Go.” He turned me before he guided me to the hallway. “I have a mess to clean up.”
Thousands of fans screamed, doused in a sea of orange to rep our Canyon colors. The energy was unlike anything I’d ever seen, the electric charge in the room unbelievable. The band was already playing, the team warming up when I finally made it out to the field.
My gaze trailed around the stadium, but Preston was nowhere to be seen.
Approaching the bench, I glanced around, noting that we were short another team member as well.
Jagger. Krew took his usual spot during warm up, walking through typical plays.
When I met his gaze, he grinned beneath his helmet, then called the play before shuffling back on his feet.
Everyone was acting normal. Like having the head offensive coordinator absent for the championship game didn’t raise any red flags.
Down to my left, my father spoke with Theo, his hands moving with animation as they hovered over a tablet.
Julia barked orders at Squid, who was actually the sweetest kid on the entire campus.
Everyone just went through the motions. Like every other game day.
I couldn’t keep my hands from fidgeting, my eyes snapping to every corner of the field, searching for him.
Why isn’t he here?
And if he was fired, why the hell was I still here?
When the announcer came over the intercom, the guys jogged over to the tunnel, ready to make their official entrance. I searched again, the colors all blending together as I sifted through the crowd.
He was nowhere. Gone.
My phone buzzed in my back pocket, and I mindlessly slipped it out, my heart still thrashing in my chest as my brain sorted through the what-ifs. But all of those thoughts came to a screeching halt when I saw the text message.
Preston: I need you to do something for me.
My fingers hovered for only a moment before I typed a reply.
Trinity: Anything.
Preston: Meet me on the fifty-yard line when we win.
Hope bloomed in my chest, but before I could dissect it, the crowd erupted, and the Cougars took the field.
It was game time.