Chapter 43
Chapter Forty-Three
KEELEY
After getting home late from my dinner last night, I didn’t call or text Sal. Now I wish I had. Maybe then I wouldn’t be feeling so anxious, knowing he has this ability to calm me, even via text.
I park in the outdoor lot on Thursday morning, and walk around to the front of the stadium, needing a moment in the fresh air to gather my strength.
I should have spoken to Wes when Vance’s name was first being thrown around as Thomas’s replacement as our starting quarterback, because now that he’s here to meet with the Storm, it’s going to be a hell of a lot harder.
The warm wind blows around my face as I take in a breath, tilting my head to enjoy the sunlight before I spend the rest of my day locked inside with meetings.
Lightning Stadium’s water fountain feature comes into view, and I smile at the statue of Zeus. The eyesore never ceases to make me laugh—a structure of a god in front of a building full of men who think that they’re superhuman.
Although today, it could come in handy. I pause before sitting down on the ledge, angling my body to the glistening water, rummaging around in my bag, searching for a dime.
I’m about to give up when a shiny silver coin appears in front of me, making me giddy until I glance up and find Vance smirking my way.
“Do you make fountain wishes every day, or just the days you know you’re going to run into me?”
Fuck. I take a subtle breath, ignoring his outstretched hand and the quarter he’s offering me, opting to tell him to get fucked in person, rather than wishing it would happen.
“Why are you here, Vance?”
“The coaching gig.” He shrugs, his expression neutral, pissing me off.
“No, why are you here? In front of me. Acting like things are civil between us. Do you actually believe that I’m going to joke with you? That enough time has passed for me to forget what you did?”
“Come on, Keeley. We were both so young back then. It’s been years. I’ve moved on. Don’t you think it’s time you did the same?”
“Are you serious right now? You…” I trail off when my voice gets too loud and try again, my heart pounding so hard that it hurts me. “You…” The words catch in my throat while Vance stares at me in question, his eyes full of boredom, as though I’m wasting his time.
Luke’s truck comes into view and my feet itch to run to him, to get away from Vance, but he’s too far away.
“I what?” Vance questions, taking a step closer, forcing me back until my knees hit the fountain.
“Vance, Keeley?” Wes calls out from the front door of the stadium, and I release a held breath when Vance turns around.
“I’ve got to go.” I move around him—careful not to make physical contact—and stride confidently toward Wes, projecting a strength I don’t feel.
“Good morning.” I smile. “Do you have a moment to talk before the chaos of the day?”
Wes frowns, his face twisting apologetically. “Not this morning. What about lunch?”
“Lunch? Sure. Sounds good.” My facade slips for the briefest of moments and Wes notices.
“Is everything okay?”
“Of course. I’ll see you in a bit.”
“Okay.” His brows pinch until he glances behind me and a smile appears. “Vance, how are you?”
I smile again before rushing through the doors and turning the corner to avoid hearing Vance’s response.
I can’t let him get to me. Not now. Not ever. He can be as cocky and certain as he wants for the morning. Come lunchtime, I’m bursting his bubble. I hope.
He’s not the man for the coaching job, and Wes deserves to know that.
Despite telling myself I’m going to be fine, I’m a wreck all morning, fumbling pens, missing meetings, and bumping into burly football players as they move through the halls.
I’m lost in my own world when someone grabs my shoulder and I flinch, immediately apologizing when I see that it’s Reed.
“Sorry, Reed. Hi.”
“What’s going on? Are you okay?”
“Yes. Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Because you just knocked into Peterson and walked away like a zombie. I’ve been calling your name for a good thirty seconds.”
“You have?” I frown, trying to recall that. “Why?”
“To ask if you’re okay.”
“Oh. Sorry. I’m good. Just having a morning. You know the ones. Nothing goes right. It’s like I don’t have my head screwed on properly. Maybe I got up on the wrong side of the bed or…” I trail off when Reed raises a brow.
“Run out of clichés to convince me?”
A laugh bursts out of me, and a little of the tension leaves my body as I stand taller. “No. I’m pretty sure I could think of a few more. Honestly, though, I’m okay. Or I will be after lunch.”
“Okay. So it’s a lack of food that’s the issue.”
“Food is definitely going to help. For now, I have another meeting to get to. Wish me luck.”
“Maybe you should stop at a vending machine on the way, or I could bring you something to your office.”
“I appreciate the offer, but it’s not necessary. I’ll be okay.” I turn and run straight into Luke. This time because I wasn’t looking and not because I was stuck in my head.
Luke chuckles as he steadies me. “Easy, now. In those heels you’re likely to fall and break something if you bump into solid rock like that.”
I glance back at Reed to see a hint of concern in his features before he rolls his eyes. “Solid rock? Really?”
“You know it.” Luke pats his stomach and I snort out a laugh, feeling ten times better than I did a few minutes ago.
These guys are like family. If Wes doesn’t hear me out, I’ve got to believe that they’ll have my back.
Not that I think Wes will ignore me, but you never know.
I didn’t think my boss in college would ignore me either.
I guess it depends on how desperate he is.
“I really have to go. Thank you, Reed, and thank you, Luke, for saving me.”
“What did Reed do?”
“He offered me food.”
“Oh-kay.” Luke raises a brow and I wave him off, power walking away, careful to watch where I’m going this time, pausing when I’m around the corner.
My phone buzzes, alerting me to my meeting in ten minutes, and I see Sal’s name on the attendee list.
My heart skips and I quietly curse myself. If he hears about Vance from Wes, he’s not going to be happy about it.
Taking a deep breath, I dial his number and bounce on my toes, silently asking him to pick up.
Come on. Come on. Come on.
When he doesn’t answer, I lean against the wall near the stairwell and send him a text before throwing my phone in my bag, determined to salvage this day.
KEELEY: Can you please call me as soon as you get this? After the meeting is fine
One forward planning meeting to go, then I can speak to Wes. I’m almost there.
“We meet again.” Vance’s voice echoes through the quiet halls, and my stomach twists as I glance up. I was almost there.
“What do you want, Vance?”
“I just thought you should know I had a great meeting with Wes.” He walks toward me, and my eyes flash down the hall, nausea filling me when I see that we’re very much alone.
“It’s not official yet, but they’re preparing me an offer,” he gloats, his smirk so big I want to punch it right off his devastatingly gorgeous face.
A face that makes my skin crawl. “I have no doubt it’s going to meet my expectations.
Which means… we’re going to be working together again.
” He settles in front of me, way too close for comfort, and I step back as far as I can.
“I can’t have you looking at me like you’re looking at me now, Keeley. People are going to ask questions. For no good reason. It’s been over ten years since our disagreement and?—”
“Our disagreement?” I scoff. “Is that what it was to you?”
“Of course. What else would it be?”
Anger takes over me, and my confidence grows momentarily. Anger is good. Much better than fear. “You attacked me, Vance. You?—”
“Keeley.” Vance cuts me off, invading my personal space, stepping closer than anyone should for an innocent talk.
A shiver runs down my spine, but I don’t let it get to me. “Move back, Vance,” I warn.
“I just want to talk.”
“I said, move back.”
“You’re being ridiculous.” He reaches out, curling his palm around my waist, and I recoil so violently that I stumble backward, losing my footing as I reach the stairs.
I call out but it’s too late. My heel misses the edge, and a sharp sting shoots through my leg as I roll my ankle, crying out in pain as I fall.
I slam my eyes shut just as my shoulder hits the railing and my knee connects with the concrete, seconds before I land with a jolt at the bottom.
My head spins, and I blink a few times as I try to sit up.
Flames lick at my ankle, as nausea rolls through me, and I buckle over again, flinching when someone stops me from hitting the ground.
The words “I’ve got you” flit through my mind, and when I don’t recognize the voice as Vance’s, I relax, glancing up to find Beckett beside me, with Luke rushing down the stairs.
“Fuck, Keeley. Are you okay?” Luke asks, slipping in beside Beckett.
“Thank you, Beckett,” I whisper, unable to answer Luke with pain so excruciating, it steals my words for a moment. Tears prick my eyes, and I try to bite my cheek to stave them off, but it’s no use. I’m too far gone.
“I think I’ve done some damage.” I point to my bare foot, drawing both Beckett’s and Luke’s eyes as I search around for my stiletto.
“Jesus. Fuck, Keeley. Luckily it was only a few steps.” Luke shivers while Beckett stays silent, not so subtly reaching for his phone.
“Can you stand?” Beckett asks after a beat, and I nod as I wipe my eyes.
“I think so,” I lie, hoping I’m not about to collapse again when I give it a try.
More players must be exiting the locker rooms because the sound increases in the halls as a few of them walk past. Luke’s attention shifts before he calls out to Easton, making me cringe. “Ugh, I don’t need my little brother to help.”
“I know. But if you were Lainey, I’d want to be here.”
I blow out a breath because I can’t fault him for that. He’d definitely want to be here if it was his sister. Though Luke and Easton are very different people.
Easton chooses today to actually listen when Luke talks to him, and the next thing you know, he’s by my side while Reed and Zane hover above him.
Maybe this is why their group chat’s called Keeley’s support group. They manifested this fall.
“I’m fine. Can you all please move so I can stand up?”
Beckett does as I ask, immediately stepping back, and I move him up the ranks to being my favorite player. Reed shifts back too, but the other three don’t move.
“Fine.” I flick the stiletto off my other foot and throw my hands in the air, allowing two of the guys to lift me to stand. I don’t bother seeing who. I close my eyes and focus on not crying more than I already am. I can do this. I can.
“Oh, Jesus.” The pain’s worse than before and bile rises in my throat as I fight not to vomit. “I can’t put weight on it.”
“Fuck, that’s not good.” Luke’s always helpful responses make me laugh, and I shake my head.
“I think I need Robin,” I say, referring to our team doctor, and within seconds he’s standing in front of me. “Wow, that was fast.”
“I was in the locker room. Wyatt came to get me.”
“Thanks, Wyatt,” I call out over my shoulder before turning back to Robin.
“What’s happened?”
“I can’t put weight on my foot.”
“Okay. Sit down. I’m going to take a look.”
Easton and Zane lower me back to the steps and once again hover above me, making me anxious. “Would you please go home? I’m fine. Robin’s looking after me.”
No one moves until Coach Pierce’s booming voice echoes through the space. “Home now. You’re not helping standing around like fucking vultures.”
I wave my thanks when the crowd starts to disperse, momentarily distracted until Robin grabs my foot. “Holy mother of?—”
“We’re going to need an X-ray; I think you may have broken your ankle.”
I follow his line of sight to find my ankle the size of a goddamn football and cry out again. “God, what does that mean?”
“It means we need to get you to the hospital.”
“Hospital? Don’t be ridiculous. I just need a minute.”
“I’m sorry, Keeley. But you don’t. You need an X-ray and you’re likely going to need surgery.”
“Surgery?”
“Stop repeating everything he says,” Easton grumbles, and I wish he was close enough for me to slap him.
Robin pulls his radio from his pants and buzzes the nurse, saying four little words that make me sink my head into my hands. “We need a wheelchair.”
We don’t need anything. I do. I need a fucking wheelchair and I don’t have time for this.
“Easton, can you help me get your sister upstairs?” Robin speaks to Easton next and my head whips around so fast, my neck hurts.
“Touch me and I’ll murder you in your sleep.”
Someone snorts and when I glance up, my eyes lock on the top step, making me lose my train of thought as a full-body shiver runs through me.
I suck in a breath as I replay what happened, my heart racing as Vance stepped closer, my throat clogging as he reached for my waist. I gulp back another breath, and another, each one more frantic as the air fails to fill my lungs.
The world around me spins, and I vaguely hear Easton’s voice begging me to answer. All I can do is shake my head over and over.
I need Sal. I have never needed a man for anything. But I need him now.