Chapter 52
Chapter Fifty-Two
RILEY
Every seat in the conference room is filled.
Surprisingly, only half of the occupants are family members and friends of the potential Lucky Strikers. The rest of the room overflows with camera crew and journalists.
On the podium, I see a dozen different microphones boasting news station logos.
“Does Lucky Falls usually get this much coverage?” I ask.
Rebel, April, Cordelia and I decided to arrive together, and all the ladies look equally stunned by the frenzy of reporters.
Cordelia shakes her head. “Don’t think so.”
“Must be because of Chance,” I say, thinking of how famous Chance McLanely was before he was kicked out of the league.
April adjusts the strap of her silky blouse. “Chance is already on the team. That’s old news. It wouldn’t draw out reporters like this.”
“Is all this for Nat then?” I wonder.
“Yes and no.” Rebel holds up a peace sign.
“Chance was already a big deal before he came to Lucky Falls and so was Nathan Campbell. However, they were playing for opposing sides. Now, they’re potentially playing on the same team.
” Rebel presses her fingers together. “The sports world is buzzing about what they could do on the ice together.”
“This feels like more than just a buzz,” Cordelia points out.
That much is true.
“Max must be in a great mood,” Rebel muses. “After all the grief and controversy with the original team members, his bet paid off. There’s even a rumor that someone wants to be traded into the Lucky Strikers.” She laughs. “Traded. When they’re not even in the league yet.”
April raises both eyebrows. “Really?”
“According to the press, Max is building a ‘superhero team’.” Rebel rolls her eyes. “You know men and their obsession with superheroes.”
I snort. “That’s just a sensational headline.”
Rebel shrugs. “Some people want to see this whole team crash and burn. Others are rooting for the David and Goliath story angle. The point is, the entire world is focused on the Lucky Strikers right now.”
April sighs. “They deserve it. They’ve all worked so hard.”
At that moment, Nat notices me by the door. He smiles and waves me over.
Keeping my eyes on him, I tell the ladies, “I’ll go sit by Nat.”
My friends shoo me away as I jog to where Nat is sitting. He stands when I arrive and gestures to the seat on his other side.
I notice the other athletes are all dressed casually, but Nat is dressed in a crisp white button down that hints at all the muscles underneath. His black pants are tailored and highlight his model-like proportions. He looks absolutely gorgeous and my heart flutters just staring at him.
“Are you nervous?” I whisper as the lights dim and the reporters lean forward in their seats.
“A little,” he admits. “But I’ve done this before, so I know what to expect.”
I catch sight of his phone and smile when he turns it to me. “Mr. and Mrs. Campbell. Hi!”
“Hi, Riley.” Nat’s parents greet me from the screen.
I give Nat a questioning look.
He shrugs. “They wanted to be a part of it.”
“We’re so nervous,” Mrs. Campbell says, her green eyes—so similar to Nat’s—are strained with worry. “We’re glad you’re there with him, Riley.”
“He’s going to do great.”
Nat smiles at me and adjusts the phone. “I’m going to set you guys down and put you on mute for a second.”
His parents’ eager faces look out from the screen as Nat positions the phone on the seat next to him and immediately reaches for my hand.
I wiggle my hand away and hiss, “Your parents are right there.”
“They can’t see from this side,” Nat whispers. “And I wouldn’t care if they did.”
“Have you told them about us?”
“Not yet, but I know they’d be thrilled.”
“So would mine. Which is why we absolutely can’t tell them. The minute our parents find out we’re dating, they’re going to start pressuring us to get married. And then as soon as we’re married, they’re going to harp on us to have kids.”
“It sounds like our parents are thinking what I’m thinking.”
I frown at him.
Nat laughs. “Okay, I won’t tell my parents. I won’t allow anyone to hi-jack your dreams or your timeline.”
“Thank you.” A happy buzz fills my heart, and I resist the urge to plant my mouth on Nat. Having kiss stains all over his lips won’t look great on the evening news.
Max stalks on stage. I blink slowly, taken aback by his sheer size. If I remember correctly, Max used to be a hockey player until he got injured, which explains why he looks like a giant grizzly bear in a suit.
Nat sits straight up, listening to Max’s speech. I want to be as collected as him, but I can’t hide my nerves. With every name that Max calls, I squeeze Nat’s hand tighter and tighter.
Why haven’t they called Nat yet?
Jimmy’s words all those weeks ago when he labeled Nat a ‘liability to any team’ stabs at me. What if Max ignores Nat’s standout performance at the last game? Some other team will snatch Nat up, I’m sure. But then our lives will completely change. He’ll have to move away from Lucky Falls…
That’s when I hear Nat’s name and position coming from the microphone.
Both Nat and I freeze in place.
Max chuckles into the mike and calls his name again. “Nathan Campbell?”
Oh.
My.
Goodness.
Nat launches to his feet.
I do too.
Wrapping my arms around him, I give him a big hug as the room erupts in cheers and all the cameras swing our way. I’m drowning in happiness and on the verge of tears.
Nat’s hands are shaking as he slides a palm over his chest and makes his way to the podium. Despite his big talk about being calm, the relief on his face tells me that he wasn’t sure this moment would happen either.
In the middle of my celebration, a black cloud appears in the form of Nat’s gait.
He’s visibly limping up the stairs.
My jubilant smile disintegrates.
When Nat had just been released from the hospital, I called Chris to check in with him.
‘Nat will always walk with a limp,’ my brother told me, ‘but that guy… he’s going to find a way to hide it. I bet you’.
So far, my brother’s predictions have come true. I’ve never actively noticed Nat’s limp until now.
The room erupts with more applause, but I don’t join them.
Nat’s teammates stand to slap him on the back as he makes his way back to my row. Picking up his phone so his parents can see, I let Nat have his moment with them.
“Alright, guys. I’ll call you back. Love you,” Nat tells them. He ends the call and opens his arms to me.
I lean against him, hearing how fast his heart is beating. “I’m so proud of you, Nat.”
“Thanks, Riles.” He kisses the top of my head. “Thank you for being here.”
The conference concludes right after Nat’s announcement, but the reporters want interviews and Max surprises the new Lucky Strikers members with non-lettered jerseys.
“We’ll have to talk signing agreements and such before you get your jersey number,” the team manager says once the cameras stop rolling. “But I still want to commemorate this moment by giving you something that says ‘you’re family now’.”
Nat and the other team members file out of the room so they can change, and I chat with April, Rebel and Cordelia.
One by one, the other team members emerge, but Nat doesn’t.
“Where’s Campbell?” One of the Lucky Strikers asks.
My mind immediately jumps to the worst-case scenario. What if he passed out? What if he’s in pain because of his leg? What if he needs help?
“I’ll go find him.” I race out of the conference room and down the hallway.
My fingers immediately reach for my phone.
He’s not answering my calls.
I knock on the male bathroom door. “Nat?”
There’s no response.
I poke my head in and squeak, “Hello?”
It sounds empty.
I step in and push the stall doors open.
Nothing.
Nat is gone.
The door creaks and a reporter steps into the bathroom. He gives me a shocked look.
“Sorry, excuse me,” I mumble.
The reporter steps aside to let me pass. “Hey, if you’re looking for Campbell, I think I saw him heading to the stairwell.”
“Thank you.” I sprint toward the empty stairwell and slam the door open. It crashes against the wall.
Nat is near the stairs and he jumps. I hear the distinct sound of pills rattling but, when I look at his hands, there are no pills.
Nat smiles and the teal-and-white jersey brings out the green undertones in his eyes. Normally, I’d be distracted by his hotness, but there’s this premonition sawing at my gut.
Something is wrong.
“Hey, Riles,” Nat says.
“What are you doing in here?” I glance at his temple and note the sweat there. “Nat, what’s going on?”
His smile is mischievous, but it doesn’t meet his eyes at all. “I was just thinking about you. And you appeared.”
“Nat.”
He prowls toward me.
A hot shiver runs down my spine, but I step back to put space between us. “Everyone is waiting for you out—”
The rest of my words are enveloped by his lips as he pushes me against the wall and starts attacking my mouth. The kiss is frantic, messy and desperate.
I kiss him back, drowning in a tornado of pleasure as he claims my lips so completely that I might as well sign the deed and give him total ownership.
Nat’s firm fingers close around my hip and tug me toward him so our bodies are flush. My hand climbs up his neck and dives into his short hair, as I try to anchor myself in a whirlwind of scorching, relentless caresses.
His mouth breaks away from mine and I pry my eyes apart, watching through heavy lids as he stares at me with a kind of hunger that takes my breath away.
I don’t remember why I was so concerned.
Or why I came running out here.
I don’t remember my own name.
But when Nat dives into me again, I hear the distinct sound of little pills rattling.
It’s enough of an alarm bell that I pull back.
“Nat,” I whisper breathlessly, hauling in gallons of air to try and get my brain working again.
He doesn’t stop. Nat’s lips dive to my neck and shoulder, leaving sultry kisses on my skin, taunting me, teasing me, making me want more.
I can’t stay focused.
My knees buckle as I wave my white flag of surrender.
Nat senses the shift in me or maybe he sees the dazed, drunken expression on my face because he leans his forehead against mine and smiles.
“I’m so crazy about you, Riley.” His green eyes drop to my lips as his voice thickens with need.
“This moment, this win, it feels ten times better because you’re here.
” He leans forward, sucking from my lips, driving me wild.
“Not everyone gets second chances. I know that,” he whispers against my mouth. “I won’t let you down.”
Another alarm bell goes off at the desperation in his voice.
“Nat, is everything okay?” I ask again, more seriously. My lips are a little sore from his aggressive kissing and I swipe my tongue over them.
Nat’s eyes fasten on the movement.
I shift back before he can distract me with more kisses, but Nat grabs my hips, pulling me against his chest and giving me a hug.
“What are you doing this afternoon?” he asks.
“I…” My voice cracks, “I wanted to visit Betty.”
“I’ll come with you,” Nat says.
I pull back, stunned.
“If you don’t mind,” he says.
“O-okay. If you want to.”
Nat checks his watch and cringes. “The guys must be waiting. Let’s head out before they send a search party.”
I allow Nat to hold my hand and lead me back to the conference room, but with each step, I become more and more uneasy.
My womanly instincts are screaming that Nat is hiding something from me.
And that something has a lot to do with his leg that was crushed and had to be surgically pieced back together.
If those pills I heard rattling in his pocket were prescription pain pills, what does that mean for Nat? What if he starts getting dependent on drugs to play? What if this gets much bigger and more complicated because he’s trying to solve it alone?
Nat’s teammates rib him endlessly when he walks into the conference room with me and I sheepishly realize that my lipstick is all over his face.
Cordelia jogs over with a wet wipe and he cleans himself up enough for the photographer to take the picture.
I watch him interact with Renthrow, Kinsey and Chance McLanely. Those men seem the closest to him on the team. Should I tell them my concerns? Based on what? The fact that he’s limping and I heard pills in his pocket?
Nat hasn’t confirmed anything to me yet. And what if I tell the Lucky Strikers and it backfires on Nat? What if he gets kicked off the team because of me?
But what if that saves him from being hurt beyond repair?
My stomach wraps itself into knots.
I gnaw on my bottom lip.
Every so often, Nat’s eyes search the room for me and he gives me a smile or a wink before focusing on his teammates again.
I don’t know what to do. I want Nat to live his dream but, if it means keeping him safe, I may have to be the one to destroy it.