CHAPTER 25 #2
The care facility has a strict NDA, but that doesn’t mean some opportunist looking to earn some extra money didn’t take the opening to bring the news about my mom to the media.
My skin prickles with fear as I stare down at her, waiting for her to continue.
“I didn’t…I, um…I didn’t want to make you upset. I was just, I don’t know, you seemed open to it, and if I crossed a boundary, I’m sorry.”
My jaw clenches, my fists opening and closing at my sides, my stomach so fucking nauseous from the onslaught of emotion that I actually feel like I might throw up.
“Sorry?”
“Yes, sorry. Just…let me in and accept my apology so—”
“I told you to stay out of my fucking business,” I snarl, and her eyes widen.
“What?” Her head shakes as she takes a step back. “I didn’t, I mean, I did. I…I just wanted to see if you’re okay. I thought you were mad at me from our texts.”
Our texts?
Fuck, does she not know about yesterday? She doesn’t know about my mom?
What about our texts? I can’t even fucking remember what we texted each other.
Concern laces her expression as her hand presses against my chest, but I push her away because this is all too overstimulating and overwhelming.
And too damn much for my mental state.
“Don’t touch me.”
My mind keeps flashing back to my mom.
The look.
The screams.
My agonizing inability to take care of her.
Maple’s eyes well up with tears.
The thought of her knowing the truth.
It’s too fucking much.
I need…I need a goddamn second.
“Graydon,” she says, taking another step forward, her eyes searching mine, her hand once again against my chest, and that’s all it takes.
I snap.
“I said don’t fucking touch me!” I yell, moving her hand off me. “Jesus, what don’t you understand about that? Don’t fucking touch me.”
Just then, three of my teammates, including Hutton, turn the corner, taking in the scene in front of them.
Maple looks over her shoulder at them, then turns toward me again, her eyes brimming with tears, embarrassment etched in her expression.
Her lip quivers.
And then before I can say anything, she pushes past me and hurries down the hallway, right out of the facility.
Fuck.
“Head to the field,” Hutton says to the other two guys and then steps forward. When his eyes meet mine, he just nods and slips his hand around my shoulder, guiding me toward the locker room.
He knows.
He might be the only one who knows.
He knows Sundays are my visiting days.
He knows about my mom.
And he’s very much aware of the toll a bad visit takes on me.
Because of that, he says nothing, just makes sure I get strapped into my gear so I can do some damage.
And that’s exactly what I do.
I stare at Gate B, willing myself to get out of my truck to take Maple home like I’ve done every day since her car accident.
I checked at the shop the other day on the progress of her car, wanting to try to give her some good news, but they were waiting on a part, so it’s taking much longer than expected for things to get fixed.
And after this morning, I don’t know what to say to her.
I know I embarrassed her.
I know that I was out of line, and I realized that by the first water break after getting some aggression out and somewhat clearing my head.
Fear drove me to snap at her. Fear of her finding out the truth.
The truth I don’t want her to know because I don’t want her pitying me like everyone else in this goddamn world.
I can’t stand the look people offer me when they know my situation.
And I can’t get that from her.
I fucking can’t.
Blowing out a heavy breath, knowing I need to apologize, I get out of my truck and head toward Gate B just as it opens, Maple standing on the other side.
I pause, stunned to see her already leaving without waiting for me, but then the gate opens even more, revealing Slutty Little Glasses right behind her.
That.
Mother.
Fucker.
“What are you doing here?” Maple asks, looking sullen, like someone just told her flamingos are dumb.
“I came to take you home, like every day,” I answer.
She shakes her head. “Hank is taking me home.”
Hank is a fucking wank and saw a moment of weakness. He’s trying to get fucking in with her. What a goddamn douche.
Ignoring him, I ask, “Can I talk to you, Maple?”
She shakes her head. “No.”
She starts to walk by, but I pause her, my hand sliding into hers.
“Hey, she said she didn’t want to talk to you,” Hank says, getting all fucking huffy.
I tower over him and, through clenched teeth, say, “This does not concern you, so fucking scurry away like the sniveling squirrel you are.”
Then, with my hand in hers, I bring Maple over to the side of the fence, far away from Hank the Wank so I can talk to her in private.
“He’s not a sniveling squirrel,” Maple says as she takes her hand away and folds her arms across her chest.
“The asshole is crawling all over you.”
“He’s being a friend,” she snaps. “He saw how destroyed I was this morning when I came into work, and he comforted me.”
“I’m sure he did.”
Maple’s eyes narrow as her anger grows. “Is there a point to this conversation?”
“Yes, I’m here to take you home, so why don’t you—”
“You have lost your mind, Graydon, if you think that I’m going to get in your truck with you after that disgusting display in front of your teammates this morning.
” Moving in closer, she whispers, “That was humiliating. I’ve never been so embarrassed in my entire life, not to mention hurt.
I understand that I crossed the line when I asked you to brunch, but correct me if I’m wrong, you were very misleading. ”
“What are you talking about?” I ask, confused.
“Our texts. Me asking you out to brunch, and you going silent after that.”
“I didn’t go silent.”
“Pretty much. It was like I scared you away.”
“I told you I had plans,” I say. “I can’t do things on Sundays. Did you think I was upset about that?”
“Isn’t that what it was? I was coming on too strong for you, and you decided to start backing away rather than talking to me like a real man?”
My eyes narrow. “I’m talking to you now, aren’t I?”
“After snapping at me in front of your teammates.”
I drag my hand over my face. “I told you not to touch me. I was…I was going through some shit, Maple.”
“That does not give you the right to treat me the way you did. Just because you’re angry or feeling something awful inside doesn’t give you the right to humiliate me in public.”
“No one cared,” I say.
“I did!” she shouts, pointing at her chest. “I cared. I cared about the way you spoke to me. I cared about the way you made me feel at that moment. You treated me like I was just someone you could toss to the side, reprimand like I didn’t matter.
And maybe that’s how you really feel, but excuse me for thinking that maybe there was a little more between us.
Clearly, I was wrong, though.” She starts to move away but then says, “I have quite a few pictures stocked up on my phone to post, so don’t worry about coming in right now. ”
“I have to,” I say.
“Then you can work with someone else.” Her eyes meet mine.
“Because I can’t do this temperamental side of you anymore.
I can’t work with the growly asshole who will snap at me at any given point.
I don’t want to deal with that, and I don’t deserve to deal with that.
I’ll go through with the rest of the planned events because I will keep my word, but everything else, I’m done, Graydon. ”
Done?
She can’t be done. Right?
She wets her lips and then quietly says, “Please don’t text me. Don’t pick me up for anything. Don’t send me pictures, and…stop messing with my head.”
Then she takes off, leaving me struck with…with a sense of loss. Like with every step she takes, putting distance between us, she’s walking off with something I truly care about.
Hank slips his arm around her shoulders while staring at me the entire time, almost tauntingly, as he leads her to his worn-down tan Jeep.
My teeth grind together as I watch him help her into the passenger side. That’s my fucking job. She’s supposed to go home with me. I’m supposed to tuck her safely into my vehicle.
Not him.
Steam billows out of my ears as he rounds the back of his Jeep, his eyes on me, as if to say he just won.
Guess what, you fuck, you didn’t. Because this is far from over.
Even if I couldn’t tell Maple about my mom.
Even if I’m a coward, and this morning…a bully…
Maple’s mine. Or maybe…was.
Until I screwed up.
But I’m not going to give up that easily.