Chapter 24
Chapter Twenty-Four
L andon
The entire flight, I had my headphones on and pretended to sleep.
I’m exhausted, yet sleep never came. I keep thinking about Bridgett and her threats, and I get even more pissed off.
Case is right that I should talk to Coach Neil, and I’ve already texted him, telling him that as soon as he has a free minute, I need to speak to him.
I just hope it’s as soon as we land. This shit is festering inside me, and I’m about to blow.
No way can I focus on the game when all I have is anger inside of me for what she thinks she can do.
That’s the worst part. I don’t really know if she has that kind of pull.
If she does, and Tessa can’t go with me, I guess I’m retiring early.
Just the thought has me clenching my fists.
Why does she get to dictate when I’m done playing?
Fuck me, then there’s Tessa and my conversation with Case.
I won’t let her push me away. I need to tell her about this.
I told her I would always be honest, but damn, she had such a bad day, and I didn’t want to pile this unnecessary drama on top of it all.
What a fucking mess.
I take a seat in the front of one of the shuttle buses that take us from the airport to the hotel. I don’t feel like being social. Case plops down in the seat beside me, making me groan. “You talk to him?” he says, keeping his voice low.
“No. But he knows I want to talk the first chance he gets.”
Just then, Coach Neil climbs on the bus and takes the seat across from us. “When we get to the hotel and get everyone their keys, we’ll talk,” he says softly. I nod and sit back in my seat.
“You want me to go with you?”
“Nah, thanks, though.” Case and I played in college together, along with our other best friend, Reid, who plays for the Nashville Rampage.
The three of us have been thick as thieves ever since.
I know they’ve always got my back, but with this, I have a feeling the fewer people involved, the better it will be.
Sure, he knows, but I don’t want him heavily involved and have his contract compromised, as well.
I don’t want Bridgett to take him down with me, if that’s how this plays out.
Forty-five minutes later, I’m pacing the floor in Coach Neil’s hotel suite. I’ve just told him everything, and he’s just sitting on the couch, watching me. “Say something,” I say, running my hands through my hair.
“It’s bullshit. Joseph doesn’t let her have anything to do with the team. I can almost guarantee that he knows nothing about this.”
“Why the fuck is she after me? And Tessa? You’ve met her. She’s the kindest, sweetest person out there. I don’t fucking get it.”
“Landon, your contract is solid. You have a no-trade clause.”
“I know that, but damn it, they have the Cougars’ legal team behind them.
Who knows what kind of fucking contract violation she’ll try to pin on me.
” He pulls his phone out of his pocket and taps the screen, placing it to his ear.
“What are you doing?” I ask, and he raises his index finger, indicating I need to give him a minute.
“Hey, Stamper.” He greets Mr. Stamper by his last name. “Coach Neil, when you get here, I’d like a word with you. In private. Call me.” He hangs up the phone. “He’ll call,” he assures me. “Joseph’s a good man.”
“I thought so, too, I still do, but his wife is the Wicked fucking Witch of the West. What does he see in her?”
“I’m not sure, but they’re total opposites. We’ll get to the bottom of this, Landon. I assure you.”
I nod. “Okay. I guess all we can do is wait. I’m going back to my room. She said by Sunday, so the clock is ticking. I’m not worried about me. It’s the threat that she’ll make Tessa hate me. I couldn’t live with that. I can handle giving up the game, but I won’t give her up.”
He nods. “I’ll take care of it.”
I don’t have much choice other than to believe him.
“Thank you.” I leave without another word and slip into my shared room with Trent.
He’s on the phone with Luna, and it's then that I remember I didn’t let Tessa know we landed.
Pulling out my phone, I see a message I missed from her.
I’ve been so wrapped up in my anger that I didn’t even notice.
Tessa: I love you, Lucky. Thank you so much for bringing my mom here. I can’t tell you what that means to me. You’re incredible.
My heart expands reading her words. There is nothing that I wouldn’t do to make her happy. Nothing. I start to text her back and decide I need to hear her voice. Dialing the phone, she picks up on the first ring.
“Landon.” She sounds happy, and for the first time today, I feel some of the anger slip away.
“Hey, Freckles. Good surprise?”
“You knew it would be. I can’t believe you did this.”
“I told you we need to get her in the habit of visiting more often. Maybe we can even get her to love it and move closer.”
“I wish. How was your flight?”
“Uneventful.”
She chuckles. “Well, that’s always good, I guess. You sound tired.”
“Yeah, I didn’t sleep much last night. I never do when I have to leave you.”
“There you go again,” she says softly. “Saying all those sweet words that make me melt.”
“I mean them, baby. Every single one of them. You’re the love of my life.
” I feel like I’m laying it on a little thick right now, but damn it, I want her to understand.
She needs to understand this is real for me.
I should tell her. The words are on the tip of my tongue.
I need to tell her, but not like this. Not over the phone, and not until we talk to Stamper.
When I get home Monday, I’ll tell her everything while she’s in my arms, where she can’t run or push me away. Fucking Case, I hope he’s wrong.
“Is that Landon?” I hear Caroline ask. “Tell him I said hello.”
“Mom says hi.”
“Tell her I said hello. What are the two of you getting into today?”
“We’re going to go to the beach. Grab some dinner. Just hang out.”
“You’re staying at my place, right?”
“Yeah, we’re here now.”
“Good. I need to get down to a team meeting. I’ll call before bed. Love you, Tess.” I almost choke on the words.
“Love you.” Her voice is cheery as the line goes dead.
I need this ended. I hate this feeling of not knowing what’s going to happen.
I hate that I’m so far away from her. Most of all, I really fucking hate Bridgett Stamper.
I just can’t figure out why she hates Tessa.
One meeting that was mere minutes and they simply said hello…
. What’s her endgame with this? I just can’t seem to figure it out.
As if things couldn’t get any worse, Joseph’s flight was delayed.
He chartered a plane, and apparently, there was something going on with the engine, so he didn’t get here until today.
Saturday. Saturday, as in the deadline that Bridgett gave me to publicly announce that it’s over between me and my girl.
Something I refuse to do. Consequences be damned.
The entire team is in the private dining area, eating dinner.
Today has been a lazy day, as Coach calls it.
We ran through tapes this morning, but other than that, it’s a chill day at the hotel, getting rested up for tomorrow’s game.
I scarf down some grilled chicken and vegetables, but I don’t taste them.
My time is running out. She said midnight, and it’s already pushing eight. I don’t know if she was bluffing or telling the truth. Something tells me it was a bluff, but it’s risky not to take her seriously. I just hope Mr. Stamper can handle this quietly.
“Landon.” Coach Neil appears beside me. “Got a minute?” he asks.
“Sure, Coach.” I catch Case’s eye from across the table, and he gives me a subtle nod.
Trent does the same. I broke down and told him last night.
It was driving me insane, and since we’re rooming together, he knew something was up.
I know they have my back, but at the end of the day, it’s Joseph Stamper I need in my corner.
I just hope Coach Neil is right, and he’s going to be.
Silently, Coach Neil and I get in the elevator.
Neither one of us speaks as it takes us to the top floor of the hotel.
I follow behind him and wait as he knocks on the door.
“Come on in,” Joseph says. “Have a seat.” I want to tell him that I’ll stand, but I don’t need to piss him off, too.
I want him on my side. “What’s going on, Neil? ” he asks.
“I’ll let Landon tell you.”
So, I tell the story again. I make sure to keep my anger in check, knowing I’m speaking about his wife. I look him in the eye as I recount her visit with me. By the time I’m finished, my hands are fisted at my sides, and he’s looking… guilty?
“I don’t care what she threatens to do, I’m not ending my relationship with Tessa. If I have to give up my career, then so be it.”
“Wait, hold up.” He holds his hand in the air and stands from where he was sitting on the couch. We’re now standing eye-to-eye. “You’re not giving up your career, and you’re not letting go of Tessa.” Her name is spoken with reverence. “I know why she’s targeting you, and I’m afraid it’s my fault.”
“Explain,” I say through gritted teeth. If he made a pass at her, I’ll kill him. Why didn’t she tell me? There are a million scenarios racing through my mind.
“Have a seat.”
“I’m good.” I cross my arms over my chest and square my feet. I’m not backing down to him. I don’t give a fuck who he is. “Explain,” I say again.
“After I saw you climb the wall, and the pictures of you and Tessa were everywhere, I realized that she looked familiar to me.”
“You said that,” I say, remembering our conversation.