AllFreeNovel
Share Us
This is why I prefer home games. One of the many reasons that I prefer home games. Less stress. Less conversations. Less attention.
More people than usual want our autograph today. Maybe it’s because of the win last night. But the majority of the people who approach me are women. At least the ones brave enough to. Most of them staring at me, a few brave ones approaching me, but I blow them off, and the guys are starting to notice.
“Dude, she was hot,” Michael says, smacking my arm when I crumble up the piece of paper with a phone number on it and toss it in the trash. “What the fuck?”
“I’m sure she’s nearby still. Go get her number if you want it so bad.”
Michael makes a face and walks away.
The only people I’ve really talked to about Astrid are Connor and Cory. To everyone else, she’s just a person in my life. So I understand why they don’t get it. I just wish everyone would mind their own business.
“What’s up, man?” Connor walks over to my side.
“I don’t know.” I shrug. How do I explain that I’m obsessed with Astrid because she hasn’t responded to me? It sounds pathetic in my head. I can’t imagine saying it out loud.
Connor claps my shoulder. “You let me know if you want to talk.”
I nod my head. This is why I like Connor. He lets me be.
Cory on the other hand...
He stumbles next to me, wearing his sunglasses, somehow still tipsy from last night.
“Dude,” he slurs. “You got to get it together.”
“Me?” I point to my chest. “You think it’s me that needs work?”
“Uh huh.” He wraps his heavy arm around my shoulders. “You’ve either got to tell her how you feel or move on. I can’t take the anxious energy. It’s killing my vibe.”
I snort. “I’m sorry I’m killing your vibe, but since when are you the relationship expert?”
“Well.” He leans closer to my ear.
I try not to pull back or gag at the day-old whiskey still on his breath.
“I’ve had more than you so…”
I shove his arm away. “Thanks so much.”
I wait until Cory’s walked away to try to call her. No answer. Shit.
I grow more and more worried every time I check my phone and see that Astrid still hasn’t responded. Not to my calls. Not to my texts.
I don’t like it.
Is she okay? Is my daughter okay? I don’t want to board this plane without knowing everyone is safe.
We get to our gate in the terminal and take seats next to the window. I’m nearly at boiling point when I get a text message from Connor.
I look at him questioningly, but he just shakes his head points to the phone.
It’s a screenshot of some tabloid’s post on social media about me with another woman last night, and then a screenshot from Tanner’s texts last night about Astrid freaking out.
Fuck. Now I understand why Astrid is ignoring me.
I don’t even know the woman in the picture. I think she was one of the VIP people that got to sit in the section behind our bench and wanted an autograph and a picture. I squint at the screen. There were a million people with brown hair wearing our team stuff. It’s not like it meant anything.
But judging by the continued silence, Astrid doesn’t feel the same.
