AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I think it would be best if I talked with Nick first,” I say, and I can tell this comment pisses him off. “I’m not committing to anything. He was meeting with you today and I’d like to hear from him how it went.”
“It went great,” the coach says. “Nick was thrilled to hear that we want him back. Just imagine the amount of money he’ll be bringing in. A baby on the way…” he trails off, looking around my office.
He doesn’t have to say it out loud. He sees my job as a joke, as a hobby, and while I would never tell the coach this, we do need the money.
“I’ll have Nick get in touch with you,’ I say, needing this whole conversation to be over.
“Please do. Thanks, Elissa,” he says, leaving my office and that’s when I break down.
Nothing about this feels right, but I have no idea how Nick is feeling about it all. This coach is only concerned with making a name for himself, and I don’t think I can tell Nick to risk his future for this asshole.
I pick up my phone and shoot Nick a text.
Me:Leaving work in 10. Let’s talk about the meeting with your coach when I get home.
9
NICK
Iwalk out of the bar fucking livid, my brain going a mile a minute as it replays the last hour or so I’ve spent talking with my coach about my future. So much for thinking this guy has my back, what a fucking joke.
I know I need to go and see Lis and tell her what’s happened, but I also really need a fucking minute to cool off. To try and come up with a plan that doesn’t involve me drowning in debt or doing something I regret.
Shrugging on my jacket, I make my way down toward the lake, where I know I’ll be alone considering it’s freezing outside. I find one of the picnic tables, swiping my arm across the bench to clear the snow, before I take a seat.
And as I stare out at the lake, I can’t help but think back to my earlier conversation and how much it’s going to fuck everything up, regardless of what I chose to do.
“Nick, hey,”the coach says as I take a seat across from him and the team doctor.
“Hi,” I say to both of them, as I take a sip of water. We’re at The Matterhorn of all places, tucked in a booth at the back.
“You want to grab something to eat,” the coach says, gesturing to the menu in front of me.
I nod, not bothering to have a look because I already know what I’m having. After we’ve all placed our orders, I take another sip of water as I get ready to say goodbye to my dreams of going to the Olympics.
“So,” I start, blowing out a breath. “I know you guys want me to come back to Park City with you, but I’m afraid that’s not going to be possible.” I pause, expecting the coach to jump in with some comment, but he doesn’t say anything, just sits there, waiting for me to continue. “The thing is,” I say, shoving a hand through my hair. “I’m not sure my knee is ready yet and well…Elissa, my girlfriend, is pregnant, so yeah, I don’t want to leave her right now.”
As soon as the words are out of my mouth, I feel an overwhelming sense of relief wash over me. Not just that I’ve finally admitted that I’m quitting, but that I now understand I’m not sure I’m ready to be back on skis. Even though I’ve spent so long waiting for the chance to get back out on the slopes, it’s only now that I’m being pushed to do it, that I’m suddenly realizing the truth.
That maybe my body really isn’t ready just yet and I’d be a fucking idiot to risk getting out there sooner.
I look across the table at my coach, who still hasn’t said a word. Even though I’ve spent the past couple of years with him, he and I aren’t super close. He isn’t really close with anyone on the team, preferring I think to keep a professional distance from all of us.
Which isn’t to say I don’t like him, I do. He’s always been supportive and pushed me to be the best I can, without compromising. He’s got a solid work ethic too and he’s always there for us when things go wrong.
Which is why the first words out of his mouth following my admission shock the shit out of me.
“So what you’re saying is, you’re gonna give up your shot at a gold medal because you got some girl knocked up?”
It literally takes every ounce of self-control I have not to get up and punch this guy in the face. Because while he and I might not be close, he knows about Elissa, knows we were together when I first joined the team. Shit, the guy’s seen the photo of her on my phone and fucking asked me about her. And although I’ve never actually told him we broke up shortly after I made the team, I also never insinuated that she was just ‘some girl’.
“Okay, so first of all, Elissa is not ‘some girl’,” I start, leaning my elbows on the table. “And secondly, I haven’t just knocked her up, we’re having a baby. Together. And I don’t want to miss out on that.”
The coach rolls his eyes as he glances at the doctor, who hasn’t said a word. “Right, but you’re happy to miss out on a shot at the Olympics?”
“I mean obviously I’m not,” I say, flipping one of the coasters over. “But like I also said, I’m not sure my knee is ready either.”
“Doc here thinks it is,” my coach replies, jerking a thumb at him.
