Page 5 of Penalty Kick

“Gunnar going to let you play?”

Dash shook his head. He really had no idea. Gunnar had told him he was allowed back at training starting today, but other than that, nothing. Dash didn’t even know if he’d be training with the team or if he’d be on his own. As for games, well, he’d resigned himself to not seeing any kind of minutes on the pitch for a very, very long time.

“Guess it depends.”

“On?” Elliot asked.

“Gunnar.”

“I know he’s tough,” Liam said, taking a sip of coffee. “But Gunnar is nothing if not fair. He’ll make you work for it, but as long as you’re putting in the effort, he won’t drag it out.”

Liam would know. He’d been working with Gunnar for years and had followed the man to the Rising. Dash trusted that his friend was right. That as long as he did everything he needed to, and continued to prove his worth, he’d play again. Even if it took the rest of the season.

“Okay, I gotta know,” Elliot interjected. “You really don’t remember? Not saying that I think you’re lying. It’s just…you remember nothing?”

“I really do not remember.”

There was the shame again. Like he was some teenager who couldn’t hold his alcohol and had blacked out after chugging a bottle of vodka. Only he was an adult. A professional athlete.

“Damn.”

“I wish I did. Then maybe I would feel less…”

“Shitty?” Liam offered.

“Yes, that.” Dash paused, inhaling deeply. “I owe you guys an apology. I fucked up and in the process, you guys got fucked over. I am sorry.”

Glancing around the table, he took a moment to look each one of them in the eye, hoping that they knew how sorry he really was. If these three could forgive him, welcome him back to the team, then he knew he’d be all right.

“Don’t worry about it, dude. We know the real you,” Chance said. “You might be the good-time guy, but we also know that you’re not…”

“A jackass,” Elliot finished.

“Other than the whole kissing my girlfriend thing,” Liam added in with a laugh.

“She is only your girlfriend because I kissed her, thank you,” Dash defended. “You were not making a move.”

“I was about to, then you cut in.” Chance and Elliot laughed, both of them unable to hide the shit-eating grins on their faces. Liam shot a look in their direction. “Oh yeah, you two? How are Delaney and Haven?”

The grins fell from their faces. More laughter bubbled up inside, but Dash managed to hold back. He loved how easily their conversation flowed. Even if Liam was bringing up another one of his less-than-proud moments. But he stood by his actions from this past spring. It had been perfectly clear that Liam and Avery were into each other, but both were too shy to do anything. So he’d stepped in. Maybe making a move on his buddy’s girl hadn’t been the most thought-out plan in the world, but it had worked. His attempted kiss had made Avery realize that Liam was the one she wanted—even if it had also thrown Liam into a bit of a rage. The two had worked it out though and were now going strong.

It had also earned Dash the best kiss of his life. A kiss that remained his secret.

“Speaking of elusive females,” Chance said, very obviously trying to change the subject. “Did I hear that you’re going to be working with Talia?”

Dash’s heart skipped at the sound of her name. The one glimmer in all this was Talia. The chance to work with her as part of his community service lit him up inside in a way he couldn’t describe. She lit him up like that. He’d spent time with a lot of different women over the years, but none like her.

“Be careful there. Gunnar might be fair when it comes to football, but I don’t think the same rules apply to his daughter,” Liam warned. “Also, she’s like my sister, so you hurt her, you’re dealing with me too.”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence, Padre.”

Liam shrugged, indifferent to both the sentiment and the nickname Dash had given him at the beginning of the season. The large Irishman was stoic and serious, his face rarely giving away any kind of emotion. He reminded Dash of a priest during confession, the nickname quickly taking shape.

"You are supposed to be on my side,” Dash continued.

Liam started to respond, stopping himself as the waitress reappeared with their food. Waiting until everything was in place and she had excused herself again, Liam sipped at his coffee, making Dash wonder what he was about to say.

“I am on your side. The side where your ass ends up back on the pitch, in the starting eleven. Not the side that helps you chase after someone who isn’t interested.”