Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 54721 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 274(@200wpm)___ 219(@250wpm)___ 182(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 54721 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 274(@200wpm)___ 219(@250wpm)___ 182(@300wpm)
In these crucial moments as the final seconds tick, I find solace in the camaraderie of my teammates. I’m the newest member of the Titans, but in the last six days, I’ve had nothing but their unwavering support. They’ve accepted me into the brotherhood with open arms and I’ve done my best to give it back. When I was with the Cold Fury, always hiding in fear that my true identity would be revealed, I kept myself closed off from everyone.
I’m not doing that this time.
While I might not be a fuzzy teddy bear, I’m forcing myself to develop relationships. This is my new family now.
♦
Often, an East Coast team would finish a West Coast game and fly back that night across the country. Tonight we’re staying in LA though since we have two days until our next home game and we had a late-night flight yesterday. The team is exhausted and the powers that be who created the schedule budgeted a night’s stay so we could sleep in real beds rather than in airplane seats.
It’s evident we’re close to the playoffs as normally many of the players would hit the bars in a place such as Los Angeles, especially after a win tonight. But every single one of them head up to their rooms, although a few stopped in the lobby bar for a beer.
I was invited but declined, wanting to give Etta a call before it got any later. She’s in Redding and on West Coast time. She would have been at tonight’s game except for a broken ankle that has her laid up.
Once in my room, I shed my suit, making sure to hang it up. Clad in only my briefs, I settle onto the bed with all the pillows propped behind me.
I dial Etta and she answers on the first ring. “Oh, Van… you played so good tonight. I was cheering you on so hard. Could you hear me?”
Laughing, I put her on speakerphone so I don’t have to hold it up to my ear. “Yeah… I heard you.”
“Ugh… I’m so disappointed I couldn’t be there.”
“How are you feeling?” I ask. Poor Etta missed a step on her back deck and rolled her ankle. Thank fuck Mark wasn’t working that day and was there to help her.
“I’m fine. Still feeling stupid for not paying attention. But Mark’s been taking very good care of me.”
I have to admit, I wasn’t happy when Etta started dating Mark Casperson. He’s a veterinarian specializing in reptiles, which I thought surely would be a deal breaker for her. But no… turns out love is stronger than her fear of snakes.
Eventually, I got over it, mostly because it’s what Etta deserves. She put her entire life on hold to take me in and raise me with love and devotion. I want her to have all the happiness in the world.
“Speaking of taking care of someone,” Etta says, and my entire body locks because I know where she’s going. “Where is that sweet wife of yours? I’ve put in a few calls and texts the last couple days and she’s not answered. Is she out on a research trip?”
Etta doesn’t know we’ve separated. I haven’t had the guts to tell her because I know she’ll land firmly on Team Simone. Etta read the book when it came out and while she doesn’t discount my feelings about it she’s managed to put it out of her mind, calling it “ridiculous clickbait.” She has no clue how far it’s caused me to spiral. How it’s why I’m back in the league so I could run far away from my normal life with Simone.
“Van?” Etta says, bringing my attention back to her question.
“Um… I’m sure she’s just busy,” I say lamely, knowing that will spark more questions.
“What’s going on?” she asks, in a tone that says I better not bullshit her.
I sigh and rub my hand along the back of my neck, digging into the muscles knotting with tension. “Simone and I are getting a divorce.”
“Like hell you are,” she snaps. “You two are the perfect couple.”
“We’re not,” I say wearily.
There’s a long, drawn-out silence but finally, she says, “Tell me everything.”
“There’s nothing to tell. I asked her for a divorce.”
What follows is a litany of curses so loud, I have to turn the volume down on my phone. She ends by saying, “Now Van Turner… you owe me a lot and I’ve never once asked you to pay up for the way I rescued you, but I’m demanding you tell me the full story because in a million years you’ll never convince me that Simone is on board with this.”
“She’s not,” I admit without any pretense. “She’s firmly against it.”
“Is there someone else?” Etta asks, and I can hear in her voice that she’s dreading the answer.