Page 22 of The Golden Goalie

“It’s fine. No,” she says, sounding dejected. “They make me so sick.”

“Hmmm.” That’s from my mom. “I was going to say, as long as you’re taking prenatals and trying to just eat something, the baby will be okay. They need so little during this time; they’re so tiny at this stage. But you do need to take a good prenatal but not one that’s making you sick,” she adds.

I’m already on it. I scroll through multiple listings on my phone. “Target.”

Two heads turn in my direction. “What?” Amber asks.

“Target prenatal vitamins don’t make women as sick,” I explain. I lean towards her and show her my phone. I regret the action immediately. It puts her too close to me. I can smell her perfume, the shampoo in her hair, and the essence of...her. It’s a heady combination. I leave my hand extended so she can read my phone, but I pull my body back. I’m pretty sure my mom gets what just happened because she stands to her feet with her plate in her hand and a big smile on her face. Amber finishes looking at my phone, and I pocket it. “Do you want any more to eat?”

She shakes her head. “No, I’m full. Thank you, Mrs. Garcia. That was really good.”

My mother beams. “Of course, Dear. I’ll put it in a container, so you can take it home with you.”

“You don’t have to,” Amber tries.

“I insist,” my mother says with a smile. She comes back with the container a moment later and hands it to Amber. “Was your mother sick when she was pregnant?”

A shadow crosses Amber’s face, and I hate that she’s lost her openness. I’m almost ready to say something to my mom when Amber answers. “I haven’t really asked her,” she says softly. My mother glances at me and then back at Amber before she takes a seat at the table with us again.

“Honey, is your mom okay with you being pregnant?” Her words are so soft and careful, but I recognize the steel beneath them, the steel of a woman who raised two kids as a single mom.

“Oh, yes,” Amber says. She looks down at the table. “My mom’s really great. I just...” I have the urge to put my hand on top of hers; I fist it so I don’t. “I just haven’t talked to her a lot about it. Not because of her, but because of me. I,” she pauses. “I really messed up.” Her words make me angry, but I keep my face calm. She doesn’t seem to even really remember that I’m even here. She’s staring at the table, glancing up at my mom from time to time. “The father of my baby wants nothing to do with me or the baby. I thought he loved me.” Her voice breaks on her last words.

“Oh, Sweetheart.” My mom reaches across the table and takes Amber’s hand, and I can’t sit here and watch and not do anything. I shove my chair back and stand to my feet, cursing myself when Amber’s wide eyes meet mine.

“I need to go work out.” I say the first thing that comes to my mind. My mom seems to get it; she just nods.

Amber stares at me. “Didn’t you just come from practice?”

“Yes.”

“And you still need to work out?”

“Yes.” I should give her more than one-word answers, but I can’t. Not right now. Not when I’m hanging on by a thread.I need to escape her, escape her heartbrokenness before I do something stupid.

“Aren’t you the goalie?” she asks. I nod again even as I take a step towards the living room. “Don’t you just stay in the net the entire time?”

A half-smile fills my face, even as I thank my lucky stars that none of my teammates are here to witness this. Sebastian would never let me live it down. “You ever been to a hockey game?” I ask on a hunch.

“No.”

Curiosity has me opening my mouth before I think better of it. “Weren’t you dating a hockey player?”

She shrugs. “He never wanted me to come to any of his games.” I close my eyes a moment and fight the anger building. When I open my eyes, she’s staring at me wide-eyed.

“Oh, my goodness. That’s because he was with other women, wasn’t it?” Her whispered words are like a knife to my chest.

“Yeah, Sweetheart.” I couldn't stop the endearment if I tried. I don’t think she even notices. She’s too busy self-loathing.

“I am such an idiot.”

Something fierce rises up inside me. “No, Amber.” I move so I’m in her personal space and lower my face so we’re eye to eye. “He is the idiot. He’s the one who left you.You. You’re the kind of girl most guys dream about having, and he chose to walk away from you. Believe me when I say, he is the idiot and a whole lot of other words that I can’t say with my mom sitting here.” I stand up, putting much needed space between us. “I’ll be back.” Without another word, I stride from the room, already cueing up my music because I need a hard workout.

Chapter 11

Amber

I stare in the direction Rico disappeared and turn back to his mom. I shake my head. “Hockey players are a special breed, aren’t they?”

---