Page 53 of The Golden Goalie

Sebastian comes in to drop off a platter, yelling over his shoulder the entire time. Bri shakes her head and waits for him to leave. Neither of us say anything as we finish up. “I’m glad, Amber,” she says, putting her hand on my arm. “I never saw that with Adam.”

“Never saw what?” I ask.

“You laughing or even smiling, especially not the way you do with Rico.” She pats my hand and then leaves the kitchen, leaving me staring after her.

Rico comes around the corner moments later. “You good?” he asks casually. I turn toward him and think about what Bri said. “What?” he asks curiously.

“I don’t know. I just...” my words fail me, and I’m not sure what to say.

“What is it, Amber?” he asks, stepping closer.

I go with the truth. “Bri just told me that I was never happy with Adam.”

“You weren’t,” he says with a shrug as if it’s totally obvious.

I can’t help my scowl, suddenly irritated. It’s one thing for my sister to say but a guy that barely knows me? “How would you know?” I bite out.

He smiles ruefully. “Amber, I’ve been watching you a whole lot longer than you realize.”

I laugh sarcastically. “No, you haven’t.”

He crosses his arms, studying me. “Do you remember the first time we met?”

I pause. “At the wedding?”

He laughs. “No, Amber. It was wayyyy earlier than that,” he says, stepping even closer.

“No, it wasn’t,” I argue, suddenly feeling off my game.

“Ask Brielle,” he says softly. I don’t say anything in response; I don’t know how to handle him right now. He’s not flirting with me exactly, but he’s...I don’t really know. “So, it’s a girl,” he continues just as softly.

I startle at the jump in conversation. “Yes,” I say quietly.

“I’m glad,” he repeats his words from earlier. “Amber—”

“I need to get going,” I say suddenly. It’s an escape. I know it, and he knows it. But he doesn’t try to stop me as I brush past him and leave the kitchen. I make my way over to where Bri and Stephanie are talking. “Hey, I’m going to get going; it’s getting late. Thanks for everything. I had such an amazing time.” I hug Bri first and then Stephanie.

“Love you, Squirt,” Stephanie says affectionately, even as I shake my head.

“Love you too.”

When I don’t see Aiden anywhere, I make my way outside and to my car. I don’t turn on the radio for the drive home. I’m confused and tired and...overwhelmed. It was a really good night, and I’m really glad I went. But I’m confused with Rico. I take a deep breath and push away any feelings that I may or may not be developing for the guy. I can’t have a man in my liferight now. I rub my belly subconsciously. It doesn’t take me long when I get home to get settled in bed and fall asleep. I’m so glad tomorrow is Saturday, and I can sleep in.

I wake up during the middle of the night in the middle of a tight cramp. I roll into a ball and try to catch my breath. Panicking, I finally climb out of bed and stumble into the bathroom to pee. When I pull down my underwear and see the blood, I panic completely. I don’t even bother changing my underwear and move as fast as I can back to my bedroom. I grab my phone and search for Rico’s name. I don’t stop to think. “Amber, are you okay?”

“Rico, I’m bleeding and cramping and—” Panic makes me choke.

“I’m on my way.”

I won’t think about it until much later that I never even considered calling Bri or Stephanie or asking my mom for ride, just like Rico never hesitated. In my muddled state, I manage to grab my wallet and phone and a sweatshirt and make my way to the front door. My stomach cramps again, and I double over and manage not to cry out. It’s not terribly painful, but it’s scaring me. I hear the knock on the door, and I throw open the door.

The next few hours are a blur in my mind. Somehow Rico gets me to the hospital. He never leaves my side, not for a minute. It takes a little while but finally I’m placed in a room in the ER, and the questions begin.

“Are you diabetic?”

“Do you have high blood pressure?”

“A history of passing out?”

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