Page 70 of The Golden Goalie

I watch her until she’s out of my line of sight. “Thought you were leaving,” Gunner says, suddenly appearing next to me.

“We were, but Amber has to go to the bathroom. And mental note, don’t ask the pregnant woman if she really has to pee. You’ll get a whole biology lesson.”

He gives me a strange look. “I wouldn’t.”

“You heading out?” I ask. He nods. “Are you heading home or—”

"You going to keep asking everybody’s business tonight?” he interrupts. I smirk and look away. Cap is cranky tonight and no wonder. He’s probably irritated that he’s the only one in our group without a girl. I know I would be. I don’t know why he won’t just go after Chloe. It’s obvious he’s interested in her. “Your girl’s crying.”

His soft words break through my thoughts and I whip around, eyes zoning in on my girl. I cut through the crowd, using my broad shoulders to get to her. My heart stutters at the tearsin her eyes, but when she sees me she tosses her shoulders back. I reach her in seconds. “Amber, Sweetheart, what’s wrong.”

“It’s nothing.” She pushes past me, and I follow her. When it becomes obvious that she’s having a hard time getting through the crowd, I take her hand in mine and lead. Within minutes, we’re at the exit. Several people call out greetings as I walk past, and I smile but keep moving. Soon, we’re outside. I don’t drop her hand as I continue to lead her. When we reach the truck, I open the door and help her in. I head around to my side and climb in, settling behind the wheel. Once it’s started and the heat is running, I turn to her; but her head is turned. She’s staring out the window.

“You okay?” I ask softly.

“I’m fine.”

The drive home is silent, and I don’t know what to say or do to bring her smile back. When we get to her house, she climbs out before I can get to her side of the car. “Amber.” I grasp her elbow gently, stopping her. “Can you talk to me, please? What happened back there?”

“It was nothing, just people being stupid.” I open my mouth, but before I can say anything, she speaks again. “Please just let it go.”

I stare down at her before walking her to the front door. It opens before we get there. “Hi, Mrs. Campbell,” I say as I release Amber. She walks past her mom and into the house.

“Night, Rico.”

I stare at her retreating back. “Night, Amber.”

Mrs. Campbell looks up at me. “Everything okay?”

I blow out a breath of air. “I'm not sure.”

She nods. “I’ll talk to her.”

“Thanks. Night.”

“Good night, Rico.”

I head down the steps and to my truck. The night was going so well. I hate that it went downhill so fast; I hate even more that I don’t know what happened. I head to my truck, already planning on calling her.

Chapter 28

Amber

“Amber,” my mom calls out through my door.

“You can come in,” I call out wearily. I’m suddenly exhausted and too tired to get off my bed.

“What happened?”

It’s such a mom thing. It’s not the question; it’s the way she asks it...like she already knows something went down and isn’t going to go away until she knows what it was. I shake my head. “Just people being stupid.”

“Rico?” she asks, and my head snaps up.

“No. Rico’s...” I falter, unsure what to say about the man.

My mom comes all the way into the room and sits on the bed next to me. “Rico’s what?” she asks quietly.

I sigh. “A really good guy.”

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