Page 58 of Thunderstruck
“Mox will always be our captain,” I continue, partially because I don’t like the way the team is so quiet. I need to fill the space. “I’m not taking his or anyone’s spot. But I’m going to do what Coach says. Got it?”
At least thirty seconds pass before someone speaks. “So,” Bean says and folds his arms, commanding the attention of the others. “Did you buy your way to the top?”
Forget the shower. Grabbing my bag, I throw it over my shoulder and push my way to the door, cursing Coach as I go. This is never going to work. They’ll hate me more than ever now, and without Moxie to be a buffer between me and them, their opinion of me is only going to get worse.
Moxie’s injury had better be superficial, or I’ll have an entire team out for my blood.
As I make my way down the corridor, I realize a light is on in Mel’s space, and since I know she’s out with Moxie, my steps slow. Is Carissa still here? After the game, she got a few players situated with ice bags and wraps, and then she disappeared. I figured she went home.
I shouldn’t stop. I ordered a ride this afternoon to get here earlier than she did, and she would be well in her right to assume I’ll book a ride home as well. My nerves are frazzled, so I can’t guarantee I’ll be as nice as she deserves. It would be better for both of us to get some distance for a bit.
My feet take me through the open training room door, though I stop just inside and take in the scene. Carissa’s on her own, as I would expect, and sitting on the table with an arm around her shins and her chin on her knees. She looks extra small, balled up like that as she scrolls on her phone. She looks like she needs a friend.
“Hey.” The word croaks out of me.
Her eyes jump toward me, but nothing about her position moves. How long has she been sitting like that? “Hi.”
“Any word on Moxie?”
She shakes her head. “Mel said he won’t be able to get an MRI until Monday, so she’s going to stay with him until then and make sure he’s okay.”
“What about her kid?”
“I guess her parents live nearby, and they always take Raiden whenever Mel has a game. They offered to keep him for the weekend.”
I’m glad Mel has a support system. I’m extra glad Moxie has someone to look out for him. I can’t pretend I know much about his life outside of rugby, but I do know none of his family live nearby. And even if he does consider me a friend, I doubt he’ll want to see me. I’m sure someone on the team has already texted him and told him about Coach’s decision.
While I stand in silence, Carissa seems to see me for the first time, lifting her head as her eyes trail over me. I wonder what she sees. “Do you always forgo a shower after playing?” she asks.
I chuckle, though I’m hardly amused by my current situation. “Showers are overrated.”
“Are they, though?”
It’s a good thing I’m clear on the other side of the room from her so she doesn’t have to be assaulted by my smell. That last half was brutal, both mentally and physically. “With Moxie out, Coach told the team I’m taking over as captain,” I admit. “They didn’t take it well.”
“Oh.” Unfolding herself, Carissa tucks her phone into the pocket of the leggings she’s wearing and comes closer. Her nose wrinkles, probably when she gets a whiff of me. “What are you going to do?”
“No idea.”
“Showering is a good first step.”
This time my laugh feels more real, and I tug on one of her curls. Then I frown because that was a weird move and not something friends do. With her standing so close, I get sudden flashbacks to the moment before the second half when she slid into my arms. I don’t know why she did it, but I do know it took everything in me to let go after she did. It’s beena long time since someone hugged me like that outside of Bonnie and Freya, and their sisterly hugs don’t exactly get my heart pounding.
With Carissa, I don’t even have to touch her for my blood to heat beneath my skin. Every time I’m with her, it gets worse, and seeing her in my house last night, smiling and laughing and fitting in so easily with my family, I might have passed a point of no return.
My arms itch to wrap around her again, so I grab the strap of my bag with both hands and take a subtle step back. I can’t tear my eyes from hers, however. Those gold-infused eyes have me transfixed. And the longer I look, the more I realize there’s something else behind her subdued mood. “You okay?”
She bites her lip. “Um. There’s an article about us.”
Swearing, I dig into my bag for my phone. I tend to ignore it on game days to keep my head in the zone, but the several texts from my friends and a missed call from Ethan jumpstart my heart into an erratic rhythm as I pull up theHot Scooparticle Derek sent me in a text. I read it quickly, expecting the worst, but all in all it’s not as bad as I expected.
Still, this is Carissa’s first real foray into the tabloids. “How are you feeling about it?” I ask.
She shrugs, keeping her eyes on my chest rather than my face. “It’s hard to say. I thought for sure they would say something about Peter—my ex—but…” Another shrug.
“Unfortunately, this could only be the start. You and I should probably keep our distance from each other so we don’t give them reasons to look at you more closely.” I’m not sure I’ve ever wanted anything less, which is only more reason to stay away from her. Not easily done. At some point in the last couple of minutes I moved close to her again without meaning to.
“But I’m your ride,” Carissa argues, looking up. “How are you going to get to practice?”
