Page 31 of Lucky Laces
Very bad.
And in all my research of my players…
I don’t have a clue what it might be.
His parents are alive.I haven’t met them, but I haven’t met most of the guys’ families.They’re adults and even the young players live on their own—or with other guys on the roster.Some of the guys’ extended families have come in for team events before the season started, but that was mostly the wives and girlfriends and only a few parental units who happened to live close by or were in town visiting.
Cam’s family is a hoot.
And obviously, Jean-Michel is highly involved, both because he’s the team’s owner and also because his daughters are involved with two players on my roster.
But I don’t know anything about Hudson’s family.
And that…well, it seems like that may be pertinent information right about now.
“Right,” I whisper.“Never mind with that.”I turn for my backpack.“You should take some more medicine.I think I have some Tylenol in here.That should help with your fever.And I should check the door—see if I can shift any of the debris?—”
His hand covers mine, staying its search of the second pill bottle.“It’s okay, Dee.My childhood wasn’t pretty, but I’m here getting to do what I do.”
That’s true, of course.
Loads of guys don’t make it this far—in fact, most of them don’t.
But there’s more.
I can see it in his eyes.
And it has me leaning closer.
“We don’t need to talk about it,” I say, squeezing his hand.“I was just trying to distract us.”My mouth kicks up.“Sometimes my words get ahead of me and I don’t think before I speak.”
Nowhismouth curves.“Like when you yelled at the ref the other day?”
“That offsides call was bullshit, and you know it.”
His rough chuckle strokes me right between my legs.“Itwasbullshit.”
“See?”I say, leaning a little closer, smoothing back a lock of hair that’s fallen over his forehead.“I was right to yell.”
His eyes go soft.“You’re right about a lot of things.”
“Oh?”I know it’s dumb, but I can’t help but run my fingers through his hair.
It’s so soft.Like silk.
And surrounded in the scent of him, the strength of his body on display, the gentleness in his expression…
I can’t pull back.
Instead, I lean forward.
So close I can see the scar on his jaw, the reddened line on his cheek from those stitches.So close that the flecks of sunshine in his stormy gray eyes glimmer.So close I can feel his rough inhale of air on my lips.So close that?—
My phone rings.
Ten
Hudson
