Page 61 of Keeping the Single Dad
The back of my neck heated. Shame stole my words.
“The men’s team suspended Sean Wallace pending results of a drug test. Karen Delaney knows every detail. The test has come back negative. Sean is in the clear but understandably annoyed that he’s had to go through the indignity. He’s pointed the finger at Alexander McAllister as the leak.”
My blood turned to ice. “Sean Wallace is a liar. No one will take him at his word, will they?”
Claire’s eyes narrowed. “They will need to investigate the allegations. The men’s team can’t function with a leak.”
Guilt swept over me. I couldn’t let Alex take the blame. Hadn’t I already caused him enough pain?
“It’s not Alex.”
Claire’s eyes clung to mine. She knew. Of course, she knew. Despair thrashed in my gut like a wild beast. This was too much. I couldn’t lose my spot on the team. First, Alex and Brodie, and now this. I’d have nothing left. There was no way back from this, but I’d fall on my sword if it meant protecting the man I loved. I wouldn’t let the blow back from any of this affect him.
“Alex knows nothing about this. I might have mentioned something to Karen about Sean, but I didn’t know she’d print all this nonsense.”
Chill brittle silence lengthened and smothered the office.
Claire watched me warily. “Why would you talk about Sean?”
The despair in my chest dug its claws deeper. Telling the truth about Karen’s threats would mean exposing my dad’s struggles. He’d hate that. I wouldn’t betray him.
Claire raised a quizzical brow. “You sold out a teammate. Are you going to tell me why?”
Rain lashed the office windows and thundered a harsh drum inside my skull. I took a deep, unsteady breath. “Because Sean Wallace is a prick. He deserves everything he gets. Don’t pretend you don’t know it.”
Claire shook her head and raised an unimpressed eyebrow. “I’ve tried with you, Lana. I’ve really tried. We made you captain on Skylar’s break, because we thought the responsibility might settle you down. Clearly, it hasn’t worked. What more can I do with you?” She straightened, sighing loudly. Her icy eyes slipped away, and she turned her back to peer out of the window at the training pitches. Her voice was sad and hollow. “This is the end of the road. You’re off the team.”
I snapped my mouth shut, stunned.
“You don’t mean that…”
“Yes. I do. Clear out your locker. We’re done.” Claire kept her back to me. “Goodbye, Lana.”
Tears blinded me as I dashed out of the training suite. She’d meant it. Claire had let me go. My life had revolved around playing for this club for so long and everything I’d built here had crumbled around me. What was I supposed to do if I wasn’t playing here? How could I play for another team? This team was my family. That was supposing another team would even have me. What team would want to take me on after that article? My reputation would be dirt. Before I’d been a wildchild, now I was a player who had sold out her team to a journalist.
Tears blinded me but I pressed on down the narrow corridor, past the swimming pool, past the gym, past the offices. My head reeled and nausea gripped my gut. I just needed to get out of this bloody building before I threw up.
“Lana?”
The small voice held me in my tracks.
I twisted to see Brodie at the vending machine. He held up a coin in his hand. “Gabe gave me money for a slushie.”
Panic curdled in my stomach. If Brodie was here, then Alex was here.
I flashed a glance down the hallway to Gabe’s office. “Gabe? Why are you with Gabe?”
Brodie scanned the vending machine contents. “Because you didn’t show up.”
I tried to think despite my pounding heart. What would he think when he realized what I’d done? “I didn’t show? What do you mean?”
“Dad has a match. You were supposed to look after me.”
Oh God. That was right. Alex had a match this morning. I’d been so stressed I’d forgotten. I threw my hand to my forehead. “Shit.”
Brodie’s eyes widened, and a disbelieving smile lit his face. “You said theS word.”
“Did I? Oh, shit…I mean, sugar…Oh God…I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. I’m sorry I didn’t come to look after you.”
