Page 97 of Undeniable
“I was about to when your old man came out of the restroom, but then Mazzie kneed me in the balls. And if I were you, I would make sure Kurtis stays away from Shane. The two have a history in prison.”
If Kurtis stuck to the plan, he would be heading up to a rehab facility in South Texas later this week.
The second Josh was gone, I dropped into a chair, blowing out all the nervous energy that had been building during the meeting.
Ryker returned to the kitchen. “They’re gone.”
Kristoff came out of the laundry room. “Well done.”
“Are you close to throwing Shane back in prison?” Ryker asked.
“Maybe,” Kristoff said, looking at his watch. “I need to run. Coach, if you need any more help, you know where to find me. And you two need to stay out of Cedar Ridge. There’s nothing in that town but trouble.”
He didn’t have to tell me twice. “Thanks for supporting us. It was good to know that you were here in case the meeting went sideways.”
“My pleasure,” Kristoff said. “I can see myself out.”
Ryker went with him anyway.
“I need to run.” Coach said. “We have practice this afternoon.”
“I can’t thank you enough for taking care of us, me, the team. I mean on a personal level. You’re the one person I look up to. You’ve taught us how to be professional and to think about the consequences of our actions. Not to mention, you’ve shaped us into responsible men.”
“Lucas, you’ve done that all on your own. Your mother deserves the most credit. In truth, you’ve been the anchor of the team, motivating and uplifting players when they’re down. Okay, you’ve had a rough go this season, but you’ve overcome your demons.”
I shook my head. “I need one more piece of advice. It’s a demon that dug its claws into me.”
He crossed his arms over his chest.
“When Mrs. Chapman had your son Warren, did you know how to be a father?”
He went as white as a ghost. “No, Lucas. Please tell me?—”
“Mazzie is pregnant.” That fact didn’t gut me as much as it had when she’d told me.
He sat down on a barstool, scrubbing a hand over his face then his bald head. “The missus and I weren’t prepared. We learned she was pregnant in our senior year when we were about to graduate and I had already signed with the San Antonio Stallions. But she had to put her teaching career on hold until after Warren was born.” He paused to think. “We made it work.”
“Be honest with me then. You think I’ll get drafted. Am I really that good?”
“You’re the best wide receiver I’ve ever coached. So, yes. You have five games left to give it all you got. Scouts have known about you since your sophomore year.” He pushed air out of his nose. “When I learned Mrs. Chapman was pregnant, I never played better. Don’t see this pregnancy as the end of your future. See it as why you fight for one.”
As I thanked him profusely, I knew it wouldn’t be easy. But for the first time, I wasn’t afraid of the fight. I was ready to be the man Mazzie and our baby needed.
33
Mazzie
I sat at the patio table at the Armstrongs with my laptop open, nerves gnawing at me. Lucas had called to switch our meeting place. He’d filled me in about the meeting with Josh and Shane to pay off his father’s debt. Apparently, there had been some tension over the amount Kurtis owed, and in case they decided to return for more cash, Lucas didn’t want me in the middle.
I was shocked at what he’d told me about Shane and Josh. Drugs? Josh was a lot of things, but I didn’t see him part of a drug ring. I remembered that night at the casino when he tried to convince me how wrong Lucas was for me. Looking back, Josh’s behavior had been strange. It had been two years since we dated, and he was suddenly acting super jealous and possessive. Everything felt calculated, from him colliding with me while I was holding a tray to him casually mentioning tutoring and then boldly claiming I was his girlfriend the moment Lucas appeared.
I heard Mrs. Armstrong’s housekeeper say, “She’s right out here.”
I turned in my seat. Lucas strode toward me with a quiet steadiness I hadn’t seen before. It was as if he’d slayed his demons and come to terms with my pregnancy.
He slid his backpack off his shoulder, his smile awaking the butterflies in my stomach. “Hey, Midnight.”
I adored my nickname, and every time he said it, I felt warm and gooey inside. “Hi.”
