Page 90 of Jilted Jock
“Totally fine. Glad to see you both actually.”
We checked in with security and I got them both badges to come back with me. CJ with his usual energy, ran slightly ahead.
“How have you been?”
“Good,” I answered automatically and then chuckled. “No, that’s a lie. I’ve been shit.”
He chuckled back softly. “Yeah, I figured. You look like shit.”
“How is she?” It didn’t escape me that I hadn’t even asked how he was yet, but I needed something of her. Anything.
“She’s good.”
My heart simultaneously lifted and broke. Of course, I wanted her to be happy, but it hurt to know she was able to move on while I was still only half breathing without her near.
The team was about to start warmups, so I got Chance and CJ to their seats behind the team bench and headed back to the locker room to get ready for the game.
During games I didn’t have time to think or even to miss Adele. She was still there in that missing piece of my heart even when I couldn’t actually mentally decide to miss her.
Afterward, I showered quick and headed out to see if Chance and CJ stayed. I was glad to see they had, and we hovered around the exit while the cleaning crew got to work.
“Thanks for that. Seats were great. So close that it kept CJ glued to the action for five minutes at a time.”
I wondered what Chance had done to occupy him for the rest of the time but didn’t ask.
“Any time. It was really great to have a couple familiar faces in the stands tonight.”
We walked toward the parking lot slowly. I wanted to press him for more information, but I didn’t. I was thankful to have Chance in my life regardless of where I stood with Adele. He was my childhood hero and a pretty great friend when I needed one too.
“Alright, little man, say thank you to Finn.”
CJ smiled up at me. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” I held out my hand and he gave me a low five.
Chance opened the rear car door and lifted CJ in. Once he was buckled, he shut the door and turned to me.
“She’s really okay?”
“Yeah, she’s good. Really good, I think. The last time she called she sounded… different. I can’t explain it. She was on the top of a mountain she’d just climbed like some sort of adventure badass. That’s the old Adele I remember – bold and daring.” Chance shook his head like he couldn’t believe it, but the thought of her climbing mountains made a real smile pull at my lips. At least she’d held on to something from our time together. “I’m sure she misses you, but she’s doing well.”
“Thanks for that. And I’m glad she’s doing well.”
We shook hands and Chance got in and started the car.
“Wait.” I motioned for him to roll the window down and he complied. “Could you just tell her I’m sorry. I should have made the effort to understand what she was going through sooner. I’m working through the steps and I just… it’s important to me that she knows I’m sorry for that.”
He studied me silently for a long moment. “I’ll tell her.”
I cleared my throat and tried to inject some peppiness into my voice. “Also, I wanted to invite you and the family to an event next weekend. It’s an obstacle course run for charity. There’s even a separate kid’s course CJ could dominate.”
He chuckled and nodded. “That sounds fun. Shoot me the details and we’ll swing by if we can. Need to talk to Aubrey and see what she’s got going on.”
“Great.”
I stepped back and watched as they drove away and then I got in my own car and headed home alone.
The next week was more of the same. Train, practice, eat, sleep, game, and when I wasn’t teaching Marshmallow new tricks, I was working on the charity event. Since our media department insisted that I find a new charity or work with Cindy on my previous one, I’d obviously chosen the first.
