Page 181 of Like a Power Play
All of it.
The full, messy truth.
I keep slipping past bodies, faster now, more intent in every step. My heart hammers loud enough to drown out the noise of celebration, my hands trembling and sweating like the guilty on trial.
Then, just as I’m about to close the distance, about to call out her name, a woman steps directly into my path and stops me cold.
“Excuse me,” she begins, her voice sharp and authoritative.
Thinking she’s one of my dad’s fans, I glance back over my shoulder and gesture vaguely. “He’s… um, over there.”
But the woman doesn’t avert her eyes from mine. She just smiles. “That’s nice. But I’m actually here to talk to you.”
She pulls a business card from the pocket of her tailored slate-gray blazer and holds it out to me. Confused, I take it, noting her perfectly manicured nails. Her white-blonde hair is cut into a precise bob that grazes her jawline, and her lipstick is the exact shade of red that my jaw bled when I got punched by that Giants player at the beginning of the season.
“I’m Sally,” she introduces. “Head recruiter for the Sabertooths. I’d like a moment of your time to talk about your plans after graduation.”
Furrowing my brows, I study the business card gripped between my fingers, flipping it over to verify the information. The glossy paper feels slick beneath my fingertips as I trace the famous Sabertooths logo.
The Sabertooths… want me? Even after last summer’s draft silence? Even after I spent the whole game setting up goals instead of scoring?
“We’ve always admired your father’s career, and it’s clear you’ve got that same talent. Even though you didn’t score tonight, your stats show you play with real intensity, and you definitely know how to find the net. We’ve got some of thebiggest namesin the league on our roster—”
My stomach drops, and I suddenly feel cold and alert, like someone just doused me in ice water.
“Solace, Wang, Lexington. You belong withthem.We have a—”
“Sorry,” I cut in with an awkward, almost annoyed laugh. I shake my head, the next words coming out a little clipped. “Do you have my coach’s contact info?”
Sally blinks, clearly not used to being interrupted. She hesitates, then gives me a slightly disapproving, “… yes?”
I flash a tight smile and shove the card into my pocket, the edges crumpling under my grip. “Awesome. I actually have to go do something, so—” I pat her shoulder and push past.
Turning, I jog toward Darcy, not waiting for Sally’s reaction. Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if her jaw hit the floor.
Was this a career-altering decision? Probably.
But listening to her drone on about the “big names” and wanting to see my name—mydad’sname, really—up there with them made one thing in my mind clear: I don’t give a damn about the Sabertooths. They can take their overdue draft papers and shove them up their—
“Was that Sally Rosenfield?” Darcy’s eyes go wide, her rosy brows nearly touching her hairline.
I’m panting pathetically, which I’ll blame on the ten feet I jogged, and not on the fact that my heart might burst out of my chest.
“Yes,” I answer, still catching my breath. My gaze wanders helplessly over her, those emerald eyes, strawberry hair, the slender curve of her nose, the freckles scattered across her cheeks, her soft, gloved hands. I’m erratic: my breathing, my thoughts, everything.
“Was she—I mean, did she… say anything?”
“I don’t want to live in California,” I blurt.
Darcy’s brows fall in confusion. “What?”
“I don’t want to live in California. It barely rains there. It’s too far from Bailey and Harlowe. And my brother. I don’t like the heat. And pine trees arewayprettier than palm trees.”
She blinks. “Okay, you’re losing me.”
I shake my head, pushing forward. “I didn’t know it before, but I realize now, that the only reason I wanted to be recruited by the Sabertooths was to prove something.”
“That doesn’t make any sense,” she says skeptically. “It’s been your dream since the team started.Youtold me that.”
