Page 23 of Cade

I just folded the last hoodie that can fit in the current box I’m filling when there’s a knock on the door, and it opens. Mom peeks her head in and smiles at me. “Making some progress?”

I nod. “Yeah, I’m almost done with my closet. Not sure how I fit all these clothes in it. I did find a couple of things to get rid of. Some of the stuff I haven’t worn since high school.”

Mom comes in and looks at the pile that I’m gonna donate. She picks up a worn sweater. “You wore this almost every day when you were sixteen.”

She sits on the bed and sighs. “My girl is moving away. Why do I think this time it’s going to be for good?” I move and sit down next to her and rest my head on her shoulder, like I’ve done so many times.

“No one knows the future for sure, but…but I feel like this move, like it’s the step toward my future that I’ve been looking for. I mean…I know not to plan my future all around a man but—” Mom reaches and squeezes my hand and quietly interrupts me.

“But there’s nothing wrong with planning a future with the right man. You haven’t ever dated a guy that we didn’t like, but somewhere along the way I knew in my gut that Mario wasn’t your forever. I think it was most apparent when he decided he needed to move back to Arizona to take care of his family, andyou didn’t even think for a moment about going with him.” She’s right.

“I didn’t. I mean, he didn’t ask, but it never even crossed my mind that it was something I would even consider if he had. I think that’s when I knew what we had…that it had run its course. Well, that and the fact that neither of us seemed that upset when we broke up.”

Mom nodded. “And yet you didn’t hesitate to agree to move a couple of hours away to be with Cade. I also have a feeling that if he got traded or signed to another team, that you wouldn’t think twice about going with him, would you?”

I think about it for a moment, and she’s right. I want to be wherever Cade is. I can work from anywhere, so I’m not tied down like some people. I work for myself and just need my computer and my programs. The only thing is my family. They’re here. “I would follow him, yeah. But…” Mom, being the smart woman she is, squeezes my hand again.

“I remember something your grandma told me when I found out I was pregnant and your Dad and Pops were trying to convince me that I could actually love them both and have a life with them. Your pops’ dad was off talking some sense into your dad, and she had sat me down at the kitchen table with a cup of tea and some kind words, which I needed more than anything. My family had disowned me at that point, and I had no desireto mend that fence in any way, but I didn’t know how to move forward either. Your grandmother looked at me and told me that in your life there will be a moment where you need to choose between the life you know and the life you want. It’s important to choose the one that scares the hell out of you. I did that, and I thank the gods every day that I did. I not only got a life that I’ve loved with two amazing men, but I got the gift of being you and your brothers’ mom, and that’s the greatest gift I ever could’ve gotten.”

I know Mom is right, but leaving home, leaving here, leaving everything I’ve ever known is scary, and I know I’m going to miss being surrounded by everyone. “I know I want this. I want to be with Cade, but you’re right. This feels permanent. Not like when I went away to school for a bit or anything. This feels like I’m leaving and not coming back. I know I’m only going to be a couple of hours away, but that’s a couple of hours away from everyone, especially you, Dad, and Pops.”

Mom pulls me into her arms and gives me a hug. “You know you’ll never be rid of us. We’re only a phone call away. We will always be here for you, no matter where you end up. Family isn’t restricted to only being within a twenty-minute drive. So you go, be the brave girl I know you are. You love that man and build a life that when you look back at it, you know you spent your life with the right person. I mean, if that includes kids at some point,I wouldn’t be opposed. You know I always welcome another grandbaby to the mix, hell, maybe even a couple.”

My phone rings, interrupting the moment. Mom hands me the phone, kisses my cheek, and stands up to head out of the room. “Answer that and take the next step toward that future, sweetheart.” I swipe to answer the phone and sigh because Mom’s right, but also ‘cause I’m about to have to explain what happened with the bitchy jersey chasers. So maybe I’m not completely grown up just yet.

CHAPTER EIGHT

We read all the romance books, collecting all these amazing book boyfriends, but when my man comes up to me and does the hat thing where he turns it around and looks at me like I’m his dinner AND dessert–well that tops every one of the fictional guys by a million.

~Text from Hanna to Kierstie

Cade

It’s been three weeks since Hanna moved in and overall things are going great between us. I mean, does she glare at me for leaving the toilet seat up at least once a day? Absolutely. Does she drive me nuts with her seventeen million hair ties and clips in the bathroom? One hundred percent, but I still love having her live with me.

The team is holding on by a thread to first place. We’ve got a bye this coming weekend and then only four more matches before the playoff tournament. Our new owner, Ethan, has been making some changes, and I, for one, think they are all in the right direction.

He’s hired more physical therapists and a couple of massage therapists to help work on our muscles. I think just about everyone is happy with the changes. The only one who still fucking grumbles about shit is Zack, but I think he’s just permanently pissed the fuck off at this point.

The only thing bugging me is whoever is leaving notes and things for me is getting creepier by the day. Sure, it started innocently enough with a Captain America comic and a fairly innocent note in my locker, but things are starting to get weird, and not in the good kind of weird.

There have been a few more things left on my porch at home and a couple of things at my locker at the stadium. Security tried to trace the notes at the stadium, but they came in by regular mail with no return address. Whoever is doing it has a very weird train of thought. So far, after the Captain America comic was left, there was a teddy bear in a cheerleader outfit. The note with that said that I should really see who my biggest cheerleader is, and that it wasn’t the fatty who’s living with me. That’s what made me get security involved. I don’t want any of this to touch Hanna at all.

The next few things at the house made no sense whatsoever. There was a box filled with packs of beef jerky with no note, and another box that had a bag of popcorn from the local theater. Every freaking time our mail carrier or UPS has delivered it and there’s been no sender information available.

The last note that came to the locker room has security heightened and has me not wanting to leave Hanna home alone for any reason. I found it in today’s mail. Same font on the letter as the rest, but no identifying information as to who could’vesent it. When I opened it, a clipped picture of theDaredevilcharacter fell out. For those who aren’t as comic book geeky as me, that’s a Marvel character who’s blind—completely blind and unable to see light and dark, no shapes or anything. Besides the clipping, there was a brief note.

Wouldn’t it be a shame if that bitch of yours ended up as blind and scarred as Daredevil? Or better yet, wouldn’t it be a shame if she made the ultimate sacrifice like the Black Widow? Maybe then you can find the person who’s supposed to really be at your side.

I’ll be watching to see if you realize your mistake.

I just finished practice, and I might’ve been taking some anger out on the bags more than normal because Coach and Ethan both just walked through the door to the locker room and are heading my way. Coach gets a few feet away before he speaks.

“Wanna tell me what’s goin’ on, Evanich? You put a beatdown on that bag that I haven’t ever seen from you, even after your tussle a few weeks ago with Harrison.”

I look at Coach and Ethan, lean into my locker, and pull out today’s note. I hand it to Coach to read. “I had that in my mail today when I got here. I really wish I knew who was writingthis shit. I’m pretty damn sure whoever is writing this shit is also mailing stuff to my house, which means they know where I fucking live. That means they know where Hanna is.”

Coach hands the paper to Ethan, and I watch his face as he reads it. The anger that comes over him is palpable. He’s become a fast friend to Hanna and is very fond of her. Don’t get me wrong, at first I was uncomfortable with their friendship until he came to me and let me know that he’s gay, has always been gay, and will always be gay.