Chapter 14

Fourteen

C hance studied the paper in front of him. He’d researched the best skills to teach kids of all ages and then printed them out. They weren’t challenging for him, but what he was trying to do was balance the simple stuff with something for the older kids.

Tori was going to help him with it but after yesterday she hadn’t even returned his texts. He’d texted her a few times last night and then sent pictures of what he was working on today.

Something happened at the pitch yesterday. He’d noticed her smile change from genuine to forced and then she’d barely spoken to him. He asked her, but of course she’d said she was fine.

He’d planned to take them to dinner, but she said she had a headache, so he’d driven them back to her car, and they’d parted ways. Radio silence from her since then.

Maddox said he didn’t know what happened either. She’d been with him when it did and now they were both confused.

Instead of having someone that knew children a lot better than him, he was waiting on his team to come over and help him figure this out. They needed to plan for four days of activities that spanned one hour and fit all abilities and it terrified him.

If the kids or parents weren’t happy they wouldn’t be able to do this again and it would look bad on him, the team, and parks and rec.

“Honey, I’m home,” Maddox yelled.

“In here,” Chance called back.

Maddox and four other guys strolled in. Chance watched Maddox look around and he knew it was for Tori and Emmett.

“They aren’t here,” Chance confirmed.

“Did you call her?” Maddox asked.

“Of course, he called her,” Buddy slapped Maddox on the back of his head.

“I only texted her,” Chance admitted.

“Then fucking call her,” Aaron said. “What is this shit?” He pointed to the papers on the table.

“I was thinking to set up stations so we could split the kids up be skill level,” Chance said. “So I have different things for each day and then each station.

“That’s too much,” Buddy said.

“If you break the kids up by skills, some will feel left out,” Maddox said. “I think we just do two levels by age but start them all out the same.”

This was why he wanted Tori here. He needed her insight into what the best plan was. He sure as hell didn’t know.

“I think Maddox has a point. Plus, if we divide them all up too much, then we will have to split up a lot and won’t be able to help each other.” Buddy shuffled the papers around. “Three groups should do it. That’s two of us for each group.”

Chance studied the way he’d reorganized things and nodded. It was better this way and a lot less to plan.

They talked specifics for the next hour or so. There was a little arguing, but they agreed, in the end, to rotate themselves between the age groups.

“Call her,” Maddox said as they cleaned up.

He wanted to. “What if she doesn’t answer?”

Maddox shrugged.

“What if she does?” Aaron asked.

“None of you know what happened?” he asked again.

Everyone shook their heads.

“Something definitely happened. It had to be on the pitch. Everything was fine before then.”

“Who was she with?” Buddy asked.

“You and Maddox,” Chance sighed.

“You left her at one point,” Aaron added. “Walked off with Shawn and Benson.”

Chance nodded. “She was off after that.”

“What were you talking about?” Aaron asked.

Shrugging, Chance tried to remember. “Nothing important. I wasn’t even listening to them. I was going to get another ball and they walked with me.”

“I don’t know, man,” Maddox said.

“Me either.” Chance slumped further down in his chair.

“If she matters to you, find a way to fix it,” Buddy said.

“I can’t fix it if I don’t know what happened.”

“Think about it. You’ll figure it out.”

“Mad, are you still kinda seeing her friend?” Chance asked.

“Not really, but I can ask her. I don’t know if she will tell me,” he said.

“Thanks for trying,” Chance said.

“Call her,” Maddox said.

Chance groaned but pulled out his phone and did just that. Everyone sat around the table, waiting to see what happened.

Her voice came through, recorded, telling him to leave a voicemail. He hung up and looked around at his friends.

“Voicemail. After two rings. She ignored me.” Chance dropped his phone on the table.

“She might be busy with Emmett,” Aaron offered.

Chance offered his friend a sad smile. “Thanks for trying.”

“We can stay and hang out if you want,” Maddox offered.

“I’m good. I think I’ll just find something to do around here and wait for her to hopefully call me back.”

“Not healthy,” Maddox told him.

“Then today’s a cheat day.”

Maddox looked like he wanted to say something else but decided against it. They said their goodbyes, and Chance watched his friends leave.

Closing the door behind them, he want back to the table and their pile of plans. It would work, he convinced himself. These kids would all get something out of it and that was the main goal. If this worked out he’d have proven he could act right.

Sam and Derek were already aware that he was seeing a therapist. Both of them had told him they were proud of him for taking the step. This was the last piece to changing his image, getting in with the kids, showing he could be a role model.

He snapped a picture of their plan for the week and sent it over to Tori. Instead of staring at his phone like he wanted to do, Chance tucked it in his pocket and went for a run. The exercise would help clear his brain a little.

With no real clue how far he’d run, Chance returned home nearly an hour later. He’d nearly run past her house a few times while he was out but stopped himself. He didn’t want to seem like a stalker.

His phone still hadn’t gone off, so he jumped in the shower. What he was supposed to do after that, he didn’t know.

In the shower, he heard his phone chime and hurried to finish so he could check it. The message was from Tori, a simple thumbs up acknowledging the plans he’d sent.

Chance hurried to write her back, careful not to bring up anything between them and keep it about the clinic.

Chance: Will these work with the amount of kids?

Tori: Yes.

Chance: Is there anything else I need to do?

Tori: No.

Well, if he hadn’t known she was mad at him before, he was aware now. One word answers spoke volumes with the missing words.

“Screw this,” Chance muttered as he tossed his phone onto his bed.

He was dressed and out the door before he could change his mind. The short drive to Tori’s did little to clear his mind. He had to know what was going on.

Stopping in front of her house, he looked at the empty driveway. She wasn’t even here to confront.

He put his car in park and pulled out his phone, sending one last plea to her.

Chance: What did I do?

She didn’t write back. He hadn’t expected her to. Instead, he drove himself back to the house and tried to forget about her for a little while.

Tori had been in this house, though. Thoughts of her were everywhere. He wasn’t even going to be able to sleep tonight. She’d been in that bed.

Chance pulled his phone out again and looked up nearby hotels. He was going out tonight, and he wasn’t coming back here. Checked in online. He just needed to decide where to go.

Changing into black dress pants he’d had tailored a few months ago. He paired it with a white button-down shirt that fit him perfectly. Rolling up the sleeves, he grabbed a matching jacket before slipping into shoes and heading out the door.

He wasn’t an idiot. He knew exactly what women thought when he went out dressed like this. Tonight he was going back to the way things were. No more putting himself out there and getting stomped on.

Sex was what he needed, no strings.

* * *

Three hours later and lots of flirting, he wasn’t feeling it. It felt wrong, even if he didn’t know what was going on with Tori, to be out here acting like this.

He threw his jacket on the bed and tossed his clothes on the floor of his bedroom. It had been a waste of money to rent the hotel room. It wasn’t what he wanted. He couldn’t even get drunk. One drink he’d sipped on for hours and didn’t even finish it. He felt like am imposter out there tonight.

He wanted to be here, with her and Emmett and his world to right itself again. He needed it.

Chance: Please. I’m begging. I don’t know what I did wrong, but I’m so sorry.

Knowing he wouldn’t get a response, Chance fell onto the bed and tossed his arm over his eyes. It was going to be a long week.