Chapter 4

Four

C hance sat at a table with most of his teammates, drumming his fingers on his bottle of beer. Derek had agreed that he could come out tonight with the team, but with strict advice to remember he was being watched.

He hated feeling like that. Like someone was waiting for him to screw up. They wouldn’t be wrong in assuming it was likely to happen, but not tonight. He wasn’t drinking, less opportunities for bad decisions if he stayed sober.

“Man, loosen up,” Maddox told him. “You can still hang out with the team and participate without getting into a fight with anyone.”

“I know,” Chance told him. “I’m just not feeling up to it.”

“Buddy thinks you’re mad at him,” Maddox whispered. “Because he didn’t do anything to stop the fight.”

“That’s bullshit,” Chance immediately tossed out. The decisions he made were his own and he didn’t blame anyone else for it.

Standing, Chance ignored his beer and made his way over to Buddy.

“Happy Birthday, man!” Chance slapped him on the back.

“Thanks,” Buddy’s voice was almost a whisper.

Buddy was another forward on the team, and they worked together to create plays to lead to scores. Neither of them was the type to need to be the one to score, which worked out great for the team as they often passed to create better shots.

“Maddox said you think I’m mad at you?”

Buddy nodded. “I’m sorry I didn’t help.”

“You saved your ass and the team from getting two red cards. I fucked up all on my own, man. I don’t expect you to do anything about it or to get involved.” Chance hoped he really believed him.

Buddy nodded.

“Really. I’m not mad at you at all,” Chance pressed. “Go get drunk and hit on those chicks over there. They keep watching you,” he teased.

“Thanks, man.”

Chance turned to go back to the table, catching a glimpse of the door and two women walking in. He had to do a double take in case his eyes were lying to him. Tori, the soccer mom, had just walked in, and she was completely different than he’d seen her this morning.

Her tight black dress and thigh-high boots were a stark contrast to her friend’s red dress and heels. They were definitely dressed for a night out if not a little too much for this small bar but he would have watched her no matter what she was wearing.

“See something you like?” Maddox joked.

“Remember the lady and the kid I was telling you about from the grocery store? She’s here.” Chance discreetly tipped his head in her direction.

“Which one?”

“The blond.”

“Damn, she’s hot. I mean, they both are, but when you said mom, I assumed more…” Maddox stared at them.

“More homely?” Chance asked.

Maddox nodded. “Something like that. Ask her to join us.”

“I don’t know,” Chance hesitated. He wasn’t convinced she’d go for it.

He watched as Tori laughed at the brunette with her. Tori tucked her own blond hair behind her ear as she chatted. Earlier, in the store, he’d picked up on her being at least attracted to him but maybe not interested in him. It was a shame because he’d been interested in her.

She looked good tonight, but he didn’t mind her in the leggings and soccer mom shirt this morning. He continued to stare at her, taking in her curves while she didn’t notice him. She wasn’t rail thin, but neither was she overweight, just the kind of woman he liked with a little more to love and something to hold on to.

“Earth to Chance.” Maddox waved his hand in front of Chance’s face. “You’ve got some drool there.”

“Shut up.”

“You go get them, or I will. The brunette is hot.”

Chance looked over at Maddox, assessing if he was serious or not. You never could tell with him. “I’ll go, but if they say no I’m not pressing.”

“They won’t say no. This is damn near the entire team, they’ll want to come over and hang out with us.”

Chance rolled his eyes at his overly cocky friend. “I don’t think they are barflies, Mad.”

“Go,” he pushed Chance away.

Taking his time to cross the bar to them, Chance tried to think of what to say. He wanted to be smooth but had a feeling there was going to be a fine line between just right and too much when it came to the soccer mom.

“Soccer mom?” Chanced said, wincing as he did. It wasn’t the smoothest thing to do.

She whipped around to face him, her hair fanning out as she did. “What? Oh my God,” she groaned the last and he got to watch her face flush a pretty shade of pink.

“Who is this?” Her friend said. Before Chance could answer, she realized. “Chance Lawrence?” She turned to her friend. “You know him?”

“Sorta,” Tori answered. “I was going to tell you about it.”

“She stole my groceries this morning,” Chance joked.

Tori sucked in a breath and blushed even harder. “Leah, this is Chance. Chance, Leah,” she introduced them.

“Yep. We all know each other now. Tell me what happened,” Leah said to Chance.

“Emmett ran off in the grocery store this morning to see him after I told him not to. Then I accidentally walked away with his cart instead of mine,” Tori told her.

Chance grinned. “Emmett is great.”

“Emmett is in trouble,” Tori added.

“Emmett didn’t take my basket,” Chance countered.

“Oh my gosh, this is great,” Leah said.

Chance laughed while Tori took a long sip of her drink. “Do you guys want to join us?”

“Is that a real question?” Leah asked.

He titled his head and studied Leah. She was definitely the outgoing one of the pair, but if she agreed, then Tori would likely come, too.

“Of course,” Chance answered.

“We are so in. Grab your shit,” Leah said to Tori.

As expected, Tori didn’t argue and Chance led them back to their tables.

“Is that Maddox Stanton?” Leah asked as they got closer.

“It is. He wanted to meet you,” Chance told her.

“Well, introduce me,” Leah laughed and took the lead.

“Sorry about her,” Tori told him. “She’s my best friend, and I love her, but she can be a bit much.”

Chance laughed again, the most he’d done in almost a week. “She will fit right in with Maddox, then.”

“Tori, have you met Maddox?” Leah asked.

“You know I haven’t,” Tori told her.

“Well, I thought I knew you hadn’t met Chance either, but here we are.” Leah stuck her tongue out at Tori.

“Maddox, this is Tori and Leah. Ladies, this is Maddox.” Chance interrupted their conversation.

Maddox grinned. “Leah already introduced herself. You took too long, man.”

“I was walking with the other pretty lady,” Chance defended himself.

“Yeah, yeah. Just keeping her from meeting me and finding out that I have all the charm.” Maddox held out a hand for Tori to shake. “He’s boring when he’s not fighting. Must mean he’s good with his hands.”

Tori’s eyes went wide, her hand locked in his as she processed what he said. It took a moment, but eventually, she burst out in laughter.

Turning to Chase as she took her hand back from Maddox, she wiped tears as she tried to stop laughing. “You were right. She will fit right in.”

Maddox draped his arms around both women, standing between them, grinning at Chance. Chance had to use physical effort not to pull Tori away from him and shout mine.

“What say we introduce these lovely ladies to the guys?” Maddox said, pulling them along with him.

Chance had no choice but to fall in line behind them. Plotting on how to get Tori away from Maddox, he didn’t have to do much as Tori wiggled herself free of Maddox’s arm.

“I see how it is,” Maddox laughed her off. “Chance, you better take care of my girl.”

Chance rolled his eyes as Tori walked up next to him. “I promise, he’s always like that,” he assured her.

Tori giggled. “So is she.”

He led her around the team and introduced her to everyone. They had long since stopped sitting, instead standing around. A game of darts had started and gotten heated, so he sidestepped them.

“Sorry about them,” Chance told her.

“It’s weird to be here with everyone. We’ve watched you guys play for what seems like forever, but I’ve never met any of the players in real life,” Tori rambled.

Chance took her drink. He wasn’t sure what number it was and set it on the table for her. “I assure you we are real life, even on the field.” His actions and subsequent punishment were proof of that.

“You know what I mean,” she pushed his shoulder. “Like to us, you guys are out of reach, not normal people. But I’m standing here with most of the team tonight and it just seems surreal.”

Chance hadn’t really considered it before. He knew they were popular but not on that kind of level to the fans. “I guess I can see what you mean. Maybe we should do something for the fans as a team.”

“I didn’t mean you needed to change anything. I was just saying how it is for me tonight,” Tori told him.

It didn’t matter. His head was already whirling with ideas for how they could make the team more relatable, starting with himself. It could go a long way to showing everyone he’s not just angry. Well, that and not punching other players.

Mentally he knew he shouldn’t do that, but fans couldn’t hear the things that were said on that field. It wasn’t just fouls, it was trash talk sometimes, and that was usually what pushed him over the edge.

Deep breathing usually worked when he took the time to do it. It gave him a moment to get himself under control before he acted. He just needed to remember to do that.

“You okay?” Tori asked.

“Sorry. I was thinking about what you said. I think it’s a really good idea.”

“Oh. Well, I’m glad I could help.”

“Tell me about you and Emmett,” Chase said.

Tori shrugged. “Got married young. Had a kid shortly after. Turns out my husband at the time preferred redheads. Got divorced and have raised Emmett mostly by myself for the last few years. As for Emmett, as I’m sure you could guess, he loves soccer.”

He hadn’t even considered that she wasn’t single. Now he was damn glad to know she wasn’t. “What about you?”

“Emmett is my life. I don’t do much else unless Leah drags me out.”

“I’m glad she did,” Chance stepped closer to her, reaching out and pushing a stray hair off her face.

Tori ducked her head, avoiding his gaze. “Me too.”

Progress! He wanted to shout it to everyone. “Would you maybe like to go out with me another time? Like without everyone else?” That was real smooth, he chastised himself.

“I don’t know,” she said. “I am kind of a package deal, Chance and you have a busy big life.”

In all his years of playing soccer, he’d never been turned down because of it before. “It’s not that different than other jobs. And I understand about Emmett. He’s a cool little dude.” Chance tried to defend himself.

“Look,” Tori gave him her full attention. “I don’t know you that well and I don’t know if I could do this often. I’m more of a stay at home and watch a movie kind of person.” She gestured to the bar.

“We could do that instead. The point of a date is to get to know each other, but I’m game for pizza and a movie. Ask Maddox. He had to practically drag me out tonight. I’m many things, but I’m not a go out all the time kind of person either.”

Tori shook her head. “It was great to meet you, but I don’t think it would work.”

She left him standing there, dumbfounded, in the middle of the bar, surrounded by his teammates as she walked away. He hadn’t a clue what he’d done wrong or how to fix it if he even saw her again.