29. Chapter Twenty-Nine

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Cole

The last person I want to talk to right now is Coach Galvin, but he corners me as I leave the locker room, and the wild look in his eyes tells me I should probably give him at least a few minutes of my attention.

"That was quite a win, son!"

I clench my jaw before I tell him not to call me that. "We have a good team, and we owe those last two tries to—"

"See, I knew making you captain was a great idea." He puts his arm around my shoulders. "Didn't I tell you that? And then you go and beat Portland!"

I step away from his touch and fold my arms. "You sound surprised that we won."

"Yes, well, practices weren't looking so—"

"What practices? You were hardly there for them." I bite my tongue as soon as the words leave my mouth. But like I told Carissa, I'm too tired tonight to be rational, and after Coach spent ten minutes lauding his coaching skills as we were changing, my patience level is at an all-time low.

He chuckles but narrows his eyes. "Is something bothering you, Evanson?"

Everything about this man bothers me. Even when he does show up to practice, it's not like he does anything to benefit the team. I've had a hellish day and I want to go to bed so it can be tomorrow and I can talk to Carissa and figure out a way to stop being so afraid to let her into my life.

"Nothing at all, sir," I say instead of the truth. "I'm sure the team would like to get some sleep, so we should probably—"

"After your stellar performance today, I'm beginning to think you and I could do great things together on the back end. Turn this team into something more…lucrative."

Cold dread washes over me, leaving me chilled to the bone as I stare at the familiar glint of greed in his eyes. My last coach said almost exactly the same thing to me two years ago. I had had my suspicions for a while, when some of my guys fumbled plays they knew by heart and weren't bothered by the mistakes, but when the Badgers' coach asked if I was interested in making some extra cash by tweaking the outcomes of games, I knew for sure. The team was corrupt, driven by rich men hoping to get richer.

And the worst part is I almost agreed. Sage had been pestering me to try to get more recognition and a better contract once mine was up at the end of the season, as if my salary of millions wasn't enough. I was working on a contract, but when Sage learned about the corruption, she tried to convince me it was an opportunity too good to pass up. Anyone in the inner circle of the betting ring was making far more than their regular paychecks could ever get them, and I was in a unique position to affect entire games, not just single plays.

Swallowing, I grip the strap of my bag and do my best to keep my expression neutral. "All we have to do is win more games."

"Sure, sure," Coach says, rubbing his hands together, "but I'm talking about lucrative for you specifically. I know you know what I mean, coming from the Badgers and their…special strategies. It would be like a bonus for—"

"Sir, I'm here to play rugby. I don't want more than that. And I'll only be your captain until Auxier is healed and back to full strength."

Coach scoffs, looking down his nose at me now. "Auxier may never see a game again."

"Is that a threat?" The question slips out of me before I can stop it, even though it would probably be better to pretend I have no clue what he means.

He laughs, shaking his head. "It's business, Evanson. Something you clearly don't understand. I'll admit I'm disappointed, but I should have expected as much from a gutless quitter." He steps past me, shoulder bumping into mine, but stops a few feet away and looks back. "How long do you think you'll last in this sport before you move on to something new? Another year? Less?" Grinning wickedly, he turns on his heel and disappears down the tunnel.

My bag slips from my shoulder, landing with a thump at my feet as the last few minutes replay in my head. Coach Galvin is just as bad as the Badgers. Maybe worse. Moxie's career with the Thunder might be in jeopardy. My career might be under threat. And what happens if Coach convinces some of the guys to team up with him? There's not enough money in rugby to cause any real problems, but… But what if that changes? Coach clearly knows what's going down with my old team and seems to have plans to start his own scheme .

Cursing under my breath, I dig into my bag for my phone and ignore the two texts Carissa has sent me to ask where I am. Instead I dial my dad's number and hope he hasn't gone to bed yet.

I need advice. Desperately.

He answers after two rings. "Hey, Lemon! Congrats on the—"

"The Badgers were corrupt. Rigging games and stats to boost certain bets."

He's quiet for a long beat before he clears his throat. "Uh, Gramps is here too."

I curse, switching the phone to my other ear as I start to pace. I barely wanted to tell my dad the truth, and I worry Gramps will try to do something to fix the problem and get himself into trouble.

"Watch that language," Gramps chides. "You're not with that girlfriend of yours, are you?"

"She's not my…" She's not my what? I'm in love with the woman, and she clearly wants to be with me. But I don't know if it's a good idea to date her, especially now, so what am I supposed to call Carissa?

"How long has this corruption been happening?" Dad asks, thankfully steering the conversation back to the important matter.

"I don't know," I say as I pace. "Since before I left."

"Were you—"

"No." I'm so glad that I can tell him that truth, even if the rest of this conversation sucks. "It's why I got out when my initial contract was up. I didn't want to be a part of anything like that."

"Why haven't we heard about this?" Gramps asks. "That would be a big story."

"It would be if I had ever told anyone about it," I agree. "But there are good guys on that team, and if this got out, it would ruin their careers."

Dad hums thoughtfully. "I always knew I raised you right, Cole."

"Only because I raised you right, Aug," Gramps throws in. "Why tell us now? "

I take a deep breath. "Because Galvin just asked me to do something similar, and I don't know what to do. I don't know how to protect my team. He's not happy that I turned him down, and I'm worried—"

"That coach of yours is a real piece of work," Gramps says gruffly. "And who's betting on MLR games anyway? No one."

"No one except you," Dad says.

"Exactly, so my odds are always good."

"But your returns are not."

"Maybe not now, but—"

"Stop betting on my games, Gramps," I say, shaking my head. "I'm stressed enough as it is."

"Mm, we can discuss that later," Gramps says. "Right now we need to know if that pretend coach of yours is going to do something he'll regret."

My phone buzzes with a text, and I glance at it to see Carissa asking where I am again. The team is probably waiting on me, but I have no idea how long this conversation might go.

"I don't care if he does something to me," I mutter, typing out a reply text and telling Carissa to leave without me. I'll get myself a ride back to the hotel. "But the rest of the guys? If Galvin is serious about trying to build up some kind of betting ring within Major League Rugby, that money is going to tempt a lot of players. No one makes enough in this sport to live off of."

Another text pops up.

Carissa:

Are you okay?

"What does Carissa think you should do?" Dad asks, like he knows I'm staring at her name right now.

I sigh. "I haven't told her any of this."

"Why the heck not? "

"You know why. My feelings for her are dangerous enough as it is, and I don't want—"

"Cole, are you telling me you're letting a stupid family curse keep you from opening your heart to that woman?" Dad actually sounds angry. "We saw the way you looked at her tonight, and I know that little injury stunt was your idea."

"You're so eager to protect everyone around you," Gramps says, "but you forget you're not the only one with strength. If you're busy holding up the world, you can't do anything more fun with your hands."

"Gramps!" I say in shock, laughing despite the seriousness of the conversation. Already I'm remembering how it felt to hold Carissa in the pool. By the vending machines. After the game. I shake my head, forcing myself to concentrate. "It's bad enough that I'm telling the two of you about all of this. I'm not risking Carissa's career or worse by bringing her into this mess."

"You love her," Dad says. Not a question.

I grip my phone tighter. "I think I do."

"I'm glad you didn't buy into any of that hooey Hot Scoop said about her," Gramps says. "I only spoke to her for five minutes, and even I know it's all nonsense. That girl is special."

My phone buzzes.

Carissa:

If I don't hear from you in thirty seconds, I'm coming to find you.

I sigh and quickly type out a response.

Cole:

I'm fine. Or I will be. Get back to the hotel safe, and I'll see you in the morning for breakfast. I promise.

"I know she's special," I murmur, gazing at the heart emoji she sends back. "That's why I'm not going to be the reason she gets hurt. I need to fix this without bringing her into it. "

"I hate to say it, Lemon," Dad says, "but I don't think this is something you can fix on your own."

"I won't—"

"You can keep Carissa out of it if you think you need to. But she's not the only person on your team. Gramps and I will try to think of a solution for you, but I think you should tell Derek."

I groan, but I should have expected that. "I know you think Derek Riley is some all-knowing, all-powerful being, but he's not."

"No," Dad agrees, "but he has a knack for solving problems, and you know it. If you tell him about the corruption—on both teams—he won't stop looking for a solution until it's all fixed. Besides, he's your best friend. Don't you think he deserves to know what's been weighing you down all this time?"

I sink against the wall, letting those words soak in. I know it has bothered Derek to be kept in the dark about my reasons for leaving football, but I've never let myself really think about what it's like for him. How would I feel if he suddenly stopped acting and refused to tell me why? If he told me that it was for my protection, I would tell him that I can take care of myself. Anything he's up against is something I would gladly go up against too.

Derek would do the same for me, and I've been a jerk by not letting him support me as a friend. I've been a jerk to all my friends.

"Ah, I think you've gotten through to him, August," Gramps says in a mock whisper.

"Shut up, old man," I grumble. "I'm sorry I've wanted to protect my friends."

"It's one thing to protect them," Gramps replies. "It's another to trust them enough to let them to protect you . In case it isn't clear, I'm not just talking about Derek. Again, if you're always taking care of the people around you, that leaves no room for things like kissing. "

I hum as the memory of Carissa's mouth on mine leaves my lips tingling. Her kiss was electric. Explosive. Exquisite . "There's still time for that," I murmur.

"There's my boy," Dad says with a chuckle. "Now, stop talking to a couple of geezers and get Riley's big brain working. The sooner you get help solving your problem, the sooner you can stop letting guilt hold you back from love."

I frown as I consider that. I thought it was the curse keeping me from opening my heart to Carissa. The fear that she'll get hurt or worse. But I trust my dad, and he knows me better than anyone. Could my problem be so simple?.

"Cole?" Dad says.

"Hmm?"

"I know you feel responsible for anything you touch—you're not. People make choices, and that's on them. And I know you're scared to lose someone you love. No one will fault you for that. But take it from me. No matter how little time I got with your mom, having her in my life was worth all the heartache that came from losing her. I pray Carissa has a long life ahead of her, but if fate decides that she doesn't, nothing you do or don't do will change that. Wouldn't you rather soak up the time you can get? Enjoy the moments you can share with her?"

Of course I would rather have her in my life. There's no question of that. "But what if—"

"Stop living scared," Gramps snaps. "Don't make me come up there and knock some sense into you!"

I chuckle. "You think you can take me in a fight?"

"With ease. One of these days you have to stop underestimating people, Coleman."

Maybe he's right, and as I start heading out of the stadium to finally make my way back to the hotel, I think back to the night Carissa challenged me to an arm wrestle. She comes across as delicate and fragile, but she's anything but. Maybe I've been underestimating her determination when it comes to tempting fate. She doesn't live life scared. Even when she came to the Thunder and knew it was a bad idea to go against her rules, she almost always went with her heart rather than her head.

If she hadn't, I never would have gotten the chance to know her. To kiss her. To love her .

"I should go," I tell my family. "Thanks for listening tonight. I'm going to talk to Derek, but if you come up with any brilliant plans for saving my team, let me know."

"We'll figure this out," Dad replies. "We've got your back, Cole. And just so you know, if you aren't willing to admit that you're head over heels for Carissa when you get back home, we're going to have another talk. None of this ‘I think I love her' nonsense."

I'm not going to grace that comment with a response. "See you when I get back."

I order myself a rideshare—the closest car is several minutes away—and then I dial Derek's number, silently telling myself that filling him in on the corruption is a good thing. That it won't threaten the life I'm building in Los Angeles or the friends who mean so much to me.

Derek answers at the last second, which is unusual for him. He either answers immediately or his phone goes straight to voicemail; there is no in between. "What's up?"

I frown and glance at the phone. "Why do you sound suspicious?"

"I don't sound suspicious." And he doesn't. Now . But I swear his greeting came with a healthy measure of anticipation, like he was waiting for something. Now it sounds like he has slipped on his actor mask, which means I'll have no idea what he's thinking about anything.

Much as I hate that, I press forward after glancing around to make sure no one is around me. This isn't exactly something I want anyone to overhear. "I'm going to tell you why I left football, but I need you to promise to keep it to yourself. "

"Of course," he answers without hesitation. At least I can count on Derek to hold to that; he doesn't make promises lightly.

Though I have to psych myself up, I tell him everything about the game manipulation and under-the-table bribes, giving him as much detail as I can before he starts asking questions. My body is tense the whole time I talk, but something inside me feels like it's shifting. Coming loose.

Much like when I kissed Carissa last night, it feels like I'm setting down a boulder that has weighed me down for a long time.

"When Javi got involved, I knew I had to get out," I finish, exhaling all at once, like I'm finally letting go of a breath I've been holding for years. "He would have never stopped trying to get me in on the scheme, and there was no way I could renew my contract without being part of the problem once I knew about it. And now it feels like all that crap has followed me to the Thunder, and I don't know what to do. Tell me what to do."

For some reason, Derek laughs, though I have no idea how any of this can amuse him. "You all have a lot more faith in me than you should."

"C'mon, man. Don't make me regret calling you."

"I'm glad you called. And I'm glad you told me about the corruption. That sucks."

I sigh. "It does suck. And I don't know how to fix it, which is why I'm coming to you and your resources."

He chuckles again, and I can picture him shaking his head at me like I'm being ridiculous. "I like how you pretend you're a perfectly average person when we both know you're not."

"What's the point of having fame and fortune when it can't do anything to solve my problems?" I groan. All of this would be so much easier if I wasn't famous. I've never craved an average life more than I do right now. "I haven't told you the worst part. "

Once I've explained Coach Galvin's offer, Derek whistles low. "Sounds like your ‘coach' isn't fond of his paycheck." His irritation comes out clear when he mentions Galvin, making me smile.

As a car pulls up, I quickly verify that it's my driver and climb into the backseat, dropping my voice to try to keep my phone conversation private as the driver heads for the hotel. "He's making more than he deserves, whatever it is."

"You're probably right." Derek sounds thoughtful now, which is a good sign. He's likely already halfway to a brilliant plan that will solve all my problems. "Before I say anything, I need to know what it is you want here, Cole. Let's start with the Badgers. What's your goal?"

I could probably leave that part of my life behind me and be fine, but as we start moving through the streets of Portland, memories of my old life start to surface. I was too focused on Carissa today to really think about the years I spent here, but now that she is in a better place emotionally, my thoughts begin to stray to the city around me.

I liked it here, with the river and the rain. I liked playing in front of sold-out crowds and working as a team and doing something I loved with guys I admired and respected.

"There are still good guys on that team," I say, frowning at the city as it passes by. "At some point, they're all going to get recruited or they'll be shut out, and not all of them will have the same luck of finding something new if they don't give in to the pressure. I wish there was a way to expose the bad agents and protect the good."

Derek hums thoughtfully. "Have you talked to Carissa's sister? Darcy?"

I frown. "Why?"

I can practically hear him roll his eyes. "Because if anyone can expose something like this without hurting the innocent players, Tamlin Park can. "

I feel like I just got punched in the jaw. "How did you know she—you know what? Never mind." I know better than to question Derek and his limitless knowledge. "If I tell her what's happening, they'll know I'm the one who let the cat out of the bag when it all goes south."

"How?" Derek argues. "Darcy has sources all over the country and it could have come from anywhere. You haven't been with the team in two years. You're going to be at Javi's wedding and showing everyone that you have no hard feelings toward any of the Badgers."

I pull my phone from my ear, staring at my screen as if I might be able to see Derek through it. "You're joking, right?"

"Nope. I told you there would be consequences if you didn't do your homework."

I curse loudly, startling my driver, and speak as forcefully as I can. "There is no way in hell I'm going to that wedding."

Derek chuckles. "Are you sure about that? Because you of all people know it's a bad idea to bet against Princess Freya Alverra."