Page 83 of Scoring Chances

“Where’s the car? Where is the car?” I mutter, looking around frantically.

A large black SUV pulls up in front of us and Joshua jumps out, sliding the doors open. “Jump in,” he says.

“What’s going on?” I push Maddie in first and crawl in behind her.

“Someone tipped off the paparazzi that we were here,” he says, shutting the door behind me.

I take the seat next to his mom on one of the captain’s chairs. I look behind me and Maddie is slipping into the seat between Cole and Parker’s car seat. Joshua jumps into the driver’s seat avoiding the growing crowd shoving mics and cameras into his face.

“Does this happen a lot?” Oliver asks.

“No,” Joshua says huffing into his seat and latching the seat belt into place before driving off.

Rina’s number shows up on his phone connected to the bluetooth. Something’s not right.

He answers, “Kind of in the middle of something here, Rina.”

“Have you heard?” her voice echos through the bluetooth in the car speakers.

“Have I heard what?”

“Thunderhawks just announced your trade.”

“I thought they were waiting on that.”

“Yeah, well they’re on their own timeline. We need to move up the press conference. The fans don’t like that they found out this way.”

He sighs. “I have family in town.”

“Monday then.”

“Fine. Monday.”

“Hold tight until then okay. Try not to go anywhere. Stay low,” she instructs him.

“Uh… a little late for that, Ri. We just left Minute Maid and got hounded.”

“Great,” she sighs. “Ok, I’ll handle it.”

They disconnect.

“Have you and Cassidy decided what you’re going to do when you have to move?” Oliver asks him.

“No, Dad.”

“Long-distance can be pretty hard,” Oliver says. “Not impossible, just hard.”

“Yeah… so is short-distance when you have the media after you,” Joshua says, looking at me through the rearview mirror.

You know what. I don’t care at this point. He leaves. He stays. He gives up on having a relationship with his siblings for the sake of keeping his mom in a state of blissful unawareness… that’s on him.

I need to move on with my life. The real world awaits beyond the walls of the Heatwave bubble I’ve cocooned myself in since taking on this position.

“So what are planning on doing after the summer, Cassidy?” Oliver asks.

I breathe in deeply. “I’m starting classes at U of H. Working towards a master’s degree.”

“Really? That’s amazing. I’m sure you’ll do it. You’re seem like a smart girl."