The Guy on the Left (The Underdogs, #2)(84)
Troy: You know me. This isn’t me. I don’t want to leave things like this. Please talk to me.
I dial her number and get voicemail.
“Jesus, fuck!” I hurl my phone at the wall and rip at my hair.
Her reaction was knee-jerk. I know it. I can’t for one second tell her she’s overreacting, because I get it. I felt every ounce of her fear. I felt the same terror when I saw him holding that needle. But this woman knows me, she knows my heart, she knows me. I have to believe that when her anger subsides, she won’t think the worst. But I’m out of time.
“FUCK!”
Lance knocks on my door. “Hey, man, you good?”
“Do I fucking look good?”
“What’s going on?”
“Dante found some juice and a needle in my truck, and Clarissa thinks it’s mine.”
“You don’t juice.”
“I know that, but she’s too pissed off to see the light of day. I need to leave, like now, for Combine. She won’t even talk to me. It’s all fucked.”
Lance crosses his arms. “She’s just freaking out. She’ll calm down.”
“You don’t get it. Her mom went out with a needle. This is a deal-breaker for her.”
“All you can do is plead your case.”
“That’s all I seem to fucking do with this woman.” I’m busting from the inside out. “The cap was on. It didn’t touch him. He’s fine.”
“You’re sure?”
“Yeah. If I weren’t, we wouldn’t be having this conversation. I saw him pull it out of the bag, and then it was in my hand.”
“Then go. You’ll sort this shit when you get back.”
“What the hell am I going to do?”
“Go to camp, man, it’s all you can do.”
“I can’t leave it like this!”
“You’ve got no choice. This is what the league will be like. The game doesn’t give a shit about your personal life. This is your chance, man, don’t blow it.”
“I don’t know,” I scrub my jaw. “You should have seen her. I think she believes it was mine. Fuck, she was supposed to drop me at the airport.”
“I’ve got you.” He pulls up his phone and shoots off a text.
“She’ll come around. You need to go.”
“I don’t know if I can.”
“You’re going. Your boy is alright. I’ll go and check on them both in a bit. I swear to you. I’ve got this handled. Go.”
“Fuck, Lance, if I lose her…” I grab my duffle and head downstairs as an Uber pulls up. The driver, who looks a hell of a lot like a bald Carrot Top, introduces himself as Dave and takes my luggage as I scan Clarissa’s house. A house that encases the whole of my fucking heart.
“I’ve got this,” Lance assures me from where he stands on the porch. “This is just as much for them now as it is for you. You’ll work it out when you get back.”
“Right,” I linger at the open door of a Taurus. “Please, baby,” I whisper as I stare at her front door, praying for a glimpse of her. All my hopes evaporate when the house stays lifeless.
“You gotta go, man,” Lance calls out as I linger.
“Text me?”
“Go.”
Nodding as my heart cracks, I climb into the back seat and shut the door before the car speeds away from the curb.
Sharon’s Broccoli Rice Casserole
PE Teacher, Louisiana
Makes 10-12 servings
1 hour
1 Stick Butter – Melted
? Cup Chopped Onion
1 Can Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 10 oz. Package Frozen Chopped Broccoli 3 Cups Cooked Rice (2 cups uncooked plus 2 cups water) 1 16 oz. Jar Cheese Whiz
1 8 oz. Package Shredded Cheese
Cook broccoli according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
Sauté onion in butter until soft but not brown. Add soup and heat.
Mix broccoli, rice, soup mixture and Cheese Whiz together.
Pour into a buttered 9x13 casserole pan.
Top with shredded cheese.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
Clarissa
“Mommy, he’s wearing my Legit Life shirt!” Dante exclaims, watching the highlights of the first day of the Combine.
“That’s so awesome,” Parker says, nudging me. “Isn’t it, Mommy?”
“Yeah, it’s great, baby.”
Dante prances around the living room. “I’m going to be famous like Troy! Oh! I’ll make a video of Troy wearing my merch! I bet I get some orders!”
“Great idea, Duckie,” Parker says as Dante races off to his bedroom.
Parker turns to me as soon as he’s out of earshot. “Hey, enough is enough. It was a freak incident. You need to snap out of it. He’s okay.”
“I’m fine,” I lie.
“Bullshit. You don’t believe him?”
“Would you?”
She sips her wine. “I mean, yeah, I think you should give him the benefit of the doubt. He deserves that much. He’s taken great strides to prove himself.”