Zoe looked up, petrified, but I watched as her eyes took in the situation unfolding, the calm washed through her. Her body melted against me.
“Why aren’t you out there?” he asked innocently as he dropped onto the seat beside me. “Not playing tonight?”
“Nah.”
“What?” Zoe perked up. “You’re supposed to be playing?”
“No” I said at the same moment Derek said yes.
“Spencer,” there was warning in Zoe’s voice. “Don’t lie to me. Should you be playing tonight?”
“Zoe, it’s fine,” I brushed off dismissively.
The truth was I should have been playing. We were sitting fifth on the ladder and playing our nearest rivals and biggest nemesis?the next town over. These games were usually brutal. A win tonight would guarantee a top four finish for the season and an easier run into the finals, but I didn’t care. It was just a game. Zoe was more important. Hell, she was more important than anything.
“Derek,” Zoe ignored me, instead zeroing in on him and dismissing me. “Don’t lie to me. Should Spencer be out there playing?”
Stealing a glance at me, Derek gulped, then looked at Zoe before ducking his head. And I knew. This wasn’t going to end well for me. He was going to sell me out. Throw me under the bus. “Yeah, I mean. I’m sure it’s fine. Kane’s quite capable of taking the captaincy…”
“You’re the captain?”
Shit! Now I was fucked. “Yeah.” I shrugged, giving in. There was no point making things worse by lying. She’d find out anyway.
“Spencer Robert McLaren,” her voice was thick and deep. I felt my shoulders stiffen and my whole body recoil from Zoe. She was small and I knew she’d never be able to do any damage, but for some reason, in that moment the look set in stone on her face intimidated the hell out of me.
“Yeah,” I squeaked.
“You’re on your own,” Derek muttered in my ear before clambering to his feet and scurrying away.
“Chicken shit…” I muttered as I watched him retreat for safer ground.
“Don’t pretend I’m not here, Spencer. I want to know why you aren’t playing tonight?” Zoe asked pointedly, spinning in her seat and eye balling me.
I wanted to lie to her. Tell her I was injured. Tell her it was planned. Tell her I wasn’t needed. I couldn’t do it. It was like the words were stuck in my throat. Instead I found myself blurting out the truth.
“I didn’t want to.” I shrugged, trying to brush it off as if it was not a big deal.
“Why?”
She wasn’t going to let it go. I’d been hopeful she would, but that wouldn’t be Zoe. Not my Zoe. My Zoe was like a dog with a bone. When she wanted to know something she didn’t ease up. Not for a moment. Not for anyone.
“’Cause it didn’t matter. It’s just a game.” It was the truth. It mightn’t be the whole truth, but there it was. The blunt, honest to God truth.
“It’s because of me, isn’t it?” she whispered, her voice soft and sad.
“Zoe, no. Not at all.”
“Spencer…”
“Okay, okay. Maybe. A little bit. Look, I didn’t want you to feel like you were in the way, so I decided not to play. It’s no big deal, really. I’m fine. Sitting here watching with you?it’s all good. Promise.” I smiled. It was funny…it really was. I was happy sitting in the stands. I’d learnt a lot just from watching. We had a lot of work to do and a lot of improvements we needed to make, but I wouldn’t have known any of that without sitting back and just observing.
“Spencer, you can’t put your life on hold for me…”
“Pippi…I didn’t. Missing one game, spending one afternoon watching movies?none of that’s going to kill me. Besides, I kinda like spending time with you,” I admitted, shifting her back into my arms.
I watched as she scrunched up her face. I could tell she wasn’t happy with my answer but she bit her tongue. Never a good sign with Zoe. Usually when I was in trouble, which I was more often than not, she let me know it. Rubbing my hands up and down her arms, trying to break the tension, I took her face in my hands. “Zoe, it’s only one game. It’s okay. Promise.”
Defeated, she sighed heavily and collapsed against me. “Fine,” she conceded too easily. It wasn’t like her.
