“Thanks, Riles.” He kisses the top of my head. “Thank you for being here.”
The conference concludes right after Nat’s announcement, but the reporters want interviews and Max surprises the new Lucky Strikers members with non-lettered jerseys.
“We’ll have to talk signing agreements and such before you get your jersey number,” the team manager says once the cameras stop rolling. “But I still want to commemorate this moment by giving you something that says ‘you’re family now’.”
Nat and the other team members file out of the room so they can change, and I chat with April, Rebel and Cordelia.
One by one, the other team members emerge, but Nat doesn’t.
“Where’s Campbell?” One of the Lucky Strikers asks.
My mind immediately jumps to the worst-case scenario. What if he passed out? What if he’s in pain because of his leg? What if he needs help?
“I’ll go find him.” I race out of the conference room and down the hallway.
My fingers immediately reach for my phone.
He’s not answering my calls.
I knock on the male bathroom door. “Nat?”
There’s no response.
I poke my head in and squeak, “Hello?”
It sounds empty.
I step in and push the stall doors open.
Nothing.
Nat is gone.
The door creaks and a reporter steps into the bathroom. He gives me a shocked look.
“Sorry, excuse me,” I mumble.
The reporter steps aside to let me pass. “Hey, if you’re looking for Campbell, I think I saw him heading to the stairwell.”
“Thank you.” I sprint toward the empty stairwell and slam the door open. It crashes against the wall.
Nat is near the stairs and he jumps. I hear the distinct sound of pills rattling but, when I look at his hands, there are no pills.
Nat smiles and the teal-and-white jersey brings out the green undertones in his eyes. Normally, I’d be distracted by his hotness, but there’s this premonition sawing at my gut.
Something is wrong.
“Hey, Riles,” Nat says.
“What are you doing in here?” I glance at his temple and note the sweat there. “Nat, what’s going on?”
His smile is mischievous, but it doesn’t meet his eyes at all. “I was just thinking about you. And you appeared.”
“Nat.”
He prowls toward me.
A hot shiver runs down my spine, but I step back to put space between us. “Everyone is waiting for you out?—”
