“You are not in possession of all the facts, Travis.” Thor separates us with his hands, shoving both our chests and pushing us back. “And we all know what happens if we get into it with one another.” He drags his gaze around all the guys. I’m sure their coach has spoken to them this week just like ours has. They’re aware of the beef between both teams, and we’ve been warned not to go there.
“What the fuck does that mean?” Travis growls.
“You should talk to Astrid,” Thor says.
“No.” I stab Garner with a sharp look. “Astrid has been through enough.” Garner’s brows knit together. “If you want the truth, I’ll talk to you but only you.” I’m not setting myself up to be ambushed. I don’t expect him to go for it, so I’m surprised when he nods.
“I’ll be waiting at the diner after the game.”
A neutral public venue is a good idea. “I’ll be there.”
“Good game, Hunt,” one of the guys from school calls out when I enter the diner a few hours later. It was a tough match, and we only managed to secure a draw, which frustrated me, but we gave it our all. Of all the games we’ve played so far this season,the Giants were the toughest opponents. Their striker is lethal, and our defense worked overtime to stop several attempts on goal. To be fair, we’re lucky we got the draw. It could easily have been a loss.
“Thanks, man.” I jerk my head in acknowledgement but don’t stop, heading for the booth tucked at the end where Garner is waiting. I glance around as I make my way towards him, pleasantly surprised that he kept to his word and came without his mates.
I slide into the booth across from Travis, and our eyes meet. An empty coffee cup sits in front of him.
“What can I get you, Callan?” Emma asks when she approaches our table.
“Just a water, thanks.”
“Refill, hon?” she asks Travis, but he shakes his head.
“One water coming right up.” She walks off, and I swing my eyes back around to my rival.
“You’re late,” he grits out. “Was just about to leave.”
“I had to talk with Astrid after the match to ensure she was okay with me telling you this.”
He quirks a brow. “And?”
Leaning my forearms on the table, I move my face in closer to his. “What I’m about to say needs to be kept between us. We don’t want everyone at school gossiping about this.” The guys know to keep their mouths shut, and Astrid’s friends aren’t blabbing to anyone either, so what happened in Thor’s guest room has been contained, and that’s the way I want it to stay.
“The guys want an explanation.” He leans back, regarding me coolly as Emma reappears with my water.
I wait until she’s gone before speaking. “You can tell them you know the truth and it’s aboveboard. They’ll listen to their QB.”
A muscle pops in his jaw as he stares at me. If he doesn’t promise, the deal is off. Astrid is trying to put a brave face on it, but she’s upset at what may or may not have happened in that bedroom. Maybe we won’t ever know, and that’s a bitter pill for her to swallow. I won’t do anything to make it worse for her. I’m here to try to smooth things over for the team, but I won’t do that at Astrid’s expense. As it is, I’m taking a leap of faith trusting Garner will keep his word even if he makes that promise. “I think you’ll want to keep it quiet anyway for Joe’s sake as much as Astrid’s.”
“Okay,” he says a few beats later, rubbing at his lips.
“I mean it, Garner. Astrid is already traumatized enough. It can go no further.”
“I said okay, and I never break my word.”
My gut says he’s on the level, so I tell him everything that happened that night, purposely leaning in close and keeping my voice low so no one overhears, watching as his face pales the more I explain.
“Jesus.” He scrubs his hands down his face when I finish talking. “I’ve known Joe all my life, and I’d like to defend him, to say he would never do something like that, but he’s been acting really fucking odd these past couple months.” I drink my water as I listen. “He has some weird obsession with Astrid, and he hates your fucking guts.”
“That’s not news to me, and the feeling is mutual. He did something to her.” My jaw pulls tight with barely restrained anger. At least ten minutes are unaccounted for, and Joe Hemsworth did not bring Astrid upstairs to talk to her in that room. “I know he did, but Astrid doesn’t remember. It’s possible she was passed out or her mind has blanked it out to protect her.”
“I’m sorry that happened to Astrid and for what I insinuated earlier. I was jumping to all the wrong conclusions,” he says,surprising me again. “Astrid is cool, and he never deserved her.” He drums his fingers lightly on the table. “What I say next is for your ears only. It doesn’t go any further.”
I nod. “Understood.”
“He cheated on her the entire time they were together. I argued with him about it, ’cause it wasn’t right. He excused it because she wouldn’t put out, but he went down a lot in my estimation. You don’t cheat on any girl, period, especially not one like Astrid.”
I can tell he’s genuine, and I’m actually starting to like the guy. “He was an idiot, and I’m glad she doesn’t know that. It’d hurt her so much.”
