25
Reyes
Practice that week went far too quickly. My time with the kids was almost at an end and soon my days would be filled with constant meetings alongside Rome, planning the future of HotShots. Rome wasted no time adding my name to the company. My old friend seemed more relieved than he’d originally let on that I was joining him in this venture. It made me realize how stressed he had been trying to take it all on alone.
We signed the papers with the bank on Monday for the loan and had a meeting with the construction company the following day to approve the layout. It was going to be three times the size of our current building and would even include an indoor soccer field, allowing the clinic to offer more programs in the winter months. All of the offices would be upstairs, and our current building would be converted to larger public restrooms, which was something the park definitely needed. Construction was set to begin mid-November for the building, weather pending, and if everything went well, it should be ready in the spring.
By the end of the week, we were able to inform the staff and the students about the changes and everyone had been thrilled with the news. Several of the kids were already begging their parents to sign them up for spring lessons as soon as they were available.
Despite how crazy and exciting it all was, I was anxious. I still needed to tell my family that I’d be staying in South Carolina and I knew that wouldn’t go well. Jake’s reassuring gaze and comforting touch held me steady, promising me things would be okay. He even offered to be a part of the phone call if I needed him to and suggested I do it by video chat so they could see me. I wasn’t sure they’d sit still long enough, but I wanted to at least try. More than anything, I wanted to share Jake with them, so I texted Des asking if he could try to warm the family up to the idea.
Jake and I had been spending nearly every minute together, mostly at his place, since he was dog sitting for Beckett and Preston. Lady had more energy than I knew what to do with, and when Jake wasn’t working, he often took her out on a run to help her burn it off. Occasionally I went with him, but I just couldn’t run like I used to. Quinn kept me company while I used the inn’s gym or the workout equipment at Jake’s house. The only time either of the dogs gave us any grief was when Lady found a ball or stick to play with. Then it was endless games of fetch.
I’d seen Wyatt each time I picked Harrison up for practice. He hadn’t improved since Saturday, but he also hadn’t gotten worse, so I could only hope he’d gotten the help he needed at the clinic. I’d made it clear he could call me for anything, but so far, he hadn’t. I hoped that was a good sign.
On Friday before the last two games of the season, I’d woken with a strange sense of dread. Jake was already gone for work, and to my relief, he’d answered when I called, but nothing was out of the ordinary on his end. I’d sent Max a text too, thinking maybe he was the cause of my foreboding.
I headed into a meeting with Rome around two o’clock to talk about who we wanted to keep on through the winter, since all lessons would be canceled. Rome was already in the office when I got there and had a small box of donuts opened on the desk.
“Looks like you’ve been here a while,” I mused.
Rome chuckled, taking a sip from his favorite coffee mug. “A bit.”
I’d just taken a seat in the chair when the door to our office opened, surprising us both. A woman wearing a thick black coat stepped in. The gust of wind that followed her in sent her brown hair flying around her face, and she quickly tried to settle it back down. I had no idea who she was, but the small briefcase she had in her hand made that ball of nerves in my stomach grow exponentially.
“Can we help you?” Rome asked, standing up and stepping around the desk.
She glanced between us, settling on me. “Are you CJ Reyes?”
“Yes.”
She held out a hand, smiling from ear to ear. “I’m Linda Ross. Harrison White’s social worker.”
The air was knocked from my lungs. This was it. I knew it. “Uh, hi.”
“Sorry, I don’t normally do this. In fact, I’m encouraged not to. But”—she bit her lip, eyeing me with dark eyes—“I had to meet you.”
I blinked, immediately wondering if she was a fan. There hadn’t been many in Reedsport other than some of the families at the clinic.
“It was two months ago when Harrison started playing here, right?” she asked.
I was still confused. “Something like that, yeah.”
She smiled again, setting the briefcase on the desk. There was worry and stress in her eyes and something else too. Something I couldn’t read but had me hanging on to every word.
She glanced around the room. “We always try to encourage foster parents to get their kids involved in things so they can feel a sense of pride and belonging during their stay, but… Harrison’s participation here was different than other cases I’ve seen.”
Rome and I exchanged a glance, not sure what to say.
“I’ve been watching over Harris ever since his parents were arrested, and I can honestly say… you’ve made an incredible impact on that boy. He hasn’t stopped talking about you.” Her smile faded, and she dropped her gaze. “I think that’s why I came here because after all you’ve done for him, you deserved to know how much you meant to him.”
Rome shifted his weight from one foot to the other, and I squirmed on my seat. That didn’t sound good. At all.
“I’m sorry, butwhyare you here?” Rome asked in a much calmer voice than I would have been capable of.
Linda took a steady breath and looked right at me. “I wanted to let you know Harrison might not be coming back.”
Anger and fear ripped through me as I jumped out of the chair. “What?”
