“Set it up,” I say. “We’ll be there.”
“Good. I’ll send you the details. And Jax?”
“Yeah?”
“She’s lucky to have you in her corner.”
I end the call.
I stand there in the parking lot processing everything.
“She’s going to be okay,” Callum says.
“Yeah,” Zephyr agrees.
I nod, but I’m not sure if I believe it’s that simple.
In the locker room, Coach walks in and says, “Jax Kingsway.”
“Yes, Coach.”
“Where the hell were you when I called that team meeting?”
“Tending personal matters.”
Coach slowly walks over. “Personal matters, huh?” He pulls out a cup and says, “I need you to piss in this. Protocol.”
“Yes, sir,” I say, walking toward the restroom.
“While he’s doing that, listen up. We have a roster change. Micah Kirby is moving up to center.”
I hear Callum laugh. “Rumors were true?”
Coach barks back, but I don’t hear it as the restroom door closes behind me.
I piss in the cup, screw the lid back on, wash my hands, and walk back out with it. “Where do you want it, Coach?”
“On my desk.”
“Rowan’s been suspended, pending investigation.”
Ben asks, “Is he the one who sabotaged the samples?”
“Nothing’s been confirmed yet, but the point I’m trying to make here is Micah.”
Micah’s good. Solid player. But he’s not Rowan.
We all exchange looks.
“Let’s see how practice goes, boys. And be nice on our new center.”
Practice is brutal.
Coach makes us run drills until my legs are shaking. Conditioning. Stick work. Defensive plays.
But I can’t focus.
I keep checking my phone between drills. No messages from Tiger. Which is good. It means she’s fine.
