“I’m Amanda.The team captain.”
“Pleased to meet you,” Maia said.“I’m excited to be here.”
“We’re the lucky ones.”Amanda introduced several other women bustling around the piles of uniforms.
Maia committed names to memory, thankful she had a knack for this.The squad, including her, totaled twenty.
“Grab one off each pile,” Amanda said.“If your size isn’t available, make a note on the sheet on the table.It’s all very scientific.”
Maia joined the line and grabbed items and a gear bag.The other women chatted, throwing jibes and one-liners, while Maia experienced new-kid vibes.A few tried to include her, but she didn’t understand the inside jokes because she hadn’t spent years playing through the different Otago grades.
Once she reached the end of the line, her arms full of clothing, she hesitated.
Amanda tapped her on the shoulder.“The coaches and management want to discuss our training schedule and season expectations.”
Maia shoved the clothing into the gear bag and fell into step with Amanda.She’d seen her play in Auckland once.She was a talented player—athletic and a skilled kicker.On the day Maia had watched her play, she’d nailed several penalty goals.
The two coaches, one male and one female, and Seth Davies, the manager Maia had already met, were waiting for them.Everyone slid into seats, and she followed suit.
“Does everyone have their uniforms?”Seth asked.
Maia scanned the bulging gear bag at her feet.Yep, all done.
The man scanned faces and stopped when he came to her.“Ah, Maia.Excellent.Everyone, this is Maia Jacobs, our new number eight.She brings a lot of skill and speed to our forward pack, and we expect great things from her.Maia, I need you to complete some paperwork once the coaches finish here.”
She gave a swift nod and turned her attention to the coaches, who started discussing training and the schedule of matches.The coaches didn’t introduce themselves, but it didn’t matter.Rose McDonald was an ex-Black Fern player, and Cameron Doige had coached the Hurricanes in Wellington—both top-notch coaches.
“Since our first match is in a fortnight, we’re bringing forward our training.Meet here at five on Thursday.If you don’t attend training, we won’t consider you for the game,” Cameron said when a few grumbled.“We’ll also have the planned training session on Wednesday.Anyone have injuries?”
Maia hesitated, then told the truth.“I tripped over my own feet and hit my head yesterday.The doctor says I have a mild concussion.I’d intended to speak with you after the meeting.”She pulled a face—a comical one, she hoped, because everyone was staring at her with varying expressions ranging from dismay to horror to grins.
The manager shared a speaking glance with the coaches before turning to her.“Maia, we’ll catch up once we finish here.”
Maia’s stomach flipped, and the sensation didn’t come close to anticipation.No, dread slithered through her, given the silent exchange.
Henry didn’t stay in his vehicle.He tried, but his foot jiggled, his wolf whined, and he couldn’t get comfortable.He watched the women arrive in groups of two or three.They seemed a tight-knit bunch since loud laughter and greetings rang out when the different groups interacted.They vanished indoors, and Henry climbed from his vehicle and prowled the crammed parking lot, scanning the different cars.Some were almost new with gleaming paint, while others were beat-up economy-sized cars covered with scratches and dings.None appeared out of place, and they were all empty.
No one had followed them.He was positive of that, but the person who’d bashed Maia might know her schedule.Henry would quiz Maia about the possibility.
The ex-boyfriend.
His mind stalled at that point.
He wanted to push Maia away, but the idea of another man in her life… It bothered him big time.A growl echoed through his mind.
Long strides took him around the compact parking lot and back to his vehicle.With his restlessness assuaged, he’d double down on background research.He’d start with Maia and her family.
Maia had a basic social media presence that she rarely updated, but he’d follow up on her friends.She might appear in their photos.Yeah, he’d do that and go from there.
He’d already memorized the names from her informal interview with Laura.He’d start with Bryce, the guy she’d mentioned.According to Maia, they’d dated and decided they worked better as friends.No spark.But what if this man had unrequited feelings for her?Maia’s friend-zoning might cause him to snap.Yeah, he could understand the urge to get closer to Maia.
Bryce was an accountant, the same as Maia, but he’d taken a job at a prestigious Auckland firm.He had several social media accounts, and Henry discovered photos of the man with Maia.None of them appeared loverlike, but Henry scowled anyway.They had their arms draped around each other, hamming for the camera.They looked young and carefree, making him feel like a cranky old man.
Then Henry came across a recent post of Bryce with another woman.Susan.The photo resembled the ones of Bryce and Maia.A romantic couple?Heck, Susan could be his sister.He followed links and no, Susan wasn’t Bryce’s sister.She’d posted a photo of the pair on her page at an annual charity ball.Relief slapped Henry because they appeared close in this one.Bryce and Maia weren’t together.
Henry discovered more photos.They were lovers.Something about the eyes and tender expressions.Satisfaction filled him on seeing this proof until he followed a link from a group photo to find one of Maia with a blond man.A handsome dude.Preppy type, yet he possessed some muscle, so he wasn’t a nerd.He held Maia close, his grip possessive.
Henry located more photos—one at a rugby match, showing Maia’s face speckled with mud after a game.In contrast, the dude was spotless, and the camera had caught the man’s mild distaste.Maia beamed, full of suppressed excitement and triumph.Other shots showed them at charity balls, university functions, and at a pub.He released a heavy sigh.Maia had told Laura he was an ex-boyfriend.Could he be harassing Maia?Henry’s fingers danced over his keypad as he deep-dived into the dude’s background.Also an accountant with a bigwig Auckland firm.He lived in a luxury apartment and liked to run.
