Page 86 of Golden Goal

“I’m sorry, Holt. I promised Brooke. She’s going through a rough time. She filed for divorce from Evan. If it was the other way around and one of your guys needed you, you wouldn’t think twice.” She has me there. “Gotta go.” She blows a kiss my way before grabbing her purse off the counter and leaving.

I hiss out a breath, staring at the ceiling. I swear I wrote it down. I even remember telling her. But maybe I didn’t.

“Holt? Are you okay? Should I get someone . . .”

Kat’s voice pulls me out of my memories, and I push her arm off me.

“You’re mistaken. But have your lawyer take it up with mine.”

I wish one of the guys would come out of the dressing room. Or one of the coaches. A trainer. For fuck’s sake, why isn’t anyone around?

“Oh, Holt.” She shakes her head, tsking me. “You’re mistaken.”

“Kathryn. We. Are. Done. Here.” I step back. “There’s nothing left between us. Don’t show up again.”

She lets out a laugh that sounds a bit manic. “We’re so not done, Holt. We were meant to be. We’re soulmates. And I’m ready for us to be a family now.”

I glare at her, trying to figure out what to say to get her to go away. I peek over my shoulder at the door to the locker room. I could go back in there and wait for the other guys to be ready.

“You need to go,” I tell her.

“Don’t think this conversation is over. I’ll call you.” She winks at me before turning and sauntering away.

No. No, she won’t. I blocked her number the day she left Hazel with me.

I stare at her retreating figure, my heart racing, palms sweating. What did she mean by all that? Was it the typical Kat bullshit, where she got bored with her current boyfriend and is trying to come crawling back to me? Or did it mean something else?

Just in case, I’ll call my lawyer in the morning to make sure there’s no way Kat can get custody of Hazel. That there’s no way she can weasel herself back into my life. Into my daughter’s life.

“You okay?” Hunter asks. “You’re pale.”

“Holt?” Wes asks. “What’s going on?”

I blink as Hunter, Wes, Elias, and Sebastian form a circle around me. Shit, how did I miss them coming out of the dressing room?

“Kat was here,” I say, my voice shaking.

“What? Where?” Wes asks.

“She left but . . .” I shake my head, squeezing my eyes closed.

“Everything okay, boys?” Coach Weaver asks.

“No,” Hunter says. “Can we talk for a minute?” I hear footsteps as the two of them walk away, and I’m grateful to Hunter for explaining what happened because I don’t know if I could.

I take a breath, but it feels shallow and like there’s a lump in my throat. I rub a hand over my chest. I hate that I still have this reaction to Kat.

“How about we go get some water? Or sit down?” Wes’s hand is on my arm, and I blink my eyes open. The three of them are staring at me, concern written on their faces.

“Yeah.” My voice is shaky.

Wes leads the way, Elias and Sebastian bringing up the rear, and I’ve never been more grateful for my friends.

We walk into the empty conference room, where I was headed before Kat ambushed me, and over to a table at the back. Wes pulls out a chair, and I sit, dropping my head into my hands. The guys are talking, but I can’t hear them over the roaring in my ears.

“Hey. Are you okay?” Ansley asks.

I lift my head and meet her gaze. When did she get here? Where did the guys go? I whip my head around.