Page 45

emma

. . .

Glancing down at my phone again makes my stomach drop. Still no messages from Hawke. Since last night I’ve sent him three separate texts and they are still sitting on read.

ME: Good night! I love you.

ME: Kick ass today QB!

ME: We won our game. I saw highlights that you did as well. Miss you! See you tonight.

At first I blew off his lack of response on the fact that they had a travel day yesterday and last night they were doing team building before the big game.

It was the final college football game of the semifinals before the National Championship.

Hawke has stunned many spectators and other athletes with his ability to make it this far on a new team after leaving Texas.

I was so proud of him, and if I hadn’t had my own away game today, I would have traveled to see him last night.

Which is why I had made sure to reach out and let him know I was supporting him.

Since our relationship has been made public, we’ve navigated the uncharted waters with care and consideration of each other.

Now that I have been working on my own fears, it has made it easier to address any larger worries together as a couple.

We’ve been unstoppable. I fall more in love with him every day and the future seems less scary.

The fact that I haven’t heard from my boyfriend now in over twenty-four hours is uncharacteristic of him.

I can’t ignore the nagging feeling in my stomach that something isn’t right.

“Still nothing?” Sam leans over the back of her chair on our big Greyhound bus to talk to me. Riley, seated next to me, pulls out her earbuds after hanging up her call with Reign. Isla, who is next to Sam, also peers at me through the crack in their seats.

“I’m trying not to freak out.” I blow out my breath and set my phone down again.

Sam frowns. “This is unusual for Golden Boy. He’s usually so in tune with your schedule, you don’t even get the chance to message him before he knows what you’re doing.

” I squirm in my seat because what she said is true, and if she knew how stalkerish Hawke is of my schedule, she’d be concerned.

I used to be concerned too until I accepted it as his love language to take care of me.

And because I like it. In my own sick way, I enjoy his obsession with me, and the fact that he never wants to let me go.

“It is. That's the only reason I’m worried.”

“They did get in late last night though and I’m sure their morning was packed before the game,” Isla reminds us.

“True.” I nod my head, rubbing the bridge of my nose where a headache is forming.

“Hawke wouldn’t usually care though about that,” Riley pipes up and the look on her face is almost apologetic.

“Someone tell me something to distract me then,” I laugh nervously. “We still have an hour until we get home when I can confront him.”

“I got an invite from Boston to check out their facilities. They asked about my interest in the draft next year,” Riley responds, her usually confident tone is shaky. She’s nervous.

“Riles, that's amazing!” I tell her, squeezing her arm.

She shrugs. “It is. I was hoping to hear from New York, just because it's closer to New Jersey, but I am excited too.”

New Jersey is watching Reign and they are trying to see about getting him on their farm league, so I know that is part of the reason my bestie wants to end up as close to New York as she can.

Sam blushes and she looks down, her teeth biting her bottom lip. “I’ve actually been considering a Canadian team.”

We all turn to her, eyes wide. “But what about?—”

She holds up her hand. “I would never keep anyone from her. We’ve been talking and right now what I want is most important. I think I can make it work.”

My eyes water with unshed tears, thinking about my best friends, the women I’ve been the closest to all my life, moving away. I glance at Isla.

“Are you planning to go wherever Carter is?”

She shrinks in on herself some, but there's a fiery determination in her eyes. “I don’t plan to play professionally. I have some other things lined up, more on track with my major.”

I don’t know what to say to that, only that I’m proud of her. I hope she doesn’t let Carter hold her back. As much as I love the kid, he’s grown on me in recent years since our rivalry turned to friendship, but he’s stubborn. He’s going to lose the best thing that ever happened to him.

“Well, I guess now is as good of a time as ever to let you all know that I also don’t plan to enter any draft.

I’m thinking I want to use my communications degree and encourage girls and young women to play sports.

Especially hockey. I’m not sure about everything yet but that’s my big plan wherever Hawke ends up. ”

Riley grabs my arm, her smile and squeal of delight is contagious. All my friends are happy for me. “He asked you to go with him?”

I nod, feeling my cheeks blush. “Not in so many words. More like he demanded I be wherever he is.”

“Sounds about right,” Sam giggles then her eyes turn serious. “I’m happy for you, Emma. Just don’t forget that you are powerful and brilliant in your own light too. Hawke loves you for a reason. Don’t let the professional world you both will be in frighten you.”

“You’re right,” I tell her and reach forward to squeeze her hand. “I trust him. I’m excited for our future.”

My phone feels heavy in my hand. Even after telling my friends my news, I don’t feel better.

I need Hawke. I’m worried that he hasn’t reached out.

It's not like him at all. A second later, my phone vibrates and I look down, dread grips my chest when I see Riggs’s name on the screen. I swipe open his message.

RIGGS: Have you heard from Hawke?

My hand shakes while I type out a reply.

ME: No. He hasn’t responded to me since yesterday when you got there. What happened? Is he okay?

RIGGS: I’m not sure, Emma. After the game he was with us then went to the room early. He missed the bus this morning. Coach is having a conniption. He’s never done this before.

The world around me narrows. The lights dim, and everyone’s faces blur. I can’t breathe. My stomach twists and lurches. I need air. I need to get off the bus.

“Riley.”

She takes my phone and I hear her gasp. Sam then Isla also take a look. Isla takes her own phone out and her hands fly across the screen.

“I told him to have Falcon use his find my friend app. If he’s at the hotel, then we can go get him or have someone check on him,” she explains.

Riley forces my head between my legs, instructing me to breathe, and I concentrate on my own heartbeat, which sounds too loud in my ears. Little black spots dance in my vision.

“Oh shit,” Isla breathes out. My head snaps up and I see her face pale. She hits dial on the phone and I can hear Falcon pick up.

“Look at your brother’s trending hashtag. Then the news media,” she instructs and my eyes swing between Sam and Riley while Isla keeps talking.

“What is it?”

Sam’s eyes soften as she looks at me, but her hand is gripping her phone. “I’m sure there's an explanation. He’s crazy about you and this means nothing.”

“Show me.” I turn to Riley, who reluctantly hands me her phone.

It's a news article from Instagram. Gia Houghs tells all about her fiery affair with Michigan’s QB, Hawke Sheppard, during his time at Texas.

The image is the worst; it’s a beautiful woman with long blonde hair wearing a tiny Texas University cheerleader uniform standing next to Hawke, and it appears his arm is around her back while she’s saying something in his ear. His head is leaned toward her and it looks intimate.

He said he was never with anyone when we were apart. He swore I was and have always been the only woman in his life. My heart burns and I blink back tears. The picture is damning. His silence is even more unnerving. Either he knew this was happening and can’t face me or…

“I don’t believe it. It's fake.”

“Emms,” Sam starts.

I shake my head. “He loves me so much that he purposefully transferred here and ruined his reputation in Texas. He wouldn’t lie about this. Look what he did to Jax.”

I grab the phone from Isla and put Falcon on speaker phone. “Fal, it's fake. I don’t believe anything this bitch is selling. Find him. Something happened at the hotel. Hawke wouldn’t miss the bus home. He wouldn’t not answer me or come home to me.”

Falcon laughs, but it sounds forced, laced with worry. “You know my brother well. You’re right, Emma. Hawke wouldn’t not be there for his team. And he definitely wouldn’t let you down.”

“Isla, I’ll locate him, if you can help once I find him. I’m going to dig up info on this girl here in Texas.” Falcon goes over a plan and Isla nods her head.

“Once you find her, I’ll do a deep dive on the picture. Find where it really came from,” Island confirms.

“Oh and Falcon, call Riggs. Have him talk to the coach. We can’t have them benching Hawke before the big game,” I give one more order before Falcon disconnects the call.

I’m breathing hard, and my mind is buzzing with ideas and plans. My girls are all steady, waiting, wearing varying expressions on their faces, and showing me how proud they are of me. We’re in this together and we’re bringing Hawke back.

ME: Babe, tell me where you are.