Hardball: A Sports Romance by Alexa Reiss Page B

She held his future in the palms of her hands. The thought was disconcerting, and it didn’t set well with him.
        “I don’t know,” he replied, honestly. “I have no idea what is real or what isn’t anymore.”
        “I don’t mean any disrespect when I say this because I consider you my brother,” Liam said, clapping Chance on the shoulder, “but you’re father has fucked you up in a lot of ways that aren’t right. I hear you say it over and over that he pushed you to be who you are, but you’ve gotta let that go and be who you want to be. I know that ain’t the best role model here because I’ve slept with tons of women too since arriving here, but I can see now that it doesn’t do the both of us any good. We’re role models for people out there watching us. Who do you want to be? I ask that because I don’t even think you know who you are right now.”
       He didn’t know. That piece of him had long disappeared since the day he had confessed to his father that he was tired of practice one day. “This is who we want to be,” his father had told him at the time. “We aren’t the type of people to sit in idle. We get what we want, and football is what your heart is after. We don’t get tired. We don’t settle for anything less like friends and women.”
       That mantra repeated itself brokenly in his head for several long seconds. He swallowed thickly as an array of emotions burned in the center of his chest.
       “I wouldn’t want someone to be like me,” Chance said, rubbing at his head tiredly. “I’ve fucked up completely when it comes to everything.”
       “No, you haven’t,” Liam said. “You’re great at what you do on the field. You just need to figure shit out on a personal level is all. No one is judging you on that.”
       “The whole entire world is.”
       “Not every person's opinion counts.” Liam adjusted his duffle bag again. “The reason why Robert and Coach has been pushing Arabella at you is because a lot of people look up to you. They don’t want young boys thinking it’s okay to manipulate women into sleeping with them. Lindsey told me what happened to Arabella three years ago because she thinks the same thing as I do. She went on some date with some guy, and he ended up assaulting her afterwards. Ever since then, Arabella has stayed away from men for a reason.”
        "Someone assaulted her?”
        It made perfect sense then, and he felt like the world’s biggest asshole as the words registered in his mind. The fighting, the stubbornness, all of it had been for a legitimate reason.
    “Christ,” Chance muttered, rubbing at his face with aggravated hands. “Why didn’t anyone tell me about this?
        Liam blinked at that. “People normally don’t tell strangers that story.”
       “I know that, but still… I am not the type of guy to deal with something like that. I’d probably make it worse.” He looked up at Liam in realization. “I did make it worse. I haven’t heard a word from Arabella since Monday.”
        “Robert told her to take the time off according to Lindsey,” Liam said. “He doesn’t want all the media hype on her right now. Why do you care about it anyway? This is supposed to be for the cameras.”
        “Not this part. Not something like that.”
        He managed to avoid the swarm of paparazzi that was waiting greedily for him in the parking lot. He drove for an hour around the city before deciding that the coast was clear for him to head for Arabella’s home.
        Not bothering with a phone call, Chance strode up to the front door to knock loudly enough to get Arabella’s attention from inside. A few seconds passed before the door opened to reveal a visibly surprised Arabella standing on the other side dressed in ripped cut off shorts and a black Nike shirt. Her blonde hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail to reveal a slender face peppered with various freckles that were