Rebound (Pro-U Book 3)

by Ali Parker

  She pressed her hands to her knees and glanced up at me as she panted loudly. "You're the strongest player I know. I'm proud you’re mine."

  "Thanks," I mumbled and dribbled down to the end of the court, doing a quick layup and praying that she would be gone when I turned around. I didn't have much left inside me and I was moving toward cracking.

  "Natasha."

  I turned to face her and tucked the ball under my arm. "Yeah, coach?"

  "This stuff inside of you," she ran her hand between her breasts down to her stomach and back up, "it will eventually kill you if you don't get it out. It's toxic. It's like drinking poison and hoping someone else will die. You're only hurting yourself by locking it up and pushing everyone away."

  I nodded and pressed my teeth into my lip, trying to hold it together.

  "All right, kiddo. I'm here. Right down the hall." She turned and walked out as another hot wave of tears rolled down my cheeks.

  I ran drills until my legs wouldn't work anymore. The message on my phone was from my father's number. He either knew and wanted to check on me, or had received a call from my mother after our shitty reunion the night before.

  After taking a few deep breaths, I picked up the phone and called him back. Better to get the conversation over with, and the truth be told, his calm demeanor helped me find myself again. I should have chosen to go live with him instead of my mother when I was old enough, but fucking Adam DeLance. The boy that promised to love me forever. I hated him almost as much as my mother.

  "Tasha. Hey baby girl. How are you? Gearing up for a killer season?" My father's voice was filled with too much excitement and warmth for the conversation I expected.

  "Yeah. We had Midnight Madness last night." I let out a quick puff of air. "Did you know about Mom being sick?"

  There was a pause that left me feeling more alone than I imagined possible.

  "Yeah, but she asked me not to say anything. She didn't want you to be worried about her. You know how your mother is, Tasha."

  "Yep. I sure do." I stood up and picked up the basketball. "See, the thing that no one realized is that I go to the same damn school she works for. So as everyone is having a moment of silence for her, my friends are looking at me, wondering what the hell is going on. It's pretty telling when I have to shrug my shoulders and find out with the rest of the student body that something was wrong at all."

  "Hey, look. I'm going to be back in Boston late next week for the start of the season. How about you and I get together and we'll hash all of this out then. You know I hate talking over the phone about sensitive stuff like this."

  "Right. Great." I pressed the phone to my shoulder and lifted up on my toes, missing the basket and jogging after the ball. "Get me a few tickets to see the Celts so I have something to look forward to."

  "Of course. I know this is going to sound ridiculous, but if your mom does open up and let you in, make sure you take good care of her. She has no one."

  "Yeah, by choice. I went over there last night and got kicked out the back door by a skeleton with no hair." My voice broke, and I hated myself for being cruel. The truth of the matter was blatantly obvious inside of me. Watching my mother die and not being able to do anything about it was a personal hell I couldn't imagine enduring. Knowing that we wouldn't reconcile before she left me was heart-shattering, and yet it would happen just that way. I had no doubt.

  "Baby. It's going to be okay. She's just trying to protect you."

  "Don't you dare take up for her!" I bit my tongue, working hard not to unleash hell all over him. He had no clue of the trauma he caused in his youth by walking away just like Adam had. I was raised alone by a mother who hated me because he rejected her. Would it have been the same for my baby?

  "No," I whispered and dropped the call. I didn't give a shit what he had to say. Nothing he could promise would change a damn thing.

  I worked through my pain over the next hour, throwing the ball as hard as I could against the wall before doing ladders up and down the stairs until my legs felt like jelly. I dropped down onto the floor beside the bleachers and laid down. My phone beeped and I grabbed it, hating myself for wanting to hear from someone. Anyone.

  The text came in from an unknown number.

  It's Micah. I twisted Em's arm to get your number. Where you at? I've been worried about you. Come toss the ball around with me, or let me drink you under the table. Text me back. Don't make me be "that guy."

  A smile pulled at the side of my mouth, but I forced it back down. He was just another guy like Adam. All promises and sweet smiles until we made love and I popped positive on a pregnancy test. Then he would pick up his shit and walk out the door too.

  That's what good guys did.

  At least all the good guys in my life.

  Chapter 11

  Micah

  I stared at my phone until Dillon walked out and stopped beside me.

  "You waiting on something or just decided you'd had enough with the oregano smell?"

  "Naw. I was just hoping that Tasha would text me back, but maybe you're right, man. She's a hard shell to crack." I tucked my phone in my back pocket and resigned myself to a long night with the guys at Omega. We would pop a few tops and play some video games or dominoes. I'd sneak away and shoot some hoops with the guys down the block later that night to give myself a pick me up.

  "What? You're seriously giving up that easily?" He followed me out to my truck and stopped by the hood. "You must not think too much of her. Just a passing thing, hm?"

  "Wait a minute. Weren't you the guy that just told me that Sharon from the basketball team said that Tasha was dead weight? That no matter what anyone did, she wasn't going to budge?"

  "No, I said that Sharon said she wasn't the dating type." He rolled his shoulders and gave me a goofy grin. Fuck if I didn't like the guy just for being comfortable in his own skin. "Maybe she stopped dating before college because something happened. A cute girl like that doesn't up and close her legs for no reason."

  "Come on, man. Not all women are loose." I shook my head and pulled out my phone again. "Tasha isn't like that. I wouldn't be surprised if she was a virgin."

  "Nice." He wagged his eyebrows. "I bet Clara is too. She's so fucking uptight."

  "I was just thinking about how much I like you, but it’s dimming fast." I chuckled and opened the door to my truck.

  "Starting to think about batting for the other team? Count me out, dude. I'm with Jacob. Pussy for breakfast, lunch and dinner for me."

  I rolled my eyes. "Get in the truck and I'll give you a ride over to the house. I'm going to see if I can find her before I go belly up on the idea of pushing her into a friendship at least."

  "Friendships are good." He got in the truck and buckled up.

  "Speaking of pussy," I glanced over at him, hating the word, but knowing nugget-heads like him and Jacob used it regularly. Better to use his own language than confuse him. "Why haven't you brought a girl out to the house if you're so into them?"

  "I've only been with you guys since the summer." He glanced out the window closest to him. "Like I said, the only one that's given me a hard-on is Clara, and she's not worth the effort."

  "How do you know that?" I thought about Clara and couldn't help but smile. I didn't know much about her, but Jayce filled us in on the fact that she was the curve buster in one of his classes. Chemistry maybe. He was failing miserably and was looking for a tutor. I almost felt sorry for him if she was as cold as Dillon made her out to be. The poor bastard was going to end up taking it again in the spring to be able to graduate in May.

  "I'm on the men's swim team. She's on the women's. I see her all the time, or have for the last few months. She rocks her swimsuit like nobody’s business, but she's a prude. Anytime anyone talks to her, she turns up her nose like she wasn't taught how to interact with other humans. I hate people like that." He grumbled something else as I tuned him out.

  Tasha had to be at the gym. I'd give it a try and if she w
asn't there, I was on my own for the weekend, but I was hoping like crazy that I would find her. Where she wasn't going to give in to my desires to take her out on a date anytime soon, I figured I could challenge her to a little b-ball and maybe, just possibly get her to open up a little over the course of a game or two. I'd seen her drink a beer or two out at the Omega parties too. We could grab something to drink. Maybe a burger?

  "Hey. You listening to me?" Dillon pushed on my shoulder.

  "What? No. Sorry, man. I was fading out."

  "I asked if you wanted to study tomorrow for that stupid Economics test next week."

  "Yeah, that'll work." I pulled up in the driveway and honked before waving at a few of the guys who were milling around the front yard.

  "You coming in?"

  "Naw, I'm going to take your advice and go see if I can find her." I shrugged. "What's the worst thing that could happen?"

  "She could rip out your fucking heart and stomp on it in front of you." His eyes grew wide.

  I couldn't help but laugh. "You know how ridiculous you sound?"

  "Yep. Shit is true though." He opened the door and got out. "All right. Good luck."

  "See you later, man. Tell Jacob where I am if he asks." I pulled out of the driveway after he closed the door and headed back toward the campus. Nervousness bubbled up inside of me and made it hard to breathe as I pulled up to the gym and turned the truck off.

  "Just friends. It's just a friendship for shit's sake." I got out and locked the doors as I walked languidly to the side door and pulled it open. I felt like a twelve-year-old boy who'd gotten caught on the playground with a hot girl that wanted a kiss. How one woman who barely paid me any attention could fuck me up so good was beyond me.

  The sound of the basketball hitting the court caused my heart to skip a beat. It could be anyone, but as I rounded the corner to the court I realized that it was her.

  "Up for a little bit of competition?" I called out to her and hoped she wouldn't think I was a stalker. I'd texted her thirty minutes before, but maybe she hadn't seen it.

  "Yeah. Your ball." She turned and launched the ball at me hard before reaching up and fixing her hair in a tight bun. "Sorry for not responding. I've been in a bit of a funk. I figured inviting you to my shitty pity party wouldn't be too nice."

  "No worries. It was find you and make you shoot some hoops with me or watch the guys get drunk and see who could pee higher up the side of the house." I shrugged as she laughed. The red around her eyes and flushed skin around her neck and chest told me she'd gotten worked up over something. It had to be her mom. No fucking way I was asking about it. She'd tell me if she wanted to talk. Plain and simple.

  "You guys are so gross. I swear you're like odd man out with the Omega Frat." She moved toward me and stole the ball as I stood still like an idiot, watching her with interest.

  "I'll take that as a compliment." I turned and watched her take the ball down the court, her butt jiggling beautifully in her tight shorts. "Damn. Please let this work out."

  "It was a compliment." She lifted to her toes and did a layup perfectly. "My point. You gonna play or just stare at my ass?"

  "Both?" I lifted my hands and grunted as the ball slammed against my chest. My wrist was still in limbo though I was acting like everything was all right with the world. It wasn't.

  "Good answer. Let's see whatcha got, Captain." She moved toward me as I turned and put my back to her, pushing my ass out and working my way down the court with her pressed to me. I spun to the left and lifted up, sinking a three-pointer with no problem.

  "Three to two. You're up, Miss Thing." I smiled and moved around her to get the ball. It took a few more times up and down the court for me to finally settle into the game and not worry about hurting her or showing her up too bad. I'd lied to Emily about being a different guy on the court around Tasha. I was a beast usually, but seeing her putting forth so much effort left me wanting to let her win. Where I never in a million years would, it felt good to know that it was a desire inside of me. She was more than a pretty set of legs and a fine ass. She meant something, which left me with no choice but to push a little.

  "Mine." She reached out and popped my wrist, stealing the ball and running down the court.

  "Ouch! That fucking hurt." I took off after her and grabbed the back of her shirt. "You wanna play street ball?"

  "You know it." She spun and lifted to her toes and I reached for the ball and palmed it, pulling it from her and moving back.

  "Not in my house, pretty woman." I winked and turned to pull out some fancy shit it had taken me most of my teen years to perfect.

  "Nice. I love the way you play with your balls. Do you show all the girls this magic?"

  I groaned as she moved up behind me and pressed her breasts against my back before reaching around and taking the ball without effort.

  "Not fair."

  "Nothing is." She spun and ran toward the basket, dribbling like a champ.

  I caught up with her and moved in front of her easily. The ball was mine again within seconds, but she wasn't letting me by. She moved as fast as I did, spinning and reaching out for the ball. She ran her fingers by my thigh as I pulled the ball under my leg and gave her a warning look.

  "Play fair, or paybacks will be hell."

  "I'm not scared of you." She reached again, almost hitting me in the groin with her fingers.

  I chucked the ball behind me and grabbed her wrist before pulling her to me and wrapping my arms around her.

  "How about now?" I panted softly as I let my eyes move around her face. "Scared now?"

  "Nope. I quite like the view." She tickled my sides as I squirmed but held on tightly.

  "Whatcha gonna do now, tough stuff?" I licked my lips and enjoyed far too much how her eyes widened and her shoulders stiffened. She was interested, or I really was out of touch with the signals women threw off.

  "Tickle you until you pee yourself." She smiled. "Unless you already emptied your bladder on the side of the Omega House."

  I chuckled and squeezed her a little tighter as she groaned. "Come to dinner with me. A burger. Beer. Just me and you getting to know each other."

  "And why would I want to do that?" She pinched the inner part of my thigh, causing me to yelp and release her. Too close to the dick.

  "Because we could be friends." I pressed my hands to my knees.

  "Sorry. I'm headed out soon. Maybe another time."

  "Where you headed to? I could give you a lift."

  "I can walk there. It's community service. You wouldn't be interested." She brushed her hair back and walked around in a circle in front of me, giving me an incredible view.

  "I'm a very giving kinda guy." I stood up and walked over to the ball. "How about if I can hit the net from half court, you let me come with you."

  "Nothing but net and you've got yourself a deal." She walked over to the bleachers and sat down.

  "Easy enough." I gave her a cheeky grin and spun around, lifting up and shooting from where I stood. The ball didn't make a sound as it sunk into the hoop.

  "Wow. I'm impressed." She picked up her phone and lifted her eyebrow at me. "It's really community service. You sure you want to come?"

  "No place I would rather be." I jogged toward her, my heart on fire and mind racing with possibilities of what the night might hold. I held the door open for her and moved to open the passenger's side of the truck as she walked toward me.

  "You really are one of the nice guys, aren't you?"

  "Find out for yourself, Tasha. What do you have to lose?" I moved back as she climbed up in the truck and looked down at me. The sadness in her eyes filled me with concern.

  "Nothing? Everything? I don't know to be honest."

  Chapter 12

  Natasha

  The pregnancy care center was far busier than I could remember it being before. Having Micah there with me left me with mixed feelings. Surely he had to wonder what I was doing there. I would have wondered it myself,
but there was a part of me that hoped he wouldn't ask. I didn't want to open the door to my past and have him turn away from me. He would. I had no doubt. It was better to keep things at a friendship level and just try and enjoy his company. That he was the hottest guy on campus didn't help much, but I could deal with it. Adam had been beyond hot too.

  "Tasha. I'm so glad you're here today." Martha moved around the counter and pulled me into a tight hug. The sweet Hispanic woman often acted like a mother to me though she wasn't but twenty years older or so. "Who is this handsome young man you brought with you?"

  "This is a friend from school. Micah, this is Martha. Martha, Micah. He's the point guard for the men's basketball team at Providence."

  "Nice. I'm glad you're here to help out today. We're going to be sorting in the back room for a little while. Just stay as long as you can." She glanced over at me. "Are you going to-"

  "Yep. I'll be in the back sorting today. I'll come back later this week to help with anything else you need done." I gave her a warm smile and moved toward the back. "Come on, Micah. I'll show you the ropes."

  If he wondered about what else I did at the center, he didn't ask. I was grateful for him respecting my privacy. I often counseled young girls that were going through things at home like I had. Something about giving back made me feel better about myself. As if I needed to make up for some of the shit in my past. Nothing could change the past, but serving at the center helped to dull the pain a little.

  "I like it here. It's peaceful." He moved up beside me and held the door to the boxing room. "Just point me in whatever direction you want me to go."

  "I like that you're compliant. You always like this?" I moved to a large stack of boxes.

  "Only when I wanna impress a pretty girl." He pointed to the boxes. "You want me to tote these somewhere?"

  "Yeah. Over to this table and we'll unpack them. We need to create diaper bags for the center to give out to young moms in the hospital. We'll just put one of each item in the boxes. Easy enough?" I ignored his comment and tried to keep myself grounded. Him thinking that I was attractive at all was flattering, but it was also irrelevant. My life was falling apart again, and the last thing I wanted to do was bring anyone in the middle of it.