“Uh. Coach wants a word with you. We’re having a meeting, then we’re doing practice in an hour.” His eyes flashed to mine, an apology flaring. “You got some keys on you? I can open the courts for you, if you want?”

Oh. That made me feel nice, but crappy. I shook my head, scrambling up. Every inch of me protested as I pulled away from Reese, but I had a job to do. No way would I let a camper, and a professional ball player at that, do my job for me.

“I got it. I’m okay. Minor meltdown on pause.” It was a lame attempt at a joke, and it fell flat. No one laughed.

Reese stood behind me. “Coach is mad at me?”

“Uh…” Juan’s gaze fell to me again. “I think he just wants clarification, if you know what I mean.”

“Yeah. I got it.” Reese’s hand found my arm as he stepped around me. “Give me a second? I’ll be right out.”

Juan nodded. The door closed softly behind him.

Reese looked at me. “You okay?”

I nodded. “Totally.”

He laughed. “You’re a shitty liar.”

I grinned, knowing it was crooked and more just an attempt. “You’d be the first to claim that.”

“I doubt it.”

I lifted my gaze, feeling the dried tears caking my face. I flinched, seeing his knowing gaze, feeling him in me, feeling how he knew I was so full of shit, feeling him know the storm I’d been through, just feeling him know me.

“Your coach wants to know about me?”

“Probably. He knows the team likes you, but me coming right in here and skipping a meal, that’s going to raise eyebrows.” He gave me a crooked grin. “Don’t worry about it, though. I’ll explain. It’ll be fine. I don’t have a $20-million endorsement deal in the works for nothing. As long as I show up and win, he’s happy.”

“What an understanding guy.”

He smiled. “Think you can find me something quick to eat before I head over to smooth things out with him, just in case?”

“On it.”

Owen and Hadley were quiet when we came back out, but Owen being Owen, he already had a plate ready. He indicated a tray on the counter: water, milk, silverware, even salt and pepper were on there.

“There you go. Owen’s way ahead of us.”

“Thanks, man.” Reese nodded to Owen.

Owen cleared his throat, tugging one of his sleeves down, his shoulder rolling back. “No, thank you.” He jerked his head toward me. “We, uh, we heard some of it.”

Floor open up. Let me fall through. Please. Now.

Hadley was crying in the corner. She wiped at a tear. “I can’t even imagine. Charlie…”

I couldn’t. I just couldn’t.