Free Rebound (Pro-U Book 3) by Ali Parker Page B

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