then back at Kai’s face. “How very…unnecessary, Mr. Pukui.” And then she left him in the elevator thinking things about his general manager that were an intensely bad idea.
He was still thinking those things.
“I…don’t need help getting home,” he told her, hating himself for lying. “Coach Ricks…”
“Coach Ricks,” she started, releasing a long sigh. “Poor Coach Ricks.”
Something twisted in his chest and Kai sat up, resting his arms against his knees. “What’s wrong with Ricks?”
“Nothing that a priest couldn’t cure.”
“I…what do you mean?” Kai didn’t like the tone in her voice or how she lowered it. “Is something…is he sick?”
“I think he’s being…reckless, if you want to know the truth. But, well, maybe I should just keep this to myself.”
“No, I’m…he’s been good to me,” Kai continued, sliding out of his bed to move to his window, the tension in his chest making everything feel tight.
“Les McAddams is not a forgiving man. And he’s not very understanding.” Kai had heard the rumors, sure enough. The team owner had fired two Marketing bigwigs for getting drunk at the office Christmas party. The asshole hadn’t bothered to check Mills’ or Hanson’s cups or seen how lit they’d been when they left. Hell, by McAddams’ moral code half the defensive line should have been cut.
“Anyway, Ricks and his wife, well, they been having problems and Les has been monitoring the situation. Ricks is fine for now, because he’s got a contract, but I just don’t know about next season and if anyone owes Ricks or is up in the air because of commitments Ricks has made to them…if they don’t have anything concrete or long-lasting finalized before the season gets rolling, well, I just don’t know how everything will play out.”
Kai fell on his bed, leaning forward to grip his hair. It had all been careless. Stupid. This was a mess he hadn’t planned. But when you’re a poor kid growing up in the foster system with your equally poor foster kid sister and no one knows you, no one loves you, you tend to look for your ohana where you can find it.
Kai had finally found his on the football field. He’d been fifteen.
They’d noticed him. Noticed his talent. And once he’d protected his first QB, once they realized no tackle would ever get near his quarterback, then Kai became someone they cared about. His school mates, his teachers, his administrators, his last foster family, friends, then, eventually, the family who’d never known that he and his sister Nalani had existed. They all found him and loved him.
But when you find that love so late, it comes to mean so much to you.
You don’t see when it comes to be too much.
“My auntie is sick, Kai” or “my keiki needs tuition for school” or “I’m starting a brand-new business. We’ll be millionaires” all started coming his way the second he got noticed from the league, the moment agents and managers came calling. He helped them because they’d loved him when no one else had. He’d helped them because they’d needed his money more than he did. And now, nearly all of it was gone and Kai was too damn proud to tell his GM that he had very few options to get back to New Orleans and earn back a significant contract.
“That…uh…sounds bad…” he told Gia, knowing she noticed that all the tease had left his tone, “for all the people who owe Ricks and…you know, for Ricks.”
Gia had a tendency to speak under her breath, mutter small curses and low whispers, sometimes things that he was pretty sure was related to that show Boy Meets World his sister used to watch. Ridiculous, he knew, but Kai was sure Gia didn’t realize anyone heard. She did that now, groaning a little when she said, smart as Plays with Squirrels. “Listen to me, Pukui and hear what I have to say.” She moved again, but this time, there was no hard heals clipping along the floor sounding sharp and menacing. “You’re a great player. You’re a good man when you’re not being inappropriate and playing like you’re some kind of pimp.” He shook his head, unable to keep the smile from his face. “But you broke your word to me. And that’s not something I take likely.”
“I…it’s not that simple. There was an issue.”
“Okay.” She sounded convinced, but not angry. “I get that. Shit happens, and we have to deal with it.” The sound of nails tapping hit Kai’s ears, and then Gia