Page 82 of Grasp The Moment

Pride soars from my chest as I watch my friend get everything he deserves, bowing to the crowd.

Charlie is next, following Brax in the same manner. The long-haired blonde is stocky and awkward as he walks with his grandma toward Braxton, the two of them beaming with pride. I grin as Charlie’s laugh echoes throughout the place, causing the rest of the crowd to laugh with him.

“Derek Esteban Perez, our team's goalie, will be accompanied by his mother, Lidia, his daughter, Delilah, and his wife, Georgia. Derek plans to…” The announcer's voice trails off, becoming static in my ears as my mother approaches me with a bright smile.

Mamá wraps an arm around my bicep, grinning up at me with pride, and I can’t help but feel cold from her touch.

My eyes trail behind her, and when I don’t find who I’m looking for, I frown, and my mother’s smiletightens.

“Where are they?” I ask, whispering as Mamá squeezes my bicep.

“We have to walk now, Derek… Look forward,” she says through gritted teeth, her smile still in place.

Straightening my back, I take in a sharp inhale, proceeding as the crowd cheers. My mother is stiff beside me, her smile tighter than plastic as she walks with me to center ice.

“Where is she?” I ask again, facing forward as Mamá sighs.

She doesn’t make a move to look up at me; instead, she continues to face the adoring crowd, her smile bright as she says, “I have no idea.”

My heart free-falls as I register her words. Georgia wouldn’t miss this for the world… Or would she? Would she really leave me on a day like this? Delilah could just as easily be with Sienna as she could be with Georgia. Georgia wouldn’t miss this, she said she wouldn’t…

But why isn’t she here?

Where the hell is my wife?

31.Georgia

I haveno idea where the hell I am, and that’s all thanks to the lovely Cleo Jones. What was supposed to be a quick trip to the bathroom before the senior night opening ceremony has turned into a fifteen-minute jog around the arena in search of Derek’s face on giant photo cards.

The school has pulled out all the stops for tonight's game, getting all types of merch and goodies for each of the graduating players.

Delilah tugs on my hand the moment she sees Derek’s image, pulling me toward the large sign with her father’s face on it. I laugh as the strong four-year-old tugs me with all her might, and then I laugh even harder as she picks up the sign showcasing Derek’s award-winning smile.

“She isdetermined!” Cleo laughs from behind us. I turn to face her, taking my eyes off of Deli for asecondto laugh.

But a second is all it ever takes for something to go wrong.

In an instant, she’s yanked from me, her tiny squeal rings like an alarm bell in my head. My breath lodges in my throat asI catch sight of her wiggling out of someone's grip, fighting to get away from them.

“Get off of me!Mamá!” Her screams are like nails on a chalkboard, and my heart races. It feels like the faster I run toward her and the hooded figure, the further they seem.

The figure halts, looking down at Delilah with a lethal glare and shrieks, “She’s not your fucking mother. I am, you spoiled brat!”

I’m on them in seconds, and I don’t think as my feet propel me forward toward my girl. I snatch her from the hooded figure and instantly feel calmer when she’s in my arms.

Daisy… Rosemary—whatever she wants to be called these days—stands before us, a menacing glare in her eyes, tracking as I push Delilah behind me.

Cleo pushes forward through the crowd, Sienna and Denver flanking her as they stand, creating a box around Delilah.

Rosemary rolls her eyes, looking each one of us over, and as she’s about to speak, I cut her off.

“Cover Delilah’s ears,” I say to no one in particular, taking a step toward the woman. “You’ve got a lot of fucking nerve,” I growl, uncaring of the fact that we’re in public and that this could get real ugly as I pull on Rosemary’s hair, yanking her head to the side.

She grins up at me, her eyes bloodshot as she spits, “You’ll regret?—”

“Shut the fuck up,” I cut her off, getting closer to her face as my grip tightens on her hair. “Leave us alone. He’s done, and the two of you are over.”

She rolls her eyes, moving quickly in an attempt to hit me, but I’m faster, blocking her with one swift movement.