Nash I’d worked out with the team today. After standing on the side of the field Friday night and watching the freshman throw a winning touchdown, I had decided I could be a part of this. I’d helped with that. His confidence had been built, and although he wouldn’t be first string until his junior year, he was ready when Hunter wasn’t. I watched them practice for an hour. Standing there smelling the grass and feeling the heat from the sun felt good. It was like going home. This was and would always be a part of me. I’d grown up loving this game. I always would. Even if my years of playing it were over. That didn’t mean I was losing the field all together. “I’ve got physical therapy,” I called out to Ryker. “I gotta go.” He nodded, and the smile on his face from just having me down here made me feel a part of something again. “Nash, wait,” Coach Rich called out. I paused and waited as he jogged over to me. He seemed happy to see me. At least I thought he was. But I was suddenly worried he was about to tell me not to come to practice. Because I wasn’t on this team anymore. Normally he didn’t let others watch. Much less stand on the field. “What you did with Kip was amazing. I’d already pr epared myself for a disaster Friday night. But Ryker and Kip said you came and helped him.”
I shrugged. “He just needed a confidence boost. I watched his games from last year. He’s good. A more natural talent than Hunter in my opinion.” Coach grinned. “I saw that Friday night. It got me thinking. This...” He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “This shit with Dace. He’s gone. He won’t be coming back. Even if she did pursue him. He caved. He’s gone. And they’re not going to be able to r eplace a defense coordinator slash literature teacher with one paycheck overnight. I need help. I can handle things, but it would be easier and more successful if I had someone who the guys had a relationship with watching them and making suggestions. I’d like you to st ep in and be a part of the team again. It’s not a paid job of course. They can’t hire a kid. But I could use you. This team could.” He was asking me to coach? Me? I stood there, staring at him in shock. When he’d started talking about Dace, I’d gotten nauseated and wanted to get away. Forget that shit. But he’d blindsided me. With a chance to be down here. I could be a Lion again. “Seriously?” I asked. Because if this was a joke, I needed to know now. He nodded. “Completely.” “Yes” was all that I could get to come out of my mouth. I was speechless otherwise. He slapped me on the back. “Welcome back, son.” I nodded. I couldn’t even say thank you. My eyes locked on Ryker, who was watching us. He saluted me with a smile that said he knew what had just happened. “Thanks, Coach Rich,” I finally said.
“Don’t thank me. Just win us some games.” Those words didn’t scare me. My dad had been telling me that all my life. I worked good under pressure. Coach Rich walked back to the others, and I headed for the parking lot. I’d have to adjust my physical therapy schedule. Because my afternoons were about to be busy once again. Smiling, I was lost in the first trace of happiness I’d felt since the accident. My smile slowly weakened as I thought of Haegan. Then, as if fate liked to kick me in the ass, I saw Tallulah. She was walking to her car. Her arms full of books and her backpack full. She looked miserable. I knew the entire school had talked about her today. Made jokes at her expense. Blamed her for Dace being gone. But I couldn’t fight all her battles. I couldn’t shut them all up. She’d asked for this. I had nothing to do with it. I’d been hurt in the crossfire. But if I caught anyone else in her face, taunting her, I’d st ep in. I already knew that without having to think about it. Right now I wanted to go lighten her load and help her with her books. Which fucking sucked ass because I shouldn’t want to be near her. I shouldn’t care what others said. She had kissed a teacher. The fact he was married made it worse, but I had decided she hadn’t known that. She’d never have done it if she’d known. He’d been after her since the first day of school. I’d seen it. She hadn’t flirted with him. She hadn’t tried to get his attention. What she had done was return his attraction and respond to his advances. I stood there watching as she dropped a few
books and sighed wearily, then bent down to put the other books on the ground. She began to stack them up again. The pile was too tall for her to carry. She stood up and looked down at it, then at her car. Why was she carrying so many books home anyway? No one had that much homework. I fought back going to help her. I didn’t need to be near her. Being so close I could smell her, seeing her eyes so full of hope for forgiveness today had about been my undoing. I didn’t want to stay away from her. Even with all she had done I missed her. She bent down and picked up half the stack, then carried it to her car. I was so focused on her I didn’t notice Brett pick up the other books she’d left behind. He was coming up behind her when I noticed him. She turned and jumped, startled to see him, then she smiled. That sweet smile that did things to me. They talked. She tried to take the books, but he put them in her car for her. Then they talked some more. I needed to get in my fucking Escalade and go to physical therapy. But then they’d see me. She’d see me. She’d see me seeing them. Shit. That was too damn con voluted. I was making too much out of this. We were over. Right? I was done. Then I had to stop acting like I had to hide from her. I picked my duffel up and headed to my Escalade. I knew she saw me when the hairs on my arms stood up and I got a tingle down my spine. My body even reacted to her when I wasn’t looking. It was like it knew she was there, and it went on high alert. Damn traitor.
I cracked and shifted my gaze in her direction. She was watching me. I held her gaze for a moment. It was wrong. I shouldn’t. If I was done and this was over, I had to act like it. Not lock gazes with her when she’s talking to another guy. That said shit. Shit I wasn’t going to follow through with. Because I didn’t trust her. I never would again. It was Tallulah who broke the stare. She shifted her attention back to Brent. Her smile was tighter now. Less real. Less soft. More forced. But he wouldn’t know that. He didn’t know her like I did. I climbed in my Escalade, telling myself this was for the best. It was the only way to protect my head and heart. But damn if it didn’t hurt like hell.