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It was quiet between us. Another first. Either Coach Lawson was yelling at me for something I did or I was trying to smooth talk my way out of punishment. But the only sound in the room was the ticking of the clock overhead. It might as well have been going backward for all the good it did me.
"I—" He stopped himself and narrowed his eyes. "That’s some kind of news."
Some kind of news?
"Because I received a phone call from Ms. Fontaine a few days ago, giving me her own kind of confession, saying that she busted down the Clemenza and that’s why she needed out of the contract."
I jerked up in my chair.
Piper called him?
If Coach Lawson noticed, he didn’t acknowledge it. "And I spent the better part of an hour letting her know that she put together one of my most valuable players on the roster. Not just because of the numbers—you’re more dependable. You’re reliable. You’re a team player. And I wouldn’t hear of her trying to take the fall for something she clearly didn’t do…by herself."
I didn’t say anything.
"So, Ms. Fontaine was there with you."
"That’s not what I said—sir."
"And Ms. Basil and Ms. Contractor lied to me about it." He sighed. "That’s disappointing. I happen to enjoy having them around. They bring me coffee and decorate my office for my birthday on Fridays." He scratched his beard, studying me. "I suppose, if you’re admitting guilt, Ms. Fontaine, Ms. Basil, and Ms. Contractor will need to be implicated as well. I’m sure they’ll lose their positions with the housing board."
My blood ran cold. "I—I—"
"Unless we chalk it up to Cleo quickly deduced what happened and I choose to believe your stories because Ms. Basil has been a good friend to me for years and I was made aware of exactly why the car was destroyed."
"But—" I stopped myself. "I need to be suspended from the team."
"What else are you going to do besides football?"
"Coach—"
"Adam."
I snapped back to attention, surprised that the coach used my first name. It was a professional thing he had with all the football players. I actually couldn’t remember the last time he used someone’s first name.
"The NCAA has rules for a reason," he told me.
My eyebrows furrowed. I had no idea what he was talking about.
"Spring training is coming to an end. You’ve been working too hard and it hasn’t been fun to watch. You’re still in college." A low chuckle escaped him. "Even Cross knows to ease back. You can’t put your body through all of this, especially when you’re not signed on yet. You have to be thinking long-term."
My long-term left.
So who gives a shit?
"Sir—"
"Your suspension has been denied." He studied me for a moment. "Why did you tell me about the Clemenza?"
For a moment, all I saw were the doe gray eyes. Piper’s eyes, sparkling back at me, and the way she kept to the truth. My throat tightened. Piper was a lot of things and one of those things was honest. She never hid behind anything she said.
"My parents are writing a book."
He straightened up in his chair. "What?"
"My coach—my dad—called me and I figured out they’re going to be publishing a—"
"That’s why they called King." He froze for a second before he whipped out his phone and put it on speaker. "Bennight. Get in here."
