AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Coach pours me a glass of lemonade and I sit with him at the kitchen table. I try not to think back on all the meals I had here with Sloane, my hand resting on her thigh, her bare foot rubbing my calf.
That’s all history now and there’s no going back.
“You’re leaving soon, huh?” Coach interrupts my daydreaming.
“Yes, sir. I’m hitting the road at first light tomorrow. I’m due on the field the day after, and I need to get settled before pre-season starts.”
“That’s too bad. We’re gonna miss you around here.” A deep V forms between his brows as he stares across the table at me.
I wonder whichwehe’s talking about. Surely not Sloane. She’ll breathe easier once I’m out of Thunder Creek for good.
“I’ll miss you and the guys for sure.” I swipe at a drop of condensation on the outside of the glass and try to ignore the strangled feeling in my throat.
“I take it you and Sloane didn’t work things out yet?” He arches one brow high, studying me over the last bite of his sandwich.
“No, sir. I tried, but she’s still upset.”
“I figured that, judging by the way she’s been moping around here. Driving me a little nuts, not gonna lie.”
I puff out a breath, my chest tight. “I’m sorry about that, Coach. But I’m not sure what more I can do.”
He frowns at me, dusting the crumbs from his hands onto the plate. “Seems like now’s the time for a Hail Mary.”
I squint across the table at him. “Excuse me?”
“Yep. It’s time to break out the big guns, son. You have to put yourself out there, lay everything on the line. It’s the fourth quarter here and you’re down. There’s a risk she’ll say no, there always is. No way around it. Do you think you can handle that?” He levels his gaze on me, his stare as intense as it is during the last seconds of a game when we’re losing by a touchdown.
“Yes, sir. I’d rather take that chance than live with regrets.”
“Atta, boy.” He smacks his palm down on the table, rattling the wood. “So here’s the scenario?—”
Leaning back in his chair, he grabs a pen from the junk drawer behind him and the two of us put our heads together. We come up with a big play, Coach scribbling the route down on a paper napkin, a series of X’s and O’s as intricate as any football offense.
After thirty minutes, he caps the pen and sits back, arms folded across his chest. “You’ve got this, son. Give it your best shot.”
I grab the napkin and stuff it in my pocket, determined to do everything I can to win back Sloane.
CHAPTER 44
SLOANE
Today is Cam’s last day in Thunder Creek.
I shouldn’t have it marked on my calendar and I definitely shouldn’t care.
But I do.
No matter how hard I try to pretend I’m okay and everything’s fine, inside I’m dying. If I were Jane Austen, I’d describe my current mood as ‘bereft.’ I couldn’t sleep last night and haven’t eaten anything all day, not even able to stomach the donut Ms. Mabel brought in for me this morning from Java Jolt.
Between the dark circles under my eyes from insomnia and the late summer humidity wreaking havoc on my hair, I’m quite the vision.
Less than twenty-four hours and he’ll be gone.
Tears prick behind my eyes as I hurry over to the printer to grab the handouts for romance book club. Tonight’s the last meeting of the summer and there’s nothing I’d rather do less right now than sit around and chitchat about love.
“Psst—Sloane!”
I swivel so fast my ponytail swats my cheek. “Gracelyn! What are you doing here? I thought you had a client tonight.”
