Page 45 of Her Coach

I eased the door open and found her hanging up her purse and her jacket on a coat rack off in the corner. “What can I do for you, Coach Colton?”

I briefly wondered if I needed to ask her permission to take Brynn out for lunch tomorrow. Hell, I wondered if I should tell her at all. Memories bombarded me. Memories that felt like they were from a lifetime ago. That’s what I should’ve done with Lydia, the donor’s daughter. I should’ve talked with her father about pursuing her. Even if it was just for sex. Hell, her father didn’t have to know that. All he needed to know was that we were going to dinner.

I sure as shit didn’t want a repeat of the mistakes I’d made. But Brynn was a grown-ass adult. So she could deal with her own grown-ass mother.

That’s what you told yourself last time.

I shoved the plagued thought aside and cleared my throat. “Now that the meet schedule for the season has been confirmed by the last of the teams, I hoped to speak with you about the practice schedule you originally posted.”

She waved her hand in the air. “Your schedule is yours. I put that together well before I ever made you that offer. Throw it out if that’s what you wish.”

Well, that was easy. “If you’re sure.”

She snickered as she made her way to her desk, those expensive heels of hers clicking against the floor.

I drew in a short breath to dismiss myself before I heard Victoria’s office door swing open behind me.

“Heeeey, Miss C,” Rhett said.

Victoria sat down at her desk and didn’t even look up. “Morning, Rhett.”

I peered over my shoulder with a quizzical stare, but he just folded his arms over his chest and leaned against the doorframe.

Then he started with a bunch of questions. “You had your coffee?”

“Yes, Rhett.”

“Breakfast?”

“Yes, Rhett.”

“Took a shower?”

She sighed heavily and closed her eyes. “Yes, Rhett. I bathed. I ate. I drank.”

He chuckled. “Good.”

Then, she finally looked over at him. “Bry texted you, didn’t she?”

I quirked a curious eyebrow as Rhett simply shrugged. “She just wanted me to check in on you.”

“Is… everything all right?”

Victoria shot me a look before turning her attention back to her work. “Just my daughter being overprotective. You can go now, Rhett.”

“Only if you promise to eat lunch after I leave, Miss C.”

Another heavy sigh from her. “It was a late breakfast, I won’t be hungry until dinner. If my daughter has an issue with that, she can come talk with me.”

I wondered why in the hell a bunch of kids checked up on this grown ass woman. Was something wrong with Victoria?

Rhett held up his hands in mock surrender. “Hey, I’m just the messenger.”

“Yeah, I’m sure you are,” Victoria muttered.

It made Rhett chuckle. “Have a good rest of your day, Miss C.”

“You, too,” she said to no one in particular as Rhett clapped my upper arm before heading back down the hallway.