Page 82 of The One I Left Behind

“I’ll let you know the details as I get them.”

Coach Reyes talks to Coach Smith as they walk away about whether there will be makeup people.

I pull my phone from my pocket and shoot Gillian a text.

Sportsverse is going to do a piece on me coaching the Wildcats.

The three dots appear immediately.

That’s awesome! Are you excited?

The truth is, not really. I was just getting to a good place with the boys and having them see me as Coach Noughton and not Ben Noughton, former San Francisco wide receiver.

I’m not sure. But it’s good for Willowbrook.

For sure. Congratulations!

Hey. Bar exam results?

Heard a rumor maybe next week.

I know you passed. I’m already planning your celebration.

Don’t waste your breath filling up balloons.

If you’d stop stealing my breath away, I’d have more for balloons.

Cute line. Try again.

You’re a hard audience.

I’m your favorite audience.

Truth. Love you.

Love you. Congrats again.

I pocket my phone and sit on the bench, watching practice. Just when I’m out of the limelight, I get pulled back in. But this time, it’s not just about me. It’s about the people and the town I love.

Three days later, Sportsverse rolls into town. Word spread, and now I have a stadium full of bystanders. I’ve never had a closed practice, wanting to be as transparent as possible. Plus, there wasn’t a need for it. Nobody, except a few dads, would linger around. But now I’m rethinking that decision.

“You’re fine.” Gillian pats my forehead with a tissue. “You’ve done interviews before. This is no different.”

She’s right, I’ve been on the other side of a camera plenty, but I thought I was done with it all. “Why don’t we go under the bleachers and you can help me relax?”

She giggles and kisses my cheek. “Sorry, Noughton. Game face on.”

Blythe Chen steps onto the track to the field.

“Back to the last name, huh?”

“Just when you’re being uncooperative.” Gillian’s sweet smile pierces my heart. “Now I’m going to go sit with your dad and brothers and watch you kill this.”

“Everyone does know that it’s going to be, like, a five-minute segment, right?”

“Did you ever think that maybe people are here to support you?” She pokes me in the chest. Honestly, the thought hadn’t come to mind. “They aren’t here to get on camera, but to show the world how much they believe in you and this team.”

I grab her, hating that I have to let her go. “How did I get so lucky to be with a woman so much smarter than me?”

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