Page 131 of Pucking Revenge

War shoots me a devious smile. “Wasn’t that the plan?”

“Huh?” Parker eyes his taco with a suspicious frown. His wife is a health nut, so I doubt he’s had Taco Bell in a while.His stomach may not be too happy with him for giving in and going with the crowd tonight.

“Come on, Saint.” War tosses the tray of remaining tacos onto the table. “Sit down and tell everyone about how our coach is a sleazeball who lied to Sara and conned her into sleeping with him. Then we want to hear all about how you came to the rescue as her fake boyfriend.”

Aiden gasps, his eyes bulging comically. “Seriously?”

I drop my head back and curse at the ceiling. “What the fuck, War?”

“We’re a team,” he says with a shrug. “Teams stick together. Your teammates have your back. Everyone here agree?”

The room erupts with shouts in the affirmative, but my shoulders feel tight. That was Sara’s secret. Sara’s private life.

War steps up next to me and pushes me toward my seat. “You’ve tried to handle this on your own. That went epically wrong. So let us help you make it right.”

I sigh and scan the faces around the table. No one looks angry. No one’s said a bad word about Sara since I arrived. They’re not balking at War’s explanation. They’re all just here. For me. Showing up like a team does and, well, eating slightly cold fake-meat tacos.

“I don’t know what to do.” I slump forward, resting my elbows on the table. “I think they’re going to fire her.”

War shakes his head. “Not going to happen.”

Aiden holds up his taco, spilling lettuce all over the table. “Absolutely not.”

“I don’t know what else to do.” I turn to War, who’s taken up residence in the seat beside me. “Where is she, by the way? She wasn’t here when you got here?”

“She said she had to run an errand and that she’d be back later tonight.” He leans over and opens the fast-food wrapper in front of me. “Eat a taco. It’ll make you feel better.”

McGreevey shakes his head as he grabs another one. “It won’t, actually. But do it anyway.”

Resigned, I pick up the damn taco and take a bite.

Aiden hops up and darts into my bedroom. A moment later, he’s wheeling in the damn whiteboard again. When he turns it around, it’s been cleared off, and at the top, in bold letters, he’s written Operation Get Rid of Coach and Keep Sara. “Okay, boys. It’s time to brainstorm.”

FORTY-SIX

SARA

Alone in the apartment, it didn’t take long for all the voices to get to me. The commentators, randos spewing BS on TikTok, sports fans, even religious zealots. The speculation was wild. But every one of the people talking about the events of last night agreed on one thing: I’m the problem.

Some thought Brooks was wrong for attacking his uncle. Many agreed that Seb was wrong for sleeping with me when he has a wife at home. Naturally, money and the evil that comes along with it could be blamed. According to several folks online, everyone involved is too rich to have true morals. They obviously haven’t done a deep dive into my past.

In the end, each believed that I was at the center of it all. I’m the home-wrecker.

There’s no way around it. In the end, the Bolts will have to fire me to appease the critics and fans alike.

I shouldn’t be here. The babies have only been home for a matter of days. And despite her earlier text, I’m sure Liv’s husband has instructed her not to get involved in my drama.

Gavin and Beckett are a team. They’re extremely close, and if Gavin doesn’t want me at Langfield Corp, then I’m confident that Beckett will back him up.

Yet I find myself on her doorstep anyway. Sunglasses on, hood pulled up over my hair, head down so no one will recognize me.

The last thing I need to do is fuel the media fodder.

When Liv opens the door, spit-up dripping down her shirt and a crying baby in her arms, looking all sorts of disheveled, my heart sinks.

“I shouldn’t have come. I’m sorry.”

But before I can make it down the steps, she’s reprimanding me, mom voice and everything. “Sara Case, don’t you dare make me chase after you with a newborn in tow!”

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