Page 148 of Whistle

“Of course I’m doing it,” Coach said, voice the same gruff, no-nonsense tone he used with everyone else. I’m not everyone else! “Like I said before, leaders pick up the slack where they find it.”

“So how about it?” Kruger continued to run his mouth. Did he not ever shut up? Probably why his bestie wore those fucking AirPods all the time. “Let’s place those bets.”

“I didn’t hear any of this,” Emmett said. Leaning toward Landry, he kissed her temple. “I’ll see you later, ladybug.”

“Have fun tonight, okay, Dad? That’s what this is all about.”

My heart hammered, blood pumping so fast I could hear it rush in my ears and the edges of my vision were tinged with red. Fun? They thought this was for fun?

“You two.” Emmett pointed to Ryan and Jamie. “Get backstage.”

Emmett turned to walk away, and I nearly leaped out of my skin. My fingers caught the sleeve of his jacket, pinching the fabric so tight my knuckles screamed in pain.

He turned back, discreetly plucking his sleeve from my grip, eyes meeting mine briefly. “You need something, Lawson?”

You felt that, right? Surely, the stab of pain those words caused was so severe I wasn’t the only one who felt it.

I stood there for a moment, stunned and unable to process. I asked him not to do it.

His eyes came back to me, but it only made it worse because they were shuttered, impersonal… lying.

Reaching up, I pushed at a strand of hair that had fallen out of the low ponytail my hair was in tonight and stepped back.

His eyes flickered.

Too little. Too late.

“All good here, Coach,” I said, the fucking C-word nearly strangling me. Before he could say anything else, I turned to the group. “My money’s on Jamie,” I announced loudly. “No way the old guy’s gonna beat him.”

Landry gasped. “He’s not old!”

“Bro, your dad is so old he knew Mr. Clean when he had an afro,” I cracked, hoping I sounded way more unbothered than I was.

Jamie laughed. “Bro, Coach is so old he knew Burger King when he was still a prince.”

“Now me!” Kruger said. “Coach is so old he took his driver’s test on a dinosaur.”

“That explains the Ford.” Rush cackled.

Arsen grinned. “Coach is so old his Bible is autographed.”

“Bro, I’ve taught you well,” Kruger said to Arsen and held out his fist for a bump.

Any other time, I’d be amused as hell by the banter, but right now, I was not. My stomach churned, and my stare wouldn’t leave the spot Emmett had just vacated.

A nudge on my arm brought me back. Then I deflated when it wasn’t who I hoped to see.

Rush’s brows drew into a V. “You okay?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?” I asked, going for flippant but sounding more harsh. Clearing my throat, I tried again. “Just haven’t really been in a crowd in a while. Think I’ll get some air.”

“Want me to come with?” he offered.

Of all the times he wanted to try and be buddies, he chose right now?

The burn of a curious gaze made me look to the side where I found Lars watching me with his bestie. I was tempted, so sorely tempted, to say yes just so I could give that life stealer a taste of his own medicine. Give that good citizen award right back.

But I couldn’t. I had not one ounce of petty revenge in me just then. All I could think about was how, in just a few minutes, Emmett was going to be on stage and then going home with someone else.

---