Page 7 of Second Down Scrooge

I can’t take it.

I’m about to turn around to get back into my car and call it a night when Coach Dixon gets out of the car behind me, followed by none other than Asher Nash.

Fuck, this is going to be a long night.

Asher has been putting in the work to bond with everyone in the locker room—except for me. There’s a little bit of bad blood between us because of the history between his family and me. It feels like they’re all out to get me, if I’m being honest.

And now he’s engaged to Coach Dixon’s daughter. It feels very much like these two are teaming up against me, even thoughthat’s likely not the case. They have no reason to team up against me.

Still, feeling like Dixon’s pet project leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I get that he is a former tight end himself, so the position is important to him. I understand that he wants his teammates to bond, but I’ve bonded with everyone I’m interested in bonding with at this point.

Asher nods at me, and I give him the polite head nod of greeting back. I greet Coach Dixon, too, and then I turn to head inside before either of them can scoop me up into a conversation filled with mindless small talk—my least favorite of all kinds of talk, to be honest.

When I walk in, fake snow is coming out of machines perched all over the room, and itisa fucking winter wonderland with blankets of white polyester and cotton everywhere to mimic piles of snow.

Fuck it. I can take an Uber home and get my car tomorrow.

I beeline for the bar first.

Asher comes to a stop beside me at the bar. “Great, like I don’t hear this type of music all day every day at home.”

I think about last Tuesday when I went to pick up Mia, and Kelly was singing along with some channel playing Christmas songs. I think about replying with something about that, but before I get the chance, the bartender hands over my beer.

“You have a kid, right?” Asher says as I start to walk away.

I glance over at him and nod.

“A girl?”

I nod again. “Why?”

“My fiancée says Pampers are the best, but I like Huggies. Just curious what another dad thinks.”

“We’re a Kirkland household. There’s nothing Kelly loves more than a trip to Costco...except maybe a trip to the craft store.” I tilt my head a little. “Can I just say that never in amillion years did I think I’d be bonding with Asher Nash over diapers?”

He laughs. “Feeling’s mutual, man.” It sort of feels like a breakthrough for us. He seems to be the kind of guy who sort of keeps to himself with his head down.

The same can’t really be said for me. I’ve tried things from every angle—sucking up to coaches, playing my hardest, befriending people, becoming enemies with others. It just feels like no matter what I do, I can’t win—especially not when the head coach is related to the tight end and the OC is his future father-in-law. That sort of fucks my chances from the wordgo.

Still, making this guy my enemy from the moment he walked in hasn’t worked out all that well for me.

For the first time, I see the benefits of a potential friendship with Asher.

Chapter 5: Austin Graham

Less Grinch, More Elf

Three Weeks Until Christmas

When I get out onto the practice field, Coach Dixon is talking with my position coach. Ben Olson, a retired Aces player, is here, too, and he occasionally does consultations with the tight ends.

“Graham, Morgan, get over here,” Coach Bruce barks at Chase and me. We both jog over because when your position coach calls you over, you fucking get your ass over there. “Dixon wants to run more two-tight-end formations, so one of you is going to start alongside Asher. I’ll be watching you both, and I want to start with blocking and then see you running routes.”

I glance over at Chase, and I hate that my first thought is how I can sabotage him.

I want this. I want it with everything inside of me.

But I want to earn it. No, Ineedto earn it.

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