Page 103 of While We Waited

“Fuck, man. I don’t want to handicap you. I want to use your mind.”

I frown. “My mind?”

No one on the football field cares about my mind. They want me to catch the ball and run as fast as possible to outrun the defensive team.

“Coach wants you to be the offensive coordinator.”

“Jerry wants me?”

That’s difficult to believe. Jerry hasn’t contacted me once since I left the team after my injury. Not a call, not a card. Nothing.

“Okay, fine. I want you.”

“I’m not interviewing for the offensive coordinator position.”

I remember the last time Jerry hired an offensive coordinator. He made those candidates go through five rounds of interviews.

“You don’t have to interview.”

“Coach never let the offensive coordinator call offensive plays during the game anyway. He insisted on calling all the plays himself.”

“Coach has changed.”

“Really?” I cock my eyebrow. “You literally said he hasn’t changed a bit five minutes ago.”

He blows out a breath. “He’s still a hard ass, but he recognizes he can’t do it all anymore.”

“Which is why he’s here instead of you.”

“He thought you wouldn’t want to speak to him.”

“Why not?”

“He was kind of a dick to you when you got injured.”

Yeah, he was. He pushed me to come back to the team despite what the doctors said. He only let up after the team doctor told him he’d never sign off on my return to the field.

“Anyway.” Seth pulls a piece of paper out of his coat jacket and hands it to me. “This is the offer.”

“The offer?”

“I told you there’s no need for you to interview.”

“Jerry signed off on this?”

He nods to the paper I haven’t opened. “Yep. And, before you ask, so have the lawyers.”

My insides vibrate as excitement rushes through me. This isn’t some hare-brained scheme Seth thought up. This is an actual possibility.

I could be back on the field. I miss the smell of the grass, the sound of the gridiron, the roaring of the crowds.

I thought I’d never have it again. I thought I’d ruined the best thing in my life. I thought my time as an athlete was over.

But maybe it’s not.

“I’ll have Naomi introduce Nova to the other wives. Assuming you want her with you. If not, I’m certain we can figure out visitations. You wouldn’t be the first coach to be in this situation.”

I growl. ‘This situation?’ What the hell does he mean? Does he think I knocked Nova up and I’ll leave her and our baby behind?

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