Page 9 of Coach's Pet

CHARLIE

We have a few hours to kill before the game, so I take Tins to my favorite diner. A strawberry shake always hits the spot for me, and right now, I might need two to cool down. It’s not because of the beaver suit overheating me; it’s because of what happened in that office. My mind keeps replaying Coach Shay’s words, and I’m stuck on the fact that he finds me desirable.

“We don’t have diners in the Midwest. Unless you count the Waffle House, which I’m not going to because that menu is only one page.” Tins flips through the pages in the menu as the server drops off our drinks. “Not that we went to the Waffle House. My stepmom would die before she’d allow any of us to be seen inside one.” She rolls her eyes, and I think it’s the first time I’ve ever seen her do it. Tins is always sweet and has nothing negative to say about anyone.

“You don’t talk about your family much.”

“Neither do you.” Tins closes the menu before putting it down on the table.

“There’s nothing to tell,” I say. “My parents are dead and my uncle is raising me.” The mention of my parents' deaths softens Tins’s face. “Don’t go feeling sorry for me. I love my uncle. He’s more involved in my life than my parents ever were.”

“Is he a workaholic too?”

“Too?”

Tins shrugs one shoulder. “My dad is. He’s always working.”

“Does that leave you with your stepmom a lot?”

“Yeah.” She lets out a sigh. “And her daughter.”

“You have a sister?” This is the first I’ve heard of this.

“I guess so. She’s in college but still lives at home with us.” She mentions them without smiling, which is unusual for Tins.

The server comes back to take our order and interrupts the conversation. Once she’s gone, Tins changes the subject, and I let her. I don’t like to be pushed into talking about things, so I’m not going to do it to her.

“You did fantastic today.”

“It was okay.” It wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be, but I still hadn’t wanted to do it.

“It was okay?!” she repeats and shakes her head. “You had everyone cheering. They cheered more for you than the football team.”

"That's because ninety percent of them didn't know it was me inside," I say, and Tins waves my comment off. If anyone should be the mascot it’s her. With all the pep and positivity that comes from her, she would be great at it.

Our food comes, and we devour it. Once we leave, I text Bennett to ask where I’m supposed to go. When he tells me to meet him at the locker room connected to the football field, my stomach drops. I want to see Coach Shay again, but I really don’t want to see the boys’ locker room.

We pull up to the football field, and Bennett is waiting for us right where he said he would be. The locker room is by the stands, and I can see they are already filling up with people.

“We can go in there?” Tins asks.

“They’re already dressed, so it’s good,” Bennett tells her, and we follow him inside.

The whole place is shiny and new. It shouldn't be surprising with how expensive this school is, along with the football obsession. I always assumed a boys’ locker room would be gross, but I was wrong.

The players are together in an open area, standing in a half circle. Their backs are to me as Coach Shay gives them their pregame pep talk. I stop walking and watch him. I don’t bother listening to what he’s saying. Instead I get the feel of him as he hypes them up. The man has a presence that can’t be ignored.

As much as I don’t want to admit it, I googled him. Shay Olson was a top player in the NFL and retired last year. It didn’t explain why the hell he’s here at Legend Prep. I know he’s got money because that was one of the top articles when I searched his name. He hit a record for having one of the highest paid contracts in NFL history. So far.

“Now get out there!” he shouts at them, and afterwards I’m shocked when his eyes find mine. As the players start to run out of the locker room, neither of us move.

“Over here, Charlie,” Bennett says.

He snaps me back to reality and away from a man I shouldn't be lusting after. He’s ten years older than me, and I have no business thinking about things that involve him and my naked body.

Bennett is holding back a loose curtain with an open room on the other side. It’s a cubby right next to the row of lockers where I guess I’m supposed to get changed.

“She can use my office,” Coach Shay says across the suddenly quiet locker room. “There isn’t privacy out here.” He sounds pissed as he starts walking to the other side of the locker room. “It’s over here.”

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