Page 123 of Runaway Bride and Prejudice

I know he won’t want to admit he made a deal with me for a position. That’s … unethical at best. With everything else that’s happened to him in the last few weeks, he doesn’t need to lose respect from the guys or come under fire officially.

“Are you trying to tell me how to run my team?” he demands.

“No, I?—”

“Are you questioning my decisions? My leadership? Are you coming for my job? You think you could do it better than me?”

“No, sir.”

He and I stare at each other.

No one can move, like we’re all frozen in this room—the guys staring between us while Coach and I are locked in a staring match that feels deadly.

My father-in-law, I remember.I’m having it out right now with my coach … but also my father-in-law.

I blink and drop my gaze first. I’m about to apologize when a

frantic knocking at the door breaks the tension.

“Um, hey—woman or women entering,” Parker calls through a crack in the door. “Kind of an emergency.”

The door swings open. I do a double take.

Parker walks in with Amelia, who has a pinched expression on her face, avoiding looking at either me or her father.

The two of them are followed by … my sisters?

I’m too stunned to speak. Callie, Alex, and Grey look positively murderous.

Well—Callie and Lex do, and the sentiment is aimed right at Amelia. Grey’s glare turns to a grin, and she waves at me like it is totally normal that they just busted into my locker room.

Normally, I’d already be hugging them. But nothing about this situation is close tonormal. We’re inTwilight Zoneterritory.

I swallow hard, glancing over at Mills. Her wide brown eyes meet mine and for just a fraction of a second, it feels like we’re back in Florida, exchanging glances and understanding.

Like it’s us against the world. Like thereisan us.

She looks unsettled. Panicked, even. I’m not sure if it’s because of my sisters—I’m still confused as to how or why they’re here—or the clearly uncomfortable scene Amelia just walked in on.

My body sways, like she has created a full-body magnetic current, tugging me toward her. Her panic has activated an auto response in me. The need to protect her is almost primal.

Then I remember how she left. What it felt like to wake up alone, to read her note and know she was already on a plane. I remember how she kissed me yesterday, then told me we couldn’t keep doing this.

I force myself to turn away.

“Parker,” Coach barks, though I can tell he’s trying to soften his tone. “Now really isn’t the time.”

“Right … itdoeslook like a bad time.” Parker’s eyes bounce around the room, like she’s just now realizing whatever tension she brought with her, we already had it in spades. “It’s just—I need to see Van.”

“Get in line,” Alec mutters, and Coach shoots a look at our captain that shuts him right up.

“We’re about to start practice,” Coach says. “And Van”—he practically spits out my name and turns to glare at me—“isn’t in a position to talk to anyone right now. Not after what he pulled.”

Amelia sucks in a breath, and immediately, I know she misunderstood Coach’s words.

But before I can say anything, she steps forward.

“It’s my fault, Daddy. Or, at least, it’s both of our faults.”

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