Page 150 of The Americana Playbook

Why don’t I cruise over?

Parker can come hang with Lo and we’ll play some Madden.

Josh

Not tonight, Fitzy.

I curse under my breath.

Will I see you at practice tomorrow?

He doesn’t answer, but another text comes through.

I’m so down that seeing her updated name doesn’t even lift me up.

Mrs. America

You okay? That was intense.

I’m in the lobby. Someone from the team brought me in.

I need five. Just got out of the shower.

Is there still a crowd out front?

Mrs. America

A lot. Mostly kids. Lots of them in your jersey.

Try to get them to stay.

I skip the ice bath today, which I know I’m going to regret, especially considering I ran more in one practice than I did all of training camp. But I’ll deal with that later. Right now? I’d walk out of here in a towel if that wouldn’t make things more inappropriate on a family day.

Minutes later, I’m on my way out of the locker room and open the fridge for a Gatorade when a trainer calls my name.

“Coach is looking for you.”

I hang my head in the cool air of the fridge, grabbing a bottle before I make my way down the hall to Coach’s office. And then I turn around, deciding that it’s probably not the time to hammer shit out when I’mthisangry and embarrassed.

“Fitzy.”

I turn, finding Coach halfway in the doorway. He takes off his Rebels hat and tips his head toward his office before he steps in, disappearing from my sight.

Hanging my head, I trudge forward.

“Go on and close that door,” Coach tells me as I enter his office. “And take a seat.”

I close the door but don’t sit. Coach’s heavy stare lets me know that’s what hewantsme to do.

“Or don’t,” he says, leaning back and bringing his feet to rest on his desk. “You can stand and listen as much as you can sit and listen, I suppose.”

The only thing I’m listening for is plans to apologize to Josh. But if that’s in Coach’s arsenal, he doesn’t lead with it.

“I’ve got an issue. See, as the head coach and quarterback, every single day—every game, every practice—you and me, we’ve got to show the team and everyone watching that it’s the best day of our lives working together. So what happened today can’t happen again.Ever,” Coach reminds me.

I’ve heard this shit before.

Fumble the ball?Can’t happen again.

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