Page 47 of Courtside

“David?”

“Hm?” He turned back to look at her, Daisy’s blonde head poking out above his shoulder.

“Give it time. The guys are going to get there.”

She didn’t need to explain that she was talking about the team. David shot her a sad smile, and then walked away.

CHAPTER14

C U SOON WITH SOUP

DAVID

2 - 9.

A record of 2 and 9 going into their first conference game.

They’d scraped by two close wins, but the majority of the games had been won handily by their opponents, who beat them by an average margin of 15 points.

To their credit, the players were working their asses off. They ran hard in practice, challenged each other, and were starting to execute the plays correctly. But still, the team wasn’t clicking. Their timing was still off — passes behind the guy cutting to the lane, two players scrambling for the same man in transition and leaving the basket unguarded.

David tried to figure out the social dynamics of the team. Some of the guys seemed really close, and he knew that a group of the juniors shared a house based on overheard conversations. Those older guys — Monty, Zephyr, Erik, and Horty — had taken the underclassmen under their wing, which David was relieved to see. Jordan, who was, objectively, their best player, seemed completely removed. Jenks was the only one who ever went out of his way to interact with his co-captain, and even then it was evident that Jordan would have preferred to be left alone.

David climbed out of his car, shooting a quick text to the pet sitter he’d found to feed Daisy on game days. He adjusted his tie, stashing his phone in the inside pocket of the navy blue blazer that he’d paired with chinos. He felt silly, but there was something about dressing nicely for games that made him feel more prepared, and even more qualified. Not that it was helping him, but still.

Tonight they were playing Harding University out of Maryland. They’d come in second in the conference the previous year, and based on scouting reports, were a physically and mentally tough team.

David had prepared the guys like he normally would: game tape of the other team, reviewing the plays their opponent would rely on, and practicing the offensive and defensive sets he thought would give them the best advantage going into the game.

He hoped it would be enough.

The guys needed a win. They were at the point in the season where it became almost impossible to fight against the momentum of repeated losses. Losing got easier, comfortable even, and it started to feel like there was no chance.

But David knew it would just take one win. One goddamned win and it would all change. He’d been on teams — hell, he’d coached teams — that had been in the same position, and he’d seen it all turn around.

They just needed to get it done.

After a brief stop in his office to collect the leather folio that held his game notes and lineups, David made his way down to the gym and locker room. Guys were starting to trickle in, and he gave a few fist bumps and nods to the players.

He walked into the gym just in time to hear a hacking cough from the supply closet tucked under one of the pull-out bleachers. He frowned.Must be one of the interns.

Then Sage walked out, pushing the ball rack that they used for warming up. Her face was buried into the crook of her arm as another cough wracked her whole body.

“Fogerty,” David called out, walking across the court toward her.

Sage lowered her arm, and David couldn’t keep the wince from his face.

Her nose was bright red, and there was a slightly glazed look to her eyes; the unmistakable look of someone who’d lost the fight with a cold.

“Coach.” The word was rough and raspy, and immediately sent her into another round of coughing.

“What the hell are you doing here?” This maniac of a woman was out of her damn mind if she thought she belonged anywhere other than bundled up in a bed with hot tea and a bowl of chicken noodle soup.

Sage sniffled and shrugged. “Doing my job?”

He didn’t think she meant for it to be a question.

“Sage,” David started, shaking his head. “You need to go home.”

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