Page 24 of Final Down

I thread my hands behind my neck and squint as I look up at the sky. The cloud cover is thin enough to be nothing more than a reflector for the sun.

“It’s more than a lot. And it feels fucking impossible.”

“Yeah,” he says, standing and moving close enough to pat my shoulder twice with his massive hand. “But that’s kind of your thing, isn’t it? Doing impossible shit.”

He chuckles through his toothy smile as he lifts his sunglasses from his shirt collar and slides them back into place. It’s hard not to notice the massive gold and diamond-studded ring on his hand—I’ve seen that ring on Reed’s hand.

“Get some rest, Wyatt. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

I stay put until Jerry’s out of sight. In fact, I wallow in my own doubts and fears long enough to watch the coaching assistants completely clear the field of equipment and debris. Eventually, Bryce steps through the tunnel and heads my way. I decide to meet him midfield.

“You ready?”

I know his question isn’t about lunch or heading back to the hotel. I wear the weight of it, and it feels impossible. But that’s what I do, isn’t it? Carry the impossible into the end zone for the win.

“I’m ready.”

And for now, I mean it.

Chapter Ten

Ifelt bad the other night when Wyatt ordered room service and set up the balcony with dinner for two, expecting me in the red dress, only to end up with me in sweats and a deep desire to curl up with a heating pad.

I’ve been miserable the last few days, even after my period was done. And Wy’s feeling his own stress. I’m still not sure whether he wants this starting job or simply wants to win and prove those doubting assholes Phillips and Mickey wrong. I’m not sure I care about his reasons as long as Mickey has to eat a little crow. A lot of crow. Awholelot of crows. A murder of crows.

As sad and lost as I’ve felt, though, something clicked for me today. And I want to celebrate.

While I was at lunch with Tasha, it dawned on me how much I need something of my own. I love working with my mom, and I’ll never give that up. I’ve grown to share her passions. She inspires me, as do the clients we get to work with. The horses are great co-workers, too. But I’ve been craving more. And it took aPortland high school cheer competition and a hotel full of loud, glitter-covered teenage girls to realize what it is I want.

“I want to coach.”

It’s the second time I’ve said it to Wyatt in the last ten seconds. The first time, he was still staring at my hips in this dress. I guess I should be honored that he’s more rapt with my body than the tantalizing filet sizzling on the table next to us. It’s a little chilly in Portland in May, and this Arizona girl wasn’t up for wearing a slinky dress in fifty-degree weather, so I had room service recreate his date night inside our suite.

“Oh, like . . .coachcoach,” he stammers, finally peeling his eyes away from my body to meet my gaze. I’m a bit overdressed, though I find his white T-shirt and gray sweatpants as sexy as he seems to find my dress. I pulled this date night off while he was in the shower after his second workout with the team today, and given his slack-jawed expression and wide eyes, I’d say I pulled the surprise off nicely.

“Is there another kind of coach?” I pop my hip out and twist my lips as I await his response. He shakes his head and runs his palm over his face and into his wet hair. He shoots me a sheepish grin and closes the distance between us, hooking his finger into the plunging neckline of my dress and tugging me closer.

“I’m a little distracted,” he admits, dropping his mouth to the curve of my neck. His teeth graze my collarbone as he makes his way along my bare shoulder, and while I want to sayfuck itto the gourmet dinner and conversation and let him have his way right now, I also very much want him to hear me out. Because this plan of mine affects him. It affectsus.

My fingertips run along his stubbled jawline as I coax his mouth away from my skin and force his eyes to look at mine.

“Mmm, you’re going to distract me if you don’t stop?—”

He growls and moves right back into the crook of my neck. I giggle before backing away a full step and holding out my hands.

“Five minutes. That’s all I need. And then you can do as you wish.”

A sinister smirk takes up residence on his face.I just gave him a hall pass for anything.

“Yes, Wyatt. I want tocoachcoach. At Coolidge. They need someone, and I already talked to the athletic director about it. The job is mine to take, and I really want to do it. I think Ineedto, for my head and my heart.”

I draw in a long breath and hold my mouth shut tight as realization paints his features. His lips pull into a tight line as his gaze drops down to the floor.

“Which means you’ll be there, in Coolidge, while I’m here. Assuming they keep me.”

“You know they’re going to keep you. At least for the season. And knowing you as I do, probably for years after. Especially when they see the lightning in a bottle that is Wyatt Stone.”

He chuckles, never good at taking a compliment, even from his biggest fan in the world. I knead my hands in front of me, wanting him to be more than okay with my proposal. I need him to encourage it, mostly because I’m a little nervous about how our relationship will shake out. My parents spent seasons apart, and while they are one of the closest couples in the world, I know firsthand that my mom had to fight hard to keep them that way.

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