Page 107 of Falling Stars

For the next few afternoons, I help them with drills. I get toknow everyone’s names and positions, and I add their games to my calendar so I can watch them online in the fall.

After practice, Taggert pats me on the back. “You’re great with them.”

“Thank you, Coach. I’m having a blast.” It beats sitting around my condo and watching ESPN anchors rip me apart.

“Not to be nosy, but how’s your rehab going?” He lowers his voice. “I heard your injuries were pretty bad. Did you really break your neck?”

“I did.” I blow out a breath. “Couldn’t walk for three days. Scared the hell out of me.”

“I bet.” His bushy brows furrow. “A cervical spine fracture is pretty serious. My cousin got one, then got reinjured.”

“How’s he doing?”

His face goes grim. “He passed a week after getting hurt again.”

Fuck. “I’m so sorry for your loss.”

Stopping, he turns to me. “There’s no shame in quitting. I’m not saying you can’t get back to top fitness again, Maverick, but you’re still young. I’d hate for you to experience what my cousin did.”

“I hear what you’re saying.” Then I break out a familiar line. “Gotta see what my doctors say. One said I shouldn’t play again, and the other one is on the fence.”

“You’ve always been hard on yourself. Just listen to your body, okay?”

“Yes, sir.”

He crosses his arms. “What about that pretty lady you’ve been courting?”

I suppose everyone knows about us now after I serenaded her in public. “Baylee and I are solid.”

“That the same girl you used to run around with in high school?”

“Yeah. We’ve been close for a long time.”

“She gonna head back to New York with you?”

Anxiousness coils in my gut. “We’re still figuring things out.”

But the more I think back to what Sylvia said, the more I realize Baylee needs to stay here. Even if Baylee could leave her shop, it’s not like Sean’s gonna follow us to the East Coast to see Leo.

It’s not that I didn’t believe Baylee before, but I guess I thought we had time to figure things out.

Except I have less than two weeks left, and I haven’t figured out anything except that she needs better security.

“Well, don’t take too long to figure it out. Baylee’s a good woman. I’d hate for you to lose her.”

The thought of that makes my chest tighten.

Coach pulls off his baseball cap and wipes his sweaty forehead. “My wife loves Baylee’s salon. I’m glad to hear you finally figured out what was under your nose the whole time.”

Nodding slowly, I let out a sigh. “I was a dumbass.”

“You said it. I didn’t.”

I laugh. “Thanks, old man.”

“Speaking of being old, did ya hear I’m retiring at the end of this year?”

“I thought maybe you had another year or two.”

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