Page 37 of Just One Season
“We are in need of a coach.” I watch Lucy’s face break out in a large smile. “The dad who was coaching had to have unexpected surgery, and since then, random parents have been stepping in. It’s been a mess. More than the mess you’d expect from kindergarten soccer players. So… the help would be great.”
“Awesome!” Lucy skips a step, and I look over to see hersmiling from ear to ear. “It’ll also give me something else to think about besides… well, besides all the things I don’t want to think about.”
“Okay then. They practice on Wednesday evenings and have games on Saturday mornings, except for today. I’ll send you the information.”
I wonder what Bri will have to say about this, because it’s not like I can not tell her that I 1) got a fake girlfriend and 2) asked that fake girlfriend to be our daughter’s soccer coach. But I remind myself this is Atticus’s sister, not some random woman I met at a bar. Still, Bri is super protective of our daughter. Maybe not quite as protective as I am.
I hope I don’t regret this.
“Anyway.” I want to move us on from Lucy as Ava’s soccer coach. “For the fall festival, Paul is always there. It’s a good media opportunity for the team. I’m assuming you’d already be going to that, so that could be one.”
“That’s one.” She nods.
“Another could be the Blizzard retreat in November.” I point ahead of us on the narrow trail and at more prominent tree roots. “Careful there. So the entire team and administration, including you, gets on a bus and drives to a ranch in Wyoming for a team building weekend two weeks before Thanksgiving when we have a break between games.”
It’s a really fun trip, even though we all grumble about having to go and bond with each other. As if we don’t bond all the time? Like every day at practice, in the gym, at games, locker room, when we travel, etc.
But there are hot springs pools and plenty of drinking time, and Coach doesn’t give us a curfew or alcohol limit.
“That works.” Lucy slows her stride and pulls out her phone. “But that won’t be until mid-November.”
“Yeah. So we probably need one before that, especially given the fall festival isn’t for another two weeks.”
“Right.”
The sound of water over rocks hits us. “The waterfall is just ahead.” A minute later, we turn a corner to the pretty sight of water flowing between two giant rocky mounds into a crystal-clear pool at the bottom.
“Gorgeous,” Lucy murmurs. She wanders over to the edge and squats down to run her hand in the water. Prince Harry runs next to her and leans down to drink.
I settle down on a dry, flat rock to the side and watch Lucy as she takes in the scene. She pushes a clump of auburn curls off her forehead. I desperately want to touch her hair and feel if the curls are as soft as they look.
Weird. Inappropriate. I clearly won’t let myself do that.
There’s a noise in the trees and Prince Harry twists his head to look behind me, then pulls the leash out of Lucy’s hand and leaps onto my lap, licking my face.
“Hey! Prince Harry! Down!” I push him away, but when I open my mouth to speak, he licks my lips.
Lucy spins around and laughs at the sight of us before grabbing Prince Harry’s leash to pull him off me.
“Sorry about that,” she says.
“No worries, I guess.” The sun has warmed the air, so I pull off my hoodie and wipe my face clean of Prince Harry’s slobber. “I think I technically just made out with him.”
Lucy laughs. “I don’t think he likes this name.”
“Time for a new one?”
“Prince Harry didn’t last long, but yeah.” She nods, a serious look on her face.
“How about…” I glance around. “Lion?” I pretend to look worried.
“What??” Lucy spins her head around.
“Kidding. There’s no lion.”
“You’re an ass.”
I stand and wipe my jeans off,a grin on my face.
