Page 99 of The Keeper
I stare after him for a moment before turning my attention back to Mack.
“I’m so lost. Was he mad?”
Mack shakes his head slightly.
“I’d already told Coach J that your dad was coming, and that you were still going to play. He was probably just wondering why you were telling us for what seemed like a second time to him, and why you would say you should sit out when Ijusttold him you were good to play anyway.”
“But I’mnotgood to play, Mack. I’m gonna choke again, and I… wait. How did you know he was coming?”
“Jeremy called me.”
My head jerks back.
“What?”
“Yeah. He was worried and said he couldn’t get a hold of you. He wanted to make sure someone was keeping an eye on things to make sure you were okay.”
I let out a sudden burst of uncontrollable laughter, and Mack breaks into a grin.
“Well, I guess he’s at least accepted the idea that you might care about me.”
“I worryeveryonecan tell how much I care about you,” he replies.
My face blushes bright red.
“I’m serious, RJ. I feel like it’s stamped on my forehead sometimes. I feel like my eyes are always glued to you, even when I’m supposed to be watching someone else on the field or listening to someone else speaking to me.”
I shake my head with a small smile.
“I love that,” I whisper.
Mack clears his throat.
“Well, we should get back inside. My decision is final, just so you know. You’re playing. You’ll be fine. The team will be behind you if there’s any problems.”
I stand with my arms crossed, and watch as he turns and enters the locker room.
I feel like I need to do something, but I’m not sure what. There’s an anticipation coursing through my veins in place of the anger that was boiling to the surface earlier.
Then suddenly, it occurs to me.
I shoot into the locker room, just as Mack is calling everyone to attention.
“Can I say something quickly?” I ask, and see every eye in the room shoot to me. I hate being the focus of attention, but I have to push past it.
Mack waves a hand out in front of him.
“The floor is yours.”
I clear my throat nervously, glancing around the room and catching Piper’s eyes. I latch onto her beautiful spirit in an attempt to calm myself.
“I’m sure you all probably remember the USD game, when there was a man shouting really horrible things at the team from the stands.”
A few nods. A lot of curious looks.
“Well, it’s no coincidence that he singled me out that day. That guy is my dad.”
A few gasps. A lot of open mouths.
