Page 129 of Racing Heat
Jase:You’re welcome, beautiful girl. Have a great game. I’ll see you soon.
I put my phone back into my pocket and cross the hallway to where I have a perfect view of the field. She’s out there with Mac, walking the perimeter and getting herself ready to play. I blow a kiss to her even though she won’t see it. It’s more for me than her. Sending my love and encouragement to her. Wishing I could walk down there and gather her in my arms. But I can’t. That will have to wait until after the game.
By the time warmups start, I’m too busy to even pay extra attention to her. I’m getting Hendrix and Miranda ready just in case we need two keepers in this game.
“You’ve got this. Make sure you’re cutting that angle,” I warn her. “Some of your cuts aren’t sharp enough. We can’t make that mistake if they put eleven out there at striker. Her kicks can be deadly, so be careful.”
“Got it,” Hendrix says with a nod. Her eyes are laser focused on the balls I’m sending in and on her movements. She’s in the zone today.
“You’re doing great. Keep it up.” I tell her before turning to Miranda. “Make sure you’re keeping yourself warm and ready. If we end up with a good lead, I’m going to pull her. I want you to start getting some plays in, okay?”
Miranda just nods; the nerves written all over her face. It’s rare that I use the backup goalie, but sometimes it’s good to give her some experience and to rest Henny.
“Let’s go. Round up,” Nate calls out. It’s time for the anthem and starting lineups to be announced.
The crowd goes wild when the ladies of the Blaze are announced. We’ve come a long way from being disliked to being embraced. I know it’s been a goal of August’s, but these girls are making it happen. It takes every ounce of control to not yell or letout a whoop when they announce Cassie’s name. But as a coach, the only reaction I should have is clapping, like I do for all the rest. So that’s what I do.
The Blaze puts on a good show for the first half. We end up netting a goal, but so does the Dash. Cassie manages to make a good breakaway run and is charging for the goal. Mac is sprinting ahead of her, trying to see if she’s going to pass up or take it from the eighteen.
“She has this shot,” Nate says from beside me. “’Think she’ll net it?” he asks Andie.
“I sure fucking hope so,” I add in even though no one asked me. “We need a lead.”
“Agreed,” Andie replies. “She’s got this shot. Come on and shoot, Cassie!” she calls out to her.
Cassie fires and it goes wide.
“Fuck!” I mutter. “I was sure she had that.”
“Me too,” Andie says. “I’m the one who said shoot. I’m not sure what happened.”
The buzzer sounds for halftime, and the girls are making their way over.
“There’s always the second half,” Nate replies as we all make our way into the locker room.
The second half starts off slow. No one scores but we miss a lot of opportunities. Nate’s face is red from yelling at the girls. I can’t blame him; I have no idea what’s been happening out there. The ball is living between both eighteens., with no shots on either side. I’m glad for Hendrix because this means the heat is off her for now. But she’s standing there poised and ready on her toes, waiting for that long ball or short shots. Neither comes.
It’s not until we have two minutes to go that Mac charges for the goal. I notice the shift in Kelsey and Cassie immediately. Cassie is pulling up and going into the forward position from the mid.
“I like the talking,” I hear Nate say.
“Come on, baby girl,” I mutter to myself. “Let’s get this ball and put it in the net.”
Mac sends the ball up and Cassie charges forward with it, getting ready to make her shot. A player from the Dash comes up and cuts her off, taking her out, along with the ball. Cassie hits the ground and lies there.
“Fuck!” Andie cries out.
“Please get up. Please get up.” I repeat the words over and over again. I watch as Mac jogs over and kneels beside her. I can tell she’s talking to her.
“Mac, do you need me?” Lucas, our trainer, calls out, but Mac just shakes him off.
Cassie slowly gets up and stretches her legs, looking in the direction of the ref. She’s waiting for her call. And she gets.
A red card is rewarded to the player. He also indicates that it will be a penalty kick.
“Let Cassie take it,” I tell Nate.
He looks over and smiles at me. “I will. It’s her foul, it’s her kick.”
