Page 78 of Racing Heat
“I didn’t get much sleep last night either, but that’s because of Danny. I swear the man couldn’t get enough. But then again, neither could I.” She flushes at her words.
“I’m happy for you, Mac. It’s so nice to see things going so well for the two of you,” I tell her, and I mean it. If anyone deserves some happiness in the love department, it’s her. It’s nice to see her embrace it too. I was worried that eventually the pressures of being a captain would get to her, and she’d tosshim aside. Not that Danny would have gone willingly; he’s totally smitten with her.
The same way you are with Jase, the voice in my head says. I grin.
“What?” she asks. “What was that look for?”
“Nothing,” I say, shrugging it off.
“Is there someone?”
I don’t get the chance to answer her, though, because Coach Watts is clapping his hands at the front of the room.
“Alright, ladies, everyone has some food, now let’s find a seat. I’d like to go over the game footage from the Courage’s last game. They played San Diego, and as you know, they gave us some trouble last time. I want you all to pay attention to the formations they’re using. Watch how far the keeper comes out of her box and look at the distance the defense provides. Because it ain’t much.” That causes the room to chuckle. “But it’s okay. We’ve dealt with it before. We can handle it again. I know you’re eating, and I want you to enjoy your food. But I need you to focus.”
Everyone nods in agreement. My eyes are focused on the screen. The first half will mostly be filled with silence. He wants us to watch and learn. The footage may be paused to point out unique things; however, for the most part, it will just play. The second half is when the majority of the talking and instruction will come in.
I pull out my notebook and begin to take notes, marking the positioning on the field. I’ve been doing this since college. It helps me visualize it later. I draw out the field and place little x’s where the midfielders are marking from in the box, on corners, and how far up they take their runs. It gives me a good idea of the type of game I’ll need to play. If I’m going to hang out high and help the offense, or if I’ll be pushing back with the defense. Withthis team, I think the goal would be offense, but I watch to see if I’m right.
The first half plays with no interruptions from the coaching staff, until there’s about thirty seconds left in the game. Jase takes the remote and hits the pause button. All eyes snap to him, ready to learn whatever it is he’s seen. Frankly, I’m curious. I lean forward in my seat. Nothing that I just saw made me think this was critical, but he saw something.
“Alright, look at the goalie. Look how she’s coming out here and becoming part of the backs. Do you see how she’s cutting off all the angles? They aren’t worried about having no keeper in the box, because everyone is marked and everyone is covered. Who would bother to even shoot?”
“Someone from the eighteen,” I offer without thinking.
“Really? You think you could get one by her, Cas?”
His brown eyes are fixed on me. He’s challenging me. It makes me sit up a little straighter, ready to take this challenge on. He did say he’d make me beg, right?
“Where on the eighteen would you shoot from?” he asks. “Come up here and show me.”
I rise and stroll to him on wobbly legs. He hands me the laser pointer that he was just using to mark things on the screen. Our fingers brush as I take it. I feel the jolt of electricity from just that small touch.
“Sure, I’ll show you,” I say, facing the screen. I look at my options and then realize I might not have seen what I thought I did. I might be eating some crow here. Then it hits me. I see the spot and look over at him, smiling triumphantly. “I would shoot from here.” I point to the corner of the screen, just outside the eighteen. “If you can get some air on the ball, it should sail in. And if I use my speed, I might be able to get a shot off without getting marked first. What do you think?”
A ghost of a smile dances on his face. There’s pride in those eyes.
But he shakes his head. “Let’s look at this a little closer. Sure, you can sprint here to the edge and get your shot off but look at the position of this left back. You don’t think she’s going to rush forward and foil your plan? You’re fast, Cas, but you’re not that fast. That wouldn’t work. There’s no shot here.” He hands the pointer back to Coach Watts. “You can take your seat now, Simmons.” He says my name like he wasn’t just moaning it hours ago.
I stare at him, chin jutted out in defiance. He doesn’t have to give me special treatment, but he’s not going to be hard on me for no reason. “There’s a shot there. Maybe someone who plays a field position should look at it.”
I hear several gasps from around the room. I know I’ve gone too far. Normally, I wouldn’t. Normally, I’m meek and mild. But for whatever reason, him telling me I was wrong got under my skin more than it should have. I look at his face and see the anger, the fire in his now molten eyes.
“I think you might want to run some laps afterward, Cassie,” Coach Watts chimes in, “because that is not how we speak to Coach Ford.”
“I think it could work,” Andie chimes in, “but I’m not sure we’d have the timing. It might be worth running in practice.”
Yes! Girl power, I think to myself. Someone who’s willing to stand up to him with me.
“Thank you.” I grin at her. I address Coach Watts and Jase next. “I’ll run if you want me to, but I think it could work. I think if we want to beat them, we’ll have to make some gutsy moves.”
“Not that gutsy,” Jase argues.
I don’t say another word. I flop down in my seat and scowl at the screen.
“Easy there, killer,” Mac says, patting me on the back. “Since when do you give the coaches hell?”
I shrug. “He’s lacking some vision here, Mac. Can’t you see it?”
