Page 78 of False Start

“I’m sorry?” Her voice had gone all high-pitched now, telling me I was in for it and whose side she was definitely going to take in this particular hurdle.

I was a man on my own. Cool. Not exactly new territory for me. “I. Didn’t. Ask. Them.”

“Woooowwwww. Dick move, Cain.”

I glanced away and shrugged. “Thanks.”

“No, really. I mean, I said you were a good coach and I meant it, but this…”

“Yeah, I get it, Lil.” I sucked down the last of the water and crushed the bottle in my hands. “You think I fucked up.” Tossing the bottle toward the recyclables, I watched it glance off the corner, spin, and pitch right back out onto the floor.

“No—I know you fucked up,” she said, reaching for the bottle.

I grabbed her arm to stop her and snatched up the bottle with my other hand. “Stop, I’ve got it.”

She blew out an exasperated breath. “I’m not breakable.”

“I’m not okay with you picking up after me.”

“Fine, I’ll go back to what I’m good at then, irritating the shit out of you.”

“Great.” I snorted.

“Maybe you’re rusty with this whole coaching thing. It’s only day one. I mean, it’s a hell of a mistake to make on day one, but you’ve always been a bit of an overachiever. Go big, am I right?”

“Your confidence in me is astounding. Thanks.”

She crossed her arms and settled in. “If it’s part of a master plan…enlighten me.”

“Tilly and Mayhem have a problem with one another.”

“You’re supposed to be convincing me why you’re not an idiot.”

“Working on it.” Only I was trying to convince myself now too because all of a sudden, my stellar idea didn’t seem so stellar. “The issue isn’t so much Mayhem. Her biggest problem is she lets Tilly get in her head. Tilly’s the one who likes to play dirty and throw elbows.”

“Wait—hold up,” Lilith said, holding her hand up to stop me.

“What?”

She shook her head and shifted her weight, the wince on her face telling me she’d gotten uncomfortable on her feet. “That’s not having a problem with one another. That’s one person bullying another.”

I pulled out a chair. “Here, sit.”

She shuffled over, sat down, and glanced up at me. “How exactly do you expect Maisy to set aside the way she’s been treated?”

“I, uh—” It’s not what I intended when I agreed to let Tilly on the team. I hadn’t even considered what I was asking Maisy to do—fucking hell—or would have been asking her if I actually, you know, asked her.

“Did Tilly apologize?”

“Shit.” I jammed my hand through my hair and glanced at the clock.

“Like I suspected, you’re the one who fucked up.”

“Son of a bitch.” It was late, but practice had only just broken up. Maybe I could do some damage control.

She laughed up at me, her hand roaming over her belly. “You’re in the doghouse with the new girlfriend.”

“She’s not my girlfriend.” I snatched my jacket off the hook and jammed my arms through the sleeves.

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