Page 85 of Shot Taker

In a dark wave, it all comes rushing back.

Coach’s accident.

Pacing the hospital for hours.

Him hooked up to machines, silent and lifeless.

Cutting through the darkness, Nova driving me home.

She’s next to me, her skin warm and soft.

She’s my strength.

When I was drowning, it was her face that appeared over me.

She let me hold her for fucking hours, slept next to me while I tossed and turned.

I love her.

Thoroughly and fucking completely.

The realization isn’t a lightning bolt but a steady truth, one that’s been humming in my veins for longer than I knew.

My phone buzzes on the bedside table. I exhale when I see the caller ID. I shift out of bed and pull on gray sweatpants, taking the phone to the other room so I don’t wake Nova.

“Yeah,” I answer as I pull the door shut after me.

Harlan’s voice comes down the line. “Wade. I’ve talked with James, and we want you to address the team.”

“Why not Jayden?”

“We want Coach to have privacy at this time. Chloe’s issuing a statement to say that he’s out for personal reasons,” he goes on as though I didn’t ask. “But first, you need to talk to them.”

“And say what? They were there.”

“That our lead assistant coach will be taking over as head coach. Indefinitely.”

I stiffen. “Why not acting?” He doesn’t answer. “Whose fucking idea was this? Yours or James'?”

“It was mutual.”

“Bullshit.” I hear the truth in his voice. Parker gets off on moving pieces around, looking like a big boy. This is him doing that. “Coach will be back. It could be today.”

“I need you to put the team first right now.”

Nova comes out of the bedroom, my T-shirt clinging to her curves and ending at her knees.

She cocks her head.

"Harlan," I mouth.

Her lips press together.

Yeah, this situation isn’t resolved, but I need to resolve it.

She heads for the washroom, the door clicking behind her.

“Is that Nova?” Harlan asks. A lucky guess.

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