Page 75 of Forever Inn Love

“Are you threatening my job, McGraw?” Morelli angrily questions. “Do you all hear this?” he asks the crowd, turning to address the auditorium. “How long are we going to let this man and his cronies bully this town? Who else is sick of this?”

The crowd erupts in applause and chatter of discussion, and a few people cheer.

“Calm down. No one is bullying anyone,” Hamilton declares.

“Oh yeah? What do you call it when you threaten people’s businesses and livelihoods if they don’t do what you want?” someone else calls out.

“We demand your resignation effective immediately!” another man yells, and the auditorium breaks into more applause and cheering.

“This meeting is over,” Hamilton announces as he stands.

“No, it’s not,” an authoritative voice calls out from the front of the room. It’s Goldie, and she looks madder than a hornet. “I’ve sat here and watched you divide this town for decades, Hamilton, and it must stop. When Coach Reid started volunteer coaching this fall, these boys started winning games. Football in Freedom Valley has brought people closer in this community again. And what you’ve done here to Coach Reid and to others for all these years is unconscionable.”

The crowd is silent now, hanging on her every word.

“You’re hurting people. I’m moving to disband the board effective immediately and vote for new members to be voted in who care about this town and the people in it and not about boosting their own agendas. Who is with me?” she asks the crowd, and the auditorium erupts in applause again.

She turns and looks at the board. “The town has spoken.” More applause and cheering.

Warmth fills me when I look around and realize that they are fighting and cheering on behalf of myself and other people who have been taken advantage of by Hamilton. Freedom Valley is finally feeling like the community I always needed it to be for me.

Goldie addresses the auditorium. “We have some work to do. Who objects to hiring Coach Reid as coach?”

The crowd is quiet, and Hamilton says loudly, “None of you will get away with this. You’re out of line, Goldie.”

“Mrs. Winters to you. My friends call me Goldie. And you’re no friend of mine, Hamilton McGraw.” She glares at him over her glasses, then she turns and walks to the back. Standing next to me, she wraps her arm around me. The crowd erupts in applause, and all eyes turn to Goldie and me.

The applause gets louder. She turns to me and says, “Well, what do you say, Coach? You in?”

I nod and pull her into a hug. “Thanks, Goldie.”

“This town needs you. You deserve this.”

Hamilton and the rest of the board members gather their things and stand, not looking happy.

Evan raises his hand. “Okay, now we start assembling a new board. Who is interested? Let’s build a team motivated to make this school the best it can be and look out for our community.”

Beth joins him, and he turns to talk to a few other business members at the front. The focus is now on Evan, and I’m grateful because this has been overwhelming.

Callie and I lock hands, and I feel better with her at my side. She goes stiff next to me, and I look to see her parents heading our way.

“Crap on a cracker,” she whispers, squeezing my hand harder.

Her parents stop in front of us, and Cheryl glares at Callie. “I hope you’re happy, you ungrateful brat. Look what you’ve done, costing your dad his position.”

There are so many things that I want to say. But I know Callie must make hard decisions about her family, and for this to stop, she’ll have to handle this. But I’m not leaving her side.

“I love SJ, and I’m happy he’ll be the coach. He deserves it. And Dad did that to himself,” she says firmly, staring at her mother.

Her mom’s hand comes up so fast and slaps Callie across the face, and a hush clears through the crowd as people stop and stare. Callie reaches up and holds her face. My body has gone rigid. I look over at Hamilton, and I see pleasure cross his face as he watched his wife strike his daughter, humiliating her in public. This is when I decide that she’s done with them. Forever.

“You will be nothing if you’re with him!” Cheryl hisses as she glares at both of us.

“Don’t ask me for anything, Callie. You’ve thrown everything away that we did for you,” Hamilton spits out, looking disgusted.

“You never helped me a day in your lives, and I’ve never asked you for anything. Sam, SJ, the club, and Goldie are my family. They’ve fed me, cared for me, and made sure I was safe and looked after. I put myself through college and med school and became who I am today. All you’ve done is drink, scheme, and make yourselves miserable with every one of your wicked choices. You willingly hurt people, and that’s going to stop. We’re done. You’re not my family, and you never have been. Stay the hell away from us,” Callie says, not backing down. I’m so proud of her.

Cheryl’s hand reaches up again, and I grab it midair and hold it firmly. “Touch her again, and I’ll lay you out. Right here. I don’t care who you are,” I grit out.

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