Page 91 of The Long Game

Something flashed behind his eyes. Then Cameron shook his head, as if in… disbelief. “Ah Christ.” Another one of those laughs toppled out. “I think you’ve broken me, love.”

I frowned. I also blushed even further at thatlove.

Luckily, before I could say or do something strange like, let’s say, drop to the grass in a tangle of emotions I didn’t understand, I was being tackled from the side.

“Careful there,” Cameron said in a gentle but firm voice, one of his hands falling on my shoulder. He stabilized me, and his fingers brushed the back of my neck. Tingles spread down my arm.

I looked down to find María hugging me.

“I’m just so happy you’re okay,” she mumbled against my side. She glanced up, a serious expression on her face. My chest tightened at the sight. “Did you get our card? Did you see that Brandy and Tilly also signed? I painted their paws and made them sign with them.”

So the weird smudges of ink had been the goats.

“Yes,” I admitted weakly. “I loved it. I…” I wasn’t going to get emotional. I really wasn’t. “It was beautiful. Thank you so much.”

“We’re just glad you’re okay,” Juniper said from the group, obtaining a wave of nods from the rest of the girls.

“I’m also glad, ma’am—Adalyn,” Tony said from Cameron’s side. Then added, “I told them they could take a five-minute break, Coach.”

Cameron only lifted his eyes off me to give Tony a nod.

María released me, taking my hand before stepping away. “So what’s in the box? Is it gifts?” She frowned. “You should have told us you were coming today. We could have thrown you a welcome party.”

“That’s really okay,” I assured her, with a squeeze of her hand. The kid’s smile turned wider. “And yes, I’ve come bearing gifts. It’s a surprise. For everyone in the team. I just hope you like them.”

“I looove surprises,” María confessed. Followed by a longohhhhhfrom the rest of the girls. She took a step forward and poked at the box in Cameron’s arms. “Do you love surprises, too, Miss Adalyn?”

“Sure,” I said, feeling the weight of Cameron’s gaze on the side of my head.

“That’s perfect,” María answered. “That way we can exchange surprises today. It’ll be like… Christmas. But in fall. Oh, by the way, are you coming to the fall fest? Will your foot be okay? We can go apple picking, or pumpkin bowling, or even sign up for the haunted corn maze race.” María was beaming, vibrating with so much excitement that it was impossible for me to do anything but nod. “Awesome!” She returned her attention to the box. “Let’s exchange surprises now then.”

“María,” Cameron warned. “What did we talk about earlier today?”

But María had never been intimidated by this stoic and secretly gentle man, so she went ahead and said, “I know you said it wasn’t ready, but I think Miss Adalyn deserves her surprise now. She’s been in pain, and surprises always cheer me up when I’m sick or sad. Plus, she brought gifts for the team, and we don’t have a welcome party for her like you promised we would when she returned.” The nine-year-old shot Cameron a hard look. “You’re being a grumpy grump again, Coach Cam.”

Cameron sighed.

I gaped at the kid. “Hey, you called him Coach Cam.” María rolled her eyes. “Although you also called him a grumpy grump,”I teased, looking at Cameron. He rolled his eyes. “Which I’m not against.”

“Yeah, because Coach was being a total grump at practice all of last week, even on Saturday, when we won. And he worked so hard at the surprise, too. Even when Dad told him about a hundred times that he didn’t need to help.” She shook her head, and I shook mine in confusion, too. “Maybe it’s the curmudgeons on his b—”

“María,” Tony blurted out. “Not that again, Jesus. Just tell Miss Adalyn about the shed already.”

Cameron grunted.

I frowned. “The shed?”

“Fiiiiiine,” María stretched out the word. “Coach Cam had my dad and brother redo the shed into an office. For you. It’s tiny but Coach helped and he was very proud before you got here. It will look super cute, I promise.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Adalyn

The Green Warriors won a second time.

Cameron said it was because of the new uniforms. The girls had absolutely loved them, because, as María had pointed out, they slayed. They really did slay. The shirts were charcoal black and mint green, with every player’s name and number printed in pastel pink on the back, and the Miami Flames logo on the front. I’d ordered shorts and socks in green and black, so the girls could pick. And I’d gone as far as getting a skort that resembled a tutu for Chelsea. It hadn’t been easy to find but she’d been so excited and shocked that I thought she’d stopped breathing for a second. Even Diane had been touched. But I wasn’t responsible for the win. The girls were. They’d played a good game. And that wasn’t on me.

It was all because of Cameron.

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