7

Garrett sat at his desk, his bum leg extended out to the side. Coaching in a brace presented a challenge, but he’d done it before. Right now, he had bigger problems than his leg. The feud between Matthew and Austin continued, and the boys’ hostility toward each other had almost lost the team the first game of the season. He refused to have a repeat this week, and the game would start in a few minutes.

Matthew entered the office first.

Not a surprise. Garrett was well aware that the boy worshiped the ground he hobbled on. Matt always hustled to accomplish every task put to him. Garrett had been just like that as a kid, always focused on the game and eager to please. Matt had such a bright outlook on life in spite of his circumstances. Garrett didn’t want this little feud to cloud the boy’s judgment.

Austin presented the other side of the coin. Everything was a fight with that hotshot. His attitude had become a daily issue. And though the boys had similar backgrounds and hardships, Austin let his circumstances get the better of him.

Garrett hated losing good kids to unhealthy situations, but he could only do so much. Still, his conscience nagged at him a little. He found it so much easier to help Matthew, given the kid’s respectable attitude and behavior. Maybe he’d chosen the easy way out. Both boys needed a good role model in their lives, and he wondered if he’d done everything he could for Austin.

Across the room, the second kid shuffled through the doorway.

Austin’s dark, curly hair sported a style straight out of the seventies. He fixed a belligerent gaze on Garrett first and then glared at Matthew with ice blue eyes. Then he turned and started to leave. He’d just stepped through the doorway when Garrett’s ultimatum stopped him.

“Leave now, and you don’t play.” Garrett watched for a reaction.

The kid stiffened, then stopped and leaned in the doorway.

“Have a seat, boys.”

Austin obeyed but took his sweet time at it. He crossed his arms in a defensive posture and leaned so far back in his seat the front two legs came up off the floor.

Garrett chose to ignore the disrespect. “The game’s starting in thirty minutes. I brought you two boys in to make sure your heads are on straight. Last week, the friction on the sidelines almost cost us the game. Now I know y’all had a disagreement. As someone who was caught up and injured in that fight, I think the both of you owe me a little respect.”

Austin snorted and tossed his head like an indignant horse.

“Oh, you don’t agree?” Garrett had enough of ignoring Austin’s attitude.

“I don’t owe anybody anything.” He let the chair legs hit the floor with a jarring slam and leaned forward.

Garrett winced as he stood up and rounded the desk. He manipulated his leg so that it extended straight out in front of Austin.

“You see this leg? You are responsible for this. I could have pressed charges and had you sent to an alternative school. Bye-bye football. Hello to some really nasty boys who would eat you for lunch. So yes, you owe me a little respect.”

Austin was now making a bit of eye contact.

Good. Garrett had guilted him enough to make him listen. He grabbed the advantage while he had it. “Furthermore, I argued with Principal Walker on your behalf.” He pointed a finger at Austin’s chest. “Argued with her over the situation and both of you escaped some serious charges, but I won’t have your personal issues affecting the games.” He moved his gaze between the two scowling teens. “All I ask in return for what y’all put me through is that you leave your personal issues at home. When you step out on that field—together—I expect you to treat each other like you treat every other member of this team. You are to work together, protect each other, pass the ball, and do your respective parts to help this team win a victory.”

Both boys dropped their chins and nodded.

“Now shake hands and hit the dressing room. It’s almost game time.”

The two boys extended hands and shook. They didn’t high five or fist bump. He had a hunch this wasn’t the end of their issues, but it was a start.

He left the office with his head held high, and hopeful about tonight’s game.

~*~

Micara was back on the football field sooner than expected and of her own accord, but she wanted to support Garrett. She’d missed last Friday’s game due to a landscaping job in Bishop, but she made sure to keep her schedule clear for tonight. Sporting the school’s colors in her top and shorts, she was ready. If Garrett was tough enough to coach football in a leg brace, then she could sit through the game even though she had no idea what was going on. Plus, she liked football a lot better now that she had a reason to attend the games other than hauling folding tables and boxes of Eagle memorabilia for MeMaw.

“Garrett!” She maneuvered through the crowd to the chain link fence.

Garrett sat on the sideline in a golf cart. When he fixed those piercing blue eyes on her, an electric tingle shot right through her entire being. And she’d thought coming here was a choice. Oh, boy. He drove the golf cart over to the fence. Micara smiled.

“Micara, what are you doing here?”

His words held surprise and...was that delight? Standing, he propped his arms on the fence rail. His gaze took her in from head to toe, and she found herself suddenly self-conscious. The attraction between them had become undeniable.

“I came to see you coach.” Was there any other reason?

“Most people come to watch the game.” His teasing tone warmed her cheeks.

Oh, yeah. The game.

“Oh, is there going to be a game going on, too?” She stuck her tongue out at him.

They laughed, just as the band struck up.

She glanced at the sea of red in one section of the bleachers, with the setting sun glinting off the gold and silver instruments.

“Well, that’s my cue.” Garrett seemed almost disappointed. “The team’s about to run out. Normally, I’d run with them, but I can’t this time.”

He patted the hardware securing his leg from further injury.

“It’s OK. Go do your coaching thing. Don’t worry about me.” She winked.

Micara stood at the fence a few more moments before taking a seat. Her reaction to seeing Garrett had confounded her, but the attraction between them had grown stronger each time they were together—which had been almost every day since they’d met a little over two weeks ago. For the first time in her life, Micara felt genuinely connected to someone. She’d never dreamed it would happen this soon. Her relationship with P.J.—such as it was—had developed over several years. But everything felt so natural with Garrett. In just two weeks, she was drawn to him. Garrett was fast becoming an important part of her life.

“Micara, is that you?”

She spotted her best friend, Connie, and smiled. “The one and only.”

Connie shifted a baby to her other hip and came to stand next to Micara.

“Whose adorable baby is this?” Micara touched the tiny hand of the baby girl. The infant was dressed in a Sweet Home pillowcase dress—one Micara recognized as MeMaw’s handiwork—and wore a bow in her hair that was almost the same size as her head.

“This is my sister’s little girl, Brynn. I’ve told you about her.”

“Oh, yeah. I didn’t realize she’d grown so big.”

“She’s a year old now.” Connie sat on the front row bleacher and put Brynn on her lap. “Debbie lets me have her at least one day a week to get my little girl fix. Having only boys takes its toll on me. I need more than racecars and video games. I need dolls and dresses, too.”

Micara laughed at her frazzled friend. Connie’s boys were a handful, but she loved them more than life and sang the praises of her little boys often.

The announcer’s voice came over the speaker, requesting a moment of silence and then introducing the person singing the national anthem.

When they sat again, Micara turned to her friend. “Maybe it’s time for another baby?”

Connie smiled and kissed the top of her niece’s head. “We’ve talked about it. But what if I end up with another boy?”

“You’d love it either way.”

Connie smiled and nodded. “Yes, you’re right. I have the sweetest boys ever.” She squinted and leaned forward, looking at something in the distance. “Speaking of my sweet boys. Look at Jax acting the fool over there.”

At the end of the row of bleachers, Jax and several other little boys were drinking soda and then spitting it onto the ground. From a distance, it seemed to be a contest to see who could spit the farthest.

“Jax!” Connie yelled. He didn’t hear her. “Ugh, looks like I need to go over there. Could you hold Brynn for a minute?”

Connie thrust the wiggly baby girl into Micara’s arms before she could answer.

Brynn fussed a little but calmed down when the band started playing.

“You like the music?” Micara bounced the little one on her knee.

“Sic.” Brynn attempted to repeat the word, but only the last syllable formed. She clapped hands a few times and pointed with slobbery fingers.

Brynn was still mesmerized by the loud horns and drums as Connie returned a few minutes later. But when she saw her aunt, her hands sprang up, and a drool-filled smile crossed her face.

“Thank you. I scolded Jax good. Told him if he couldn’t remember his manners in public, then he would have to stay with Jonah. He hated that idea.” She sat back down and shook her head. “Spitting soda. Good grief. Sometimes I wonder about that boy.”

“He’s precious, Connie. All boys that age do silly pranks like that.”

“You’re right. I need to learn to relax. So what brings you out to the game?”

Micara’s smile was big. And it wasn’t about to budge anytime soon. “You see the head coach out there, the one with the leg brace?”

“Coach Hearth? Yeah, we know him.”

“Well, we’re kinda seeing each other.” Kinda? They were much more than kinda.

Connie’s face lit up. “Oh, wow, that is so fantastic. I’ve wanted you to find someone for so long. Is it love?”

Taken aback, she stared at her friend for a moment and then at Garrett. He moved along the sidelines—at a slow pace, but a lot better than when they’d first met. The limp wasn’t all that noticeable.

Love?

Their relationship had barely started, but the idea didn’t sound at all crazy. In fact, it seemed a real possibility.