Page 22 of The Coach

“And look what that did. It pushed us apart for years when we could have been together. If I’d just been honest with her about everything, she would have married me a decade ago, and we’d have more than just three kids.” He sighs, wiping his hands on a napkin. “Look, man, I’m not trying to tell you what to do. All I’m saying is, don’t waste your chance at happiness because of some bullshit fears that are holding you back. If you want her, take her. Show her you’re there for her.”

If you want her, take her.

“Since when did you get so smart?” I ask, only half joking.

“Since I got married.”

nine

MICK

There were a lot of times where our little townhouse would be overrun with people. Tonight was one of those nights.

Though not an official roommate, Victoria was an honorary one who claimed the couch area as her domain. After dropping out of school a couple of years ago and starting her work at the tattoo parlor, she had come to stay with us since her folks lived too far away.

We didn’t care. She was clean, and she cooked some hella good food.

But she did love a get-together.

Along with our normal group of friends, consisting of me, Cassie, and Vic, were a slew of other people who I both knew through acquaintances and didn’t know at all. I sat in the armchair, sipping the margarita that Cassie whipped up, and holding my phone in my other hand.

I won’t admit to having been watching highlights of the last Vapors away games, the ones that occurred directly after I broke things off with Tanner. I won’t admit that I was specifically homed in on a fifteen-second clip of Tanner yelling at the ref over a bad call.

He’d been right to yell at him, as the ref had been making poor calls all night.

But I’d just been glad the coverage had been on him.

I was pathetic.

I knew I was pathetic, but I didn’t know how to stop myself from feeling so… sad.

Tanner is a good man. He is smart, funny, and easygoing. He’s a true gentleman and didn’t push when I’d told him I couldn’t break everyone’s trust.

But… part of me wishes he would. That he would have told me it didn’t matter, that they didn’t matter. That no matter what, we could count on each other.

I roll my eyes at myself. It was far too soon in our relationship—if you want to call it that—to be making those kinds of declarations.

“Lewis!” Vic yells over the music and talking, drawing attention to a skinny guy sitting in the corner, talking quietly to Cassie. “When are you going to come get some ink?”

I smirk as his eyes widen. Vic was a unique creature. She was outgoing and loud and didn’t give a flying fuck what anyone thought about her.

She was my hero.

“Uh, I don’t think I—”

“Aw, come on!” She walks over to him and braces a hand on his shoulder, “It’ll only hurt a little.” She holds her other hand up, her fingers held apart an inch as she teases him.

“Vic, leave him be,” Cassie says, folding her hands over the book that’s in her lap. “Not everyone can tolerate the needle.”

Victoria winks at her. “Not everyone is you, it’s true.” She looks down at Lewis before gesturing to Cassie, who sits in her usual hoodie and jeans. “You know she’s practically covered with them under there?”

Cassie hisses at her. “Vic! No one needs to know that.”

It was true. Under the baggy clothes that she favored, Cassie was covered in small tattoos. None of them touched, and all of them had meaning to her—most were nods to her favorite books. It is a quirky part of Cassie that I love dearly.

Lewis’s eyes widen looking between my two roommates, and the rest of the crowd ribs him for being a baby. I laugh as Victoria and Cassie come over to me, Cassie perching on the couch and Victoria taking up space on the arm of my chair.

I look between them both, a pleasant smile on my face. “Can I help you two?”

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