Page 56 of The Coach

She followed up that exciting news by canceling dinner on me tonight. I was patient with her during the week, knowing that mid week dinners and lunches were too stressful for her right now, but I had been hopeful for this weekend.

Instead, she told me something is going on with her brother, and she needs to see him tonight.

When she said that, it triggered a memory of him and Crew getting into an argument over the weekend. I didn’t have to intervene, so I let it slide.

Then I watched him during practice. I saw the way he was struggling, and I didn’t know how to help him.

I hope that tonight’s dinner brought some answers, because the Lincoln Ellis I know is not the one who played today’s game.

“Come on, Coach. We’re grabbing dinner.” Lee doesn’t knock when he enters my office and doesn’t allow me time to answer before he’s marching back out the door and down the hall.

I sigh, slinging my suit jacket back on, and follow him out of my office.

At least dinner will get my mind off missing my girlfriend.

Fuck.

I was pathetic.

“What the hell is this?” I ask Lee, getting in his face when he shows me what table we’ll be sitting at.

One where two women already sit, apparently waiting for us to show.

He smacks me on the chest. “Come on, man. You’ve been home for months and haven’t had one date.”

That’s obviously false, but I haven’t shared that with him. “How would you know that?”

“The same reason I haven’t dated since my divorce. My life is hockey.”

“Why start now?” I ask, growling with frustration under my breath.

“Because I also haven’t gotten laid since my divorce,” he answers, his gaze wandering to a far-off place I do not want to visit.

The restaurant isn’t fancy, and I’m way overdressed in the suit I wore to the game this afternoon, but given that I did not know I was going out or where we were going, I didn’t bother changing.

“That sounds like a you problem,” I answer, wondering how a guy his age could get a woman who looks to be my age sitting at the table.

Then I roll my eyes at myself because Lee is about fifteen years older than me.

Hypocrite.

“Come on, just have dinner with us. She was nervous about coming out and wanted to double. It’ll be helping me out.”

I glare at my assistant coach. “What the fuck do I owe you?”

“You don’t, but if you do this for me, I’ll owe you something.” The not-so-charming grin he gives me makes me want to whack him upside the head.

He wanders off before I can, and because I’m an idiot who can’t seem to disappoint people, I follow. I whip out my phone to text Mick and let her know what’s going on. The last thing I want is some rumor going around that I’m dating someone who isn’t her.

“Tanner,” Lee barks at me as I send off the text. “Come meet the girls.”

The ‘girls’ are two Denver hairstylists who happen to love hockey. They pepper us with questions for the first twenty minutes, making it impossible to study the menu to find food. I’m irritated, tired, and want to find Mick, drag her home, and not leave until I’m forced.

I lift my glass to my mouth, my eyes drifting around the restaurant while I let Lee answer who his ‘favorite goalie’ is.

My gaze catches on a mane of brown hair, and I choke into my glass when I see Mick glaring at me from where she’s seated with her brother.

I lift a brow at her and grab my napkin to wipe the water from my mouth.

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