Page 134 of The Coach

“So one of your wide receivers knocked up a girl on a one-night stand?” She asks, reiterating what she just heard.

I nod. “Now the media’s having a field day with it.”

I sigh. Fuck. This hits way too close to home for both of us.

“Ivy,” I start, reaching for her, but she shakes her head, forcing a small smile. “I didn’t want to leave you here all day. Sorry.”

“It’s fine,” she says. “You should go deal with it.”

I hesitate. “Are you sure?”

She nods, but her eyes flick toward the window, like she’s already overthinking.

I cup her chin, tilting her face back toward mine. “Hey.”

She meets my gaze.

"This is different," I rasp. "You're different."

She swallows. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.” I press a slow, deep kiss to her lips. “And when I get back? We’re finishing this conversation.”

Her breath catches, but she nods.

I stand, already mentally shifting into crisis mode.

But as I pull on my clothes, grab my keys, and head for the door, I can’t shake the feeling that this isn’t just a PR nightmare.

This is a wake-up call.

For both of us.

Before I leave, I glance back at Ivy, who’s still sitting up in bed, watching me.

“So what are you gonna do today?” I ask, trying to keep my voice light. “To stay busy while I’m out handling this PR nightmare.”

She stretches her arms over her head, the sheet slipping just a little. Fucking hell. I need to get out of here before I get distracted again.

“I don’t know,” she says, biting her lip in thought. “I might walk around, get some fresh air. Maybe check out that little bookshop I saw yesterday and grade some math tests.”

I smirk. “Of course you found a bookstore.”

She grins. “Obviously.”

I nod, slipping my watch onto my wrist. “You wanna grab a late lunch later?”

She hesitates, tucking her hair behind her ear. Something’s on her mind that she’s not saying out loud.

“Yeah,” she says softly. “I’d like that.”

I step closer, brushing a kiss to her forehead. “Good. I’ll text you when I’m free.”

And then, before I can get completely sidetracked by the way she looks in my bed, I turn and head out the door.

But as I step into the elevator, I can’t shake the feeling that she’s thinking about something she’s not saying.

And I have a feeling I know exactly what it is.

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