Page 71 of The Coach

Chapter Fourteen

IVY

The city feels so alive at night.

Lights shimmer off the water, the gentle hum of conversation and distant music mixing with the sounds of the occasional boat drifting by. It’s beautiful, in a way that makes me feel both small and incredibly present at the same time.

I glance at Jackson, walking beside me. His hands are tucked in his pockets, his pace easy, but there’s something unreadable in his expression. He’s thinking. Processing.

And I can’t blame him.

Finally, he breaks the silence. “So, tell me everything. What’s the last four months been like for you?”

I exhale a slow breath. “Wow, just throwing out the big questions now, huh?”

He shrugs. “Might as well.”

I hesitate, then start from the beginning. The morning I found out. The way I stared at the test in disbelief, convinced it had to be wrong. The absolute panic.

I tell him about Lauren’s reaction. The day I told my parents over football Sunday. The way my stepdad muted the game and it felt like the silence was deafening. The way my mom teared up but hugged me so tight I could barely breathe.

Through it all, Jackson listens, his brows furrowing slightly.

“I should have been there.”

I blink at him. “It’s okay. I dealt with it.”

“No,” he shakes his head. “It’s not okay. You were dealing with all of that alone.”

I chew my lip, uncertain what to say.

But before I can respond, he suddenly pauses mid-step, looking at me.

“Wait…don’t you have school tomorrow? It’s Monday.”

I let out a small laugh. “I took a personal day.”

“Oh? What about your friend? She a teacher too?”

“Yeah. She headed back on the evening train. I stayed behind because this is, you know…important.”

“An understatement.”

“I figured I’d be too emotionally wrung out to try and teach fractions to fourth graders tomorrow. So I’m taking the day off.”

He chuckles at that, then tilts his head. “Fair enough. How are you getting back to Riverbend?”

“I’m taking the train tomorrow morning. It’s about a three hour ride.”

Jackson nods, his gaze lingering on me for a beat longer than expected. Then, casually—too casually—he says:

“Come back to my place tonight.”

My breathe catches. “What?”

He shrugs. “You might as well not have to be all alone in the city tonight. It’s safer anyway.”

I stare at him.

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