Page 86 of The Coach

Could I live here?

No.

No.

I breathe out, forcing that thought away.

I pull into a gas station to grab a coffee, needing to shake the travel fatigue.

As I walk inside, the bell jingles over the door. The cashier—a guy in his late forties with a Riverbend High football hoodie—squints at me.

Then his eyes widen.

“No shit.” He lets out a laugh. “You’rehim.”

I grab a bottle of water, keeping my face neutral. “Not sure what you mean.”

He grins. “Yeah, okay. I might not be a Stallions guy, but I know a big-time coach when I see one.”

I should’ve expected this. Chicago isn’t far, and football people? They know football people.

I just nod, handing him a twenty. “Just passing through.”

“Uh-huh,” he says, giving me that look. The one that saysI know there’s more to the story.

I take my change and walk out before he can ask more.

I take the long way through town, getting a feel for the place.

Where would Ivy even want to live? A house? A bigger apartment?

How the hell am I supposed to be there for her when my job keeps me moving?

Would she ever even want me here?

Well I’m not just gonna have her raise this kid alone. Even if she doesn’t want me, I need to be close to her. And the kid.

Kid.

That word makes me grip the wheel, hard.

None of this makes sense yet.

But tonight? I’ll see her.

I’ll hold her.

I’ll get one step closer to figuring this out.

I just hope like hell she wants me to.

I pull into the grocery store, head in, and load up on healthy food to give to Ivy. What does she even like to eat?

God, this is so crazy. I know nothing about this woman.

“Damn. Two dollars for a cucumber?”

An old woman beside me cackles. “You must not be familiar with inflation, Sonny. They were ten cents in my day.”

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