Page 66 of Just Like Home

“No, speak your mind,” Cole demanded.

The kid glared at him. “Fine. You want the truth? You suck, Coach. Yeah, we won games, but look how you got us there. All you did was make sure everyone was scared of you. You were mean—you made us feel like idiots.”

The words pummeled Cole like a sucker punch to the gut.

“So forgive me if I don’t want to share my problems with you.”

Cole watched him for a long moment. “Is that really why you quit?”

Asher ran a hand through his mess of hair. “No. I told you why. But you keep trying to act like we’re friends. We’re not friends, Coach.”

Cole held his gaze for a beat, then looked away. “You’re right.”

Asher shifted. “I am?”

“I’ve been asking you to do something I haven’t been willing to do,” Cole said. “I never let anyone help me either, and the last few years—I could’ve used it. Same as you.”

Asher shrugged. “Yeah, I guess.”

“Look, I can’t promise you I’m not going to screw up again, but I can promise you that if you need me, I’ll be there. On the field or off, no matter what. And I’m gonna do better, all right?”

Asher looked away.

Cole clapped a hand on his shoulder. “The job’s still yours if you want it. I’m starting the bathroom demo tomorrow. It’ll be hot and sweaty and it doesn’t pay well, but you’ll learn a skill you can actually use. It’s your choice.”

Cole stood there for a minute, but the kid didn’t respond. “I’m gonna go. I’ll see you around.”

Cole turned and started back toward the driveway, when his eyes found Charlotte, watching him.

Great.

“Let’s go,” he said as he passed her, not bothering to make sure she followed. It seemed he was destined for public humiliation, no matter what he did.

He got in the truck and slammed the door, started the engine, and replayed Asher’s comment in his mind.“You suck, Coach.”

And it stung. Because it was true.

And there was no way for him to deny it anymore.

21

Cole arrived early to the following day’s practice and found members of the team straggling in, looking tired, like boys who were staying up playing video games (or worse) all night long.

He thought about riding them—making them run, or do suicide drills for the duration of practice, but Asher’s words were still too fresh in his mind.

A reminder that the man he’d become was not the man he’d ever intended to be.

When Gemma left, he took up offense with life itself, and his boys deserved better.

Once they were out on the field, Cole waited as the boys circled up. He even said a silent prayer for a thunderbolt of an idea on how to unite this team, because so far, nothing was working. Though he had a feeling his approach was all wrong.

“Coach, are we gonna see your lady friend today?” Greg Dunbar asked.

“Yeah, I’d like to get a better look at her.” Will Hotchke slapped Dunbar a high-five and Cole bit the inside of his cheek.

“She looked like she could really work you over, if you know what I mean.” Using his face, hips, and hands, Hotchke took his comment from inappropriate to vulgar.

Dunbar’s laugh was loud, and the other boys joined in. Cole’s face grew hot and his temper flashed. “Take a lap, all of you!”

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