Page 68 of Just Like Home

That, not winning games, needed to be his goal. He talked to the boys about being better men—wasn’t it time he took those words to heart himself?

“What’s this?”

Cole tracked his assistant coach’s gaze to the parking lot, where the now-familiar black Jetta had just pulled in. Clearly, Charlotte still hadn’t called the rental place about the damage she’d done to the car. Maybe he could have it fixed for her.

Good grief, what was he thinking?

“You’re going to need to fill me in on the story here,” Bilby said.

He didn’t care that Charlotte was there, but he wished she would’ve waited a few more minutes so the guys would stop razzing him, especially given the way things had exploded that morning over a comment about her.

“No story,” Cole said, squinting.

She got out of her car and waved at him like he was a long-lost friend she couldn’t wait to hug.

“Oh, yeah. No story.”

Cole didn’t wave back. Instead, he grunted, then pulled the guys together in a huddle at the center of the field. His plan was to give them a quick pep talk and send them off, hopefully before Charlotte reached them.

Instead, Hotchke and Dunbar noticed her approaching, and they both took off their helmets and stared.

“Gentlemen,” Cole said, but it was no use. He glanced at Charlotte, who wore a pair of jean cut-offs and a tank top that was perfectly modest, but that seemed to be having quite the effect on his team. He could never compete with her for these boys’ attention.

Truth be told, they wouldn’t have been able to keep his attention either when she was around, not that he’d let anyone else ever know that.

He scanned the circle, and for whatever reason, he didn’t want them looking at Charlotte the way they were all looking at her now.

For her part, Charlotte seemed completely oblivious to the effect she had on his team.

How was it possible she had no idea how beautiful she was?

Gemma had always liked to be looked at, and she knew when she had a man’s attention. It was some kind of game for her—one Cole never had a chance of winning. Charlotte, on the other hand, showed up here looking adorable, wearing a broad smile and an expression that somehow said,Hey, can we be friends?

Not that friendship was on these boys’ minds.

She was carrying, he now noticed, a box of Dandy’s Donuts, and as soon as she reached them, he got a whiff of the sugary dough.

First flowers, now donuts. What would she give him next? A gift certificate for a pedicure?

She stood on the edge of the circle next to Asher for a beat, smiling at the team.

Cole drew Asher’s gaze, then nodded toward Charlotte, hoping the kid had enough sense to be a gentleman.

“Hey, Miss Page,” Asher finally said. He turned toward her and took the box. “Let me get that for you.”

“Thank you, Asher.” She smiled again as her eyes met Cole’s. When he didn’t smile back, her face fell.

But it wasn’t in his nature to smile. What was he supposed to do? Moon over her like these sex-crazed teenagers?

Bilby elbowed him—and not subtly.

Cole dug deep and found a sentence—“We, uh, weren’t expecting you”—which probably made her feel even less welcome than his stoic expression.

“But you brought donuts,” Bilby cut in, “so you’re more than welcome.”

Charlotte’s smile turned shy. “I thought you’d be wrapping up.”

“And you thought right,” Bilby said, overcompensating for Cole’s crankiness.

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