Page 143 of The Americana Playbook

“I’ll get it!” Parker calls out.

I glance at the time as I drop to the bed, unpairing the socks to slip them on. “It’s probably Josh and Lo. We’ll ride together.”

Standing, I do one more sweep around the room, because I refuse to come back up here again when I freeze.

“We were just on our way out,” I hear Parker say.

I creep closer to the door.

“To your littledance?” Coach pairs his question with a chuckle.

Fuck.

I jog down the stairs. “Hey,” I say to Coach, but my eyes find Parker’s. “Babe, you have any idea where that shirt is? The red and blue one?”

“Yeah. I’ll go grab it.” Walking past me, Parker lets her fingers graze mine. She understands. I want her upstairs and as far from this conversation as possible. I know it won’t make that much of a difference considering how open this apartment is, but the farther, the better.

Coach’s eyes beam around the apartment, as if he’s waiting to be let in.

“We were just on our way out.”

He nods. “Right.”

“This is our last free weekend,” I remind him.

“Fitz,” Coach says firmly. “Save it. I’m done stressing about your commitment to this team.”

“You came into the city from the suburbs to tell me tosave it?” I have to laugh.

“No, Fitz. I dragged my ass all the way here because, apparently, my quarterback is scheming to have mefired.”

“Fired?” I exclaim. “In what world do I even have the authority to do that? I work foryou.”

Coach purses his lips. “Would youplayfor me, Fitz?”

I think back to the day in Heath’s office.

“They work for him but play for you.”

Even when he wasn’t my coach, I played to makes James Foller proud—proud he developed my talent, proud that he pushed me, even if that means he drove me deep into the ground.

“What are youtalking about? Of course I do.”

Coach nods. “Then you’re going to tell the world that at the interview.” When I look confused, he clarifies, “I’m not an idiot, Fitz. I’ve got a sit-down with the League commissioner and his friends on theethicspanel first thing Monday morning.”

I cock my tongue against my cheek.

“I know the League is investigating me. And I’d bet good money that Heath or one of the higher-ups let you in on that little fact and that’s why you’ve been dodging my messages about the interview after our preseason game.”

“I haven’t been dodging anything. I’ve had a full plate since camp. And I’m taking my one weekend off for the next six months to spend with my wife.”

Apparently, that was the wrong thing to say. “Parker, hm? Got married and handed her your balls?”

My eyes flick up to the second-floor landing, where I find the door closed.

“I told you,” Coach continues. “That girl? She’ll?—”

I stop him before he has a chance to continue, taking two steps so I’m as in his face as I’d ever allow myself. “Let’s get something straight, Coach. That girl? She’s my wife. I play for you. But this is going to be the last time I ever remind you I ride or die for her. You might not like that, but you’re going to have to respect it. Because I’ll say this. There sure are a hell of a lot of things you do that I don’t like. But because of who you are to me, I respect them.”

---