Page 28 of (La)Crosse My Heart

“Good night, Jessa.”

Watching him walk away, I’m way too focused on watching every muscle. The guy has a much bigger heart than I originally gave him credit for. I’ll need to work on unpacking while finishing out the plan I have for him.

I might’ve been hesitant when I originally found out I’d be working with him, but now I only want his success. And to stop watching him walk away.

13

Clark

“Okay, what are we working on?” I ask Jessa the next day.

I thought we’d be inside one of our houses working on the interviewing process. Maybe using a fake microphone, like a package of spaghetti or something. My house is quiet during this time of day because the other guys are all at their regular jobs.

Instead, we’re standing next to an empty playground at a local park.

“We’re going over some basic interviewing skills. Will you hold onto the monkey bars?”

I swallow and look at her, confused about the instructions. “You want me to go hang from the monkey bars? Aren’t I a little old for that?”

She chuckles. “Don’t you usually do that anyway when you’re working out? It’s just a body hang or something like that.”

She has a point, but it still feels weird that a grown man is playing on the playground.

I barely have to stretch from my standing position.

“Okay, tell me about the first time you held a lacrosse stick.”

I let go of the bars and stare at her. “What does that have to do with anything?”

“Clark, we won’t get very far if you don’t shut up and just answer the questions I have for you.” She puts her hands on her hips and gives me a look that says I’d better listen. She’s trying to be intimidating, but she looks adorable when she’s mad at me.

I grin, liking it when she’s assertive. She’s grown into herself and that’s one of the hottest things about her. I mean, if I were interested in dying. Brock would probably not approve of me checking out his sister.

I reach up and take hold of the bar, pulling myself off the ground.

“To be honest, holding a lacrosse stick for the first time wasn’t that exciting. My mom signed me up for many activities back then, hoping I’d like one that would suck all the energy out of me before she had to take me home.”

Jessa laughs and says, “I can understand why she did it.”

My hands burn and I have to readjust my grip once or twice.

She pulls out her phone and points it at me.

“You better not be recording,” I say.

“This is just for practice. Sometimes it’s good to see what you’re doing after the fact so you can fix it.”

I wish she wasn’t right. I’m not good at watching video of myself, but that’s the one thing Coach Martin won’t bend on.

“Fine. What kind of torture is next?”

“I’m surprised you’ve stayed up there that long. Um, when did you know you wanted to play lacrosse more than just recreationally?”

“I think it was my sophomore year of high school. We were playing Groveton, our biggest rivals. I had a breakout game andbecame a regular starter after that. The adrenaline and scoring was addicting.”

“Okay, you can get down.”

I let go of the bars and start rubbing at my palms, trying to take away the sting as soon as possible.

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