Page 33 of Yes, Coach

"Coach Reynolds," she says, reaching out to shake his hand. "I can't thank you enough for everything you've done for Taryn. Not just the college help, but everything. She's been so much calmer these past few months. More... settled."

The observation makes Murphy's jaw tighten slightly. She's not wrong. Ever since he started taking care of the big decisions, I've felt lighter. Less anxious. Like I finally have someone I can lean on.

"Taryn's a special girl, Mrs. St. Claire. She deserves to have someone looking out for her."

"Yes, she does." Mom studies both of us for a moment, and I wonder what she sees. "You're a good man, Coach. I'm glad she has you in her corner."

"Always," Murphy says quietly, and the word carries more weight than Mom probably realizes.

As the crowd continues to disperse, I find myself alone with Murphy for a brief moment. Mom got a ride home with Mrs. Lowe, Chloe’s mother, and I told her I might be late tonight. She didn’t question it, and I wonder again just how much she knows about my life that she hasn’t questioned me on.

I promise myself that soon, I’ll be honest with her. Just as soon as I can find a way to break the news.

"So," I say, my voice carefully casual but my heart racing. "What happens now?"

"Now?" He steps closer, close enough that I can smell his cologne. "Now you're not my student anymore."

"No, I'm not."

"Which means tomorrow night, when I take you out to celebrate, there's nothing inappropriate about it." His voice drops to that tone that makes me melt. "And it means I can finally take care of you the way I've been wanting to."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean no more hiding how I feel about you. No more pretending I don't want to make every decision that's too hard for you to handle alone." He reaches up and touches the pendant at my throat. "No more acting like you're not exactly where you belong when you let me take charge."

My breath catches. "Murphy..."

"I know what you need, baby girl. I've seen how you relax when I handle things for you. How relieved you get when you don't have to be the responsible one." His thumb traces the pendant. "That's not going to change just because you graduated. If anything, it's going to get better."

"Better how?"

"Better because now I can take care of you properly. Help you pick your classes, make sure you're eating enough, handle the paperwork that stresses you out. And do what I can for your mom, if she’ll let me. Get the best doctors, the best treatments." His eyes are intense, possessive. "Be your Daddy in every way that matters."

The words make my knees weak. This is what I've wanted, what I've been craving without fully understanding it.

"And what if people talk?"

"Let them talk." He leans closer, his lips brushing my ear. "You're mine now, Taryn. Officially and completely mine. And I'm going to take such good care of my girl."

"Promise?"

"I promise. From now on, you don't have to carry everything alone. Daddy's going to handle the hard stuff so you can just focus on being perfect for me."

Tears blur my vision. "I love you so much."

"I love you too, baby girl. More than you know."

As we walk out of the auditorium together, his hand possessively on the small of my back, I feel something I haven't felt in years:completely safe. Protected. Like I finally have someone strong enough to lean on, someone who wants to take care of me instead of expecting me to handle everything myself.

"Daddy?" I say quietly as we reach his truck.

"Yeah, sweetheart?"

"Thank you. For taking care of me. For making me feel like I don't have to be strong all the time."

"You never have to be strong with me, baby girl. That's what I'm for."

He opens the passenger door for me, and as I climb in, I know this is just the beginning. No more hiding. No more pretending. Just me and my Daddy, and the promise that I'll never have to face the world alone again.

---