Page 57 of The Game Plan
“Anyways, Danners, being the snake he is, decided to share the rumor he heard around campus, while staring directly at me, about a coach and a student shacking up. He started painting this narrative that sounded like the coach was using his position to take advantage of the situation.”
“Which is furthest from the truth.”
“Exactly,” I sigh. “When the attention turned to me, I felt like I was in the hot seat. Accusations and concerns were flying, and I didn’t want them to think the worst.”
“So your solution was to lie and claim her as your wife?” she hisses. Her entire being morphs from anger to disbelief to understanding. “It’s kind of sweet.”
“It’s kind of risky,” Crew chimes in. Our attention turns to him. “I’m just saying, man. Savannah’s already in a vulnerable state, and now you’ve put this on her. What happens if she tells you to fuck off?”
Silence settles, and I hate it. But he’s right. She could very well tell me she’s not following along with my scheme. It’s the one thing I’m most terrified of. I know I should be worried about my parents’ reactions and how the university perceives mysituation, but at the end of the day, she’s all that matters. It’s always been her.
Lifting my hat, I run my fingers through my hair before placing it back in its place. “I know I have no right to ask this, but can you keep this between us? The whole fake marriage situation.”
My sister’s eyes narrow in that way they do when she’s trying to decide if she wants to yell at me or hug me. She’s hard to get a read on.
“Remember how pissed you were when I kept my move a secret?” Bret cuts in, reminding me of last year, when I got blindsided with a text saying she’d transferred colleges. No warning. No reason. One day, she was miles away, and the next, she was moving home. The Bret we knew had already been fading, but suddenly she was right here—and I knew something had driven her out.
“Yeah…” I swallow thickly. “I know I have no right in asking, but I don’t know what else to do.”
“You’re my big brother, Grant. I love you endlessly. Do I think this is a terrible idea? Hell yeah. But I’ve got you. Always.”
“Yeah, man, we’ve got you,” Crew adds.
My shoulders sag in relief, but it’s short-lived.
She crosses her legs and shakes her head. “This is big, Grant. This lie not only touches you, but it touches her too.”
“I know that.”
“Does she know?” Crew asks, twirling the beer bottle by the neck.
I shake my head. Bret nibbles on her lip, and I can see the thoughts swirling in her mind.
“Not yet.” My voice cracks. “I’m trying to figure out a plan where she gets so much from going along with this that she can’t say no and won’t want to leave.”
Bret claps her hands together and pulls out her phone. “Well, let's start brainstorming talking points.”
I snort a laugh. My chest aches, but it’s clearer now. I’m not just protecting her; I’ve fallen for her.
And now I hope she can see that too.
For the next twenty minutes, the three of us comb through the code of conduct and my coaching contract. We don’t find anything outright banning a coach-student relationship, but it’s pretty damn clear it’s frowned upon for a dozen different reasons.
“What about explaining that she has access to your benefits and insurance?” Bret asks with a shrug.
“Yeah, that could alleviate some stress from her shoulders,” Crew agrees. I nod, watching as Bret types out “insurance” in her notes app, where she’s been gathering pros of the fake marriage.
A knock rattles the door, halting our conversation.
“Expecting someone?” Crew asks.
The unease that’s been brewing in my gut all evening spikes instantly.
“No,” my sister replies, rising from the couch. Crew stands, putting a hand out to stop her.
“I’ll check the door.”
She huffs, folding her arms and following Crew. “I’m capable of answering the door.”
