Page 93 of Unforgettable
“I know,” he said. “It’s going to take time for you to heal. You have been through fucking hell. But you’ve been doing well for the last three games. All of a sudden, you can’t seem to throw a pass.”
“Just a bad day.” I couldn’t seem to catch a break. I wasn’t feeling sorry for myself, or maybe I was. I’d found a woman who I wanted to be with. But as it turned out, I couldn’t because of her father.
Everyone had been taken away from me—Ellie, the girl who had captured my heart in high school, my family, and now Haven.
He swiveled his monitor around so I could see it. “Have you seen the news?”
I could feel my forehead creasing. I’d skirted the reporters after the game and run into the locker room. I knew once I left the building, there would be reporters waiting, though.
I inched closer and scanned the screen to find a picture of Haven and me locked in that heated kiss at the Marriott well over two weeks ago.
Coach hated bad press, but me kissing a girl wasn’t bad press. Sure, it wasn’t about football. If we were going to be in front of cameras, Coach wanted it to be because of football and not much else.
“Do you think this is the cause of my poor performance?”
His eyes became pinpricks. “Senator Hale’s daughter? Really?”
I cocked my head. “Are you asking or telling?”
His calm tone switched suddenly. “Don’t get smart with me.”
“It’s a fucking kiss. Surely that has nothing to do with football.”
He flew forward and slammed his meaty palms on the desk. The sound ricocheted in the messy office. “The problem is the phone call I just got from Senator Hale. You know, the man who donates tons of money to this school. The same one who is the father of the girl you’re about to fuck.”
No “about to fuck” there.I already had, but that wasn’t for public knowledge and never would be. “Coach, calm down. That picture happened over two weeks ago, and there’s nothing going on between her and me.”
“Calm down, he says.” Coach’s face was turning ten shades of red.
“My personal life has nothing to do with football.”
He stabbed a finger at the screen. “Tell the press that, Ryker.” His hard tone softened a tiny bit. “Fuck any other girl other than the senator’s daughter.”
Anger, hot and sticky, crept up to make me clench my teeth. I was tired of people telling me to stay away from Haven. “I have been the model player, doing everything I’m supposed to do. Two years of busting my ass with one championship in the mix. Two years of giving a hundred and fifty percent of my time and me to this school and team. I haven’t had much time to myself.”
He opened his mouth, but I held up my hand. It was my turn to let him know how I felt. “With all due respect, Coach, my love life is off limits to you, to the senator, and to anyone who tries to come between me and whoever it is I’m going to date or settle down with.” The only people I wanted to care weren’t on earth anymore.
His thick, bushy eyebrows twitched. “Are you saying you’re dating Haven? And are you saying you have feelings for her?” Concern etched his tone.
I inhaled then exhaled. “What I’m saying is leave her and me alone. There won’t be any more pictures of us like that. The only media coverage I’ll get other than football stuff is at the fundraiser next weekend, and you’ll be there anyway.” Even though I had an extremely strong urge to strangle the senator, I didn’t want to put Haven in the line of fire with her old man.
I started for the door. If Coach wasn’t going to rip me a new one for my performance on the field, then we were done.
“Ryker, I’m on your side. I know how it feels to want someone you can’t have. Some advice?”
I hiked a shoulder. “Why not.”
“Make sure she wants you as much as you want her. Then fight like a motherfucker.”
That got a laugh out of me and nearly made my eyeballs pop out of my head. “Thank you.” I meant it sincerely.
After I left Coach’s office, I found Lucas perched against my car. “I was worried you wouldn’t have a head or an ass when you left his office.”
For shits and giggles, I tried to look at my ass. “I think it’s still there.”
“So talk.”
I sidled up next to him. “The senator is sticking his nose where it doesn’t belong.”
