Page 74 of My Heart to Keep
“Is that why you and Dustin were quick to help out at the farm?” I asked. Carter had told me Dustin and Noah didn’t want to get paid. Noah had pulled extra shifts outside of the one he’d done with the basketball team.
He nodded.
Coach wagged his finger at Noah then Tessa. “I’ll see both of you in the principal’s office in the morning.” He harrumphed as he shook his head and left the gym.
Celia came down from the bleachers. “What a shocker. This is front-page news for sure. Tessa Stevens, the girl who hates pigs, the same girl who put on a show that morning, blaming Quinn for the prank.”
Tessa popped up. “You are not going to put that in the school’s blog.”
“I most certainly am,” Celia said, oozing confidence and excitement.
Tessa stomped her foot before she ran out.
Noah rose. “Quinn, I’m so, so sorry.” He sounded sincere.
“Tell that to my dad,” I said, spinning on my heel to leave.
I wasn’t as mad as I’d been the day the prank happened. I was more annoyed. Even though it was water under the bridge, they did owe my parents an apology.
I was about ten feet from the door when Maiken walked in.
My jaw bounced on the floor as Tessa, Noah, Dustin, and pigs flew out of my mind.
What is Maiken doing here?
Maiken grinned at me, but it never reached his gorgeous blue eyes. “Surprise.”
It took me a second to get my brain to fire. Then I was rushing up to him. “What happened?”
“I messed up my back.”
I slapped a hand over my mouth. “How?”Oh my God!He’d been doing so well and had worked so hard to get back in tip-top shape for basketball.
“I got knocked down in the game a couple of nights ago. Mom made me an appointment with my doctor in Ashford. I need to get back to the academy tonight, though.”
I threw my arms around him. “I’m so sorry. Did the doctor say what’s wrong?”
His hands slid around my waist as he pecked me on my lips. “I’m waiting on him to call with the results of the MRI I had earlier. He suspects it’s just muscle spasms. I think it is too, but I want to be sure it’s not one of my discs. I can’t be out. There’s a scout from Gonzaga coming to my game next week, and the scout from Boston College is returning to watch me as well. Actually, he wants to chat with me.”
My heart fluttered at the idea that he could get a scholarship to BC. That would mean he and I could be together, at least in the same city. BC and BU weren’t that far apart. What didn’t sit well with me was Gonzaga. That school was located on the opposite side of the country.
My pulse was all over the place as I walked into Coach Green’s office. We’d just tacked another win under our belt, leaving us with only one loss the entire season. We had six games left to play, and we were primed to head to the state playoffs.
I’d missed three of our last five games because of my back. I’d been fortunate that I hadn’t slipped a disc, but the muscle spasms had kept me from playing.
Mr. Patrick, the scout from BC was relaxed in a chair in front of Coach’s desk while Coach said, “I have the fishing trip set up for July if you’re interested.”
Coach was a big fisherman and preferred ocean fishing mostly. When he retired, he wanted to move to a sleepy town on the Gulf Coast of Florida and do nothing but fish. His office was even drenched with pictures of big fish he’d caught.
Coach waved at the seat next to Mr. Patrick. “Sit, Maiken.”
I shook Mr. Patrick’s hand before I sat down. “Nice to meet you, sir.”
I hadn’t had a chance to meet the man before now. However, Coach had pointed him out in the stands before our game earlier.
Mr. Patrick rose, smoothing a hand over his red tie. “You were good out there tonight, Maiken.”
My rapid pulse came down a notch. “Thank you, sir.”
