Page 14 of Crazy for the Coaches

“All right.” He hugged me and stepped back, embarrassed. He nearly bumped into Chantelle and another young woman who helped with physical therapy.

“Hey you guys,” Chantelle said. “Alisa has something to talk to you about.”

An hour later, Eli called the team attorney to get Martin and Joyce out of the organization. Alisa was also offered a chance to live with them, but it had been much more explicit. When she’d turned them down, they’d tried to blackmail her about how she used to be an exotic dancer. She and Chantelle mentioned three other women in town who’d received the same offer.

“How will you afford this?” I asked Eli later, still stunned at the rapid pace. The lawyer said the rest of the owners had to buy them out even while they started harassment proceedings.

“I can’t. But I’ll have to take a loan or something. Can I move in with you and the guys?”

“Eli.”

He laughed. “I know, I know. I don’t want to know all about it, but I’m happy for you. Those two are terrific.”

“They are amazing men. We’re going to be together for a long time.”

“How do you know?”

He looked so sincere I wondered about my earlier theory of his love life.

“I can’t wait to be around them, to be together. I never stop thinking about them, even in the back of my mind. It’s hard to explain.”

The admin called him away, and I whispered to myself. “I love them already.”

Chapter Eight

Steve

“So, the other owners have to come up with $300,000 by the first game or they stay owners with us for the season.” Mandy flopped down on our couch again.

And it was our couch. Over the weekend, we’d started moving her in. Today we’d moved the last of her things from her grad school condo she’d rented, with help from the team. We all swapped moving help for workout time, as several players were already finding happy relationships.

She looked so cute, even as her hair was falling out of her ponytail. I kissed her and sat next to her, pulling her into my lap.

“About that.” Aaron went into his room and ran back down the steps.

“You’re pretty spry for an injured guy,” I said.

He gave me the finger.

“What’s he doing?” She asked me, leaning against my chest.

I’d never have imagined everything I would gain moving here. We’d told our parents that we were together. My dad and Aaron’s mom were planning to come meet Mandy. Her and Eli’s mom and dad would meet us on Opening Day.

We wanted to give her my mom’s ring, which my dad had been saving since her death when I was very little. But we had a plan. And it started with our surprise that night.

“So,” Aaron said, bringing down a piece of paper. “It turns out that we can’t just send this much money online. I had to get a certified check.”

“What do you mean?”

“The bad news is that Aaron and I won’t be getting official salaries for the team now, just for our online work and projects.”

“That’s ok. I got an offer to help coordinate the new basketball and hockey teams in town, too.”

I hugged her. She’d told us about this possibility and we’d been waiting for the offer. “That’s fantastic. Let’s celebrate.”

I kissed her, then Aaron sat next to her and they kissed.

Finally, she stopped kissing us. “Wait. Why won’t you be getting salaries?”

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