Page 117 of The No Try Zone
A throat clears behind us.
Sam giggles again, gently pushing me away from her.
“Coach Thicke.” Neesha’s voice breaks through the haze of sunshine I’d been lost in.
I turn, keeping my arm wrapped around Sam’s waist. My heart fucking soars when she notches herself in, locking her arm around my back. “Neesha. Hi.”
She raises a brow, but there’s a smile hidden behind her stern expression. “I received a call from Scott on our way over here.”
“I’m not surprised.”
“He wanted to know why you fired Frank. He also wanted to know why he was finding out that you and Sam were married via a live press conference that he wasn’t aware of. And he was very curious to hear why you referred to Sam as the head of the team’s physical therapy department before he and I got to tell her privately.” She looks at Sam. “I think that was the gist, yes?”
Sam nods and gives me a soft smile.
“Last thing first,” I start, still aware that Amy and Sullivan are off to the side, listening. “I’ve been working with Neesha and Scott on getting you that position for a month now. Your insights and training regimen are far better than Bill’s. He’s been given a nice severance package. I think he was relieved, actually.”
Sam gapes at me. “Seriously?”
I nod. “Seriously. This was a business decision all the way. You’re better qualified for the job. Period. Although if you turn it down – because that’s your right – then we’ll figure something out.”
“I want it,” she says, a note of shock still in her voice.
“You deserve it.” I hope she knows how much I mean that. Then I turn to Neesha. “And Frank’s a prick. I told him Scott gave me permission to fire him whenever I wanted. Which wasn’t true, but I am not working with him any longer. He’s holding the team back at best, and actively working against us at worst. Kari deserves the job, not him.”
Sam’s jaw drops even more. “Who are you, and where did you hide Colin?”
Neesha laughs quietly and gestures for Amy and Sullivan to follow her. “I think we’ll leave now.”
After the door closes behind them, I turn back to Sam and pull her hands into mine. “I’ve spent the past six months trying to control everything. Trying to control my feelings for you. Trying to control people not learning our secret. Focused on controlling all the wrong things. But I realized the only thing that control was doing was ruining me. Ruining us.” My voice cracks. “It was never my intention to make you feel like you weren’t worthy. And I think I might have done that. Did I?”
She nods, biting her lip and looking away.
I tip her chin to get her to meet my eyes once more. “You are the most incredible person in the world. I was an idiot to hide you. I should have been screaming about you from the rooftops, no matter the consequences. Because you are everything to me, Sam.”
She sniffs again, but holds my gaze. “You made me feel small.”
The words are delivered quietly, but they might as well be a knockout punch. My knees wobble. “Fuck,” I choke out, shame spiraling through my gut. “I’m so sorry.”
She takes a deep breath. “I believe you. And I forgive you. But.”
I close my eyes. This is where she’s going to tell me she still wants the divorce.
“I…I don’t want to go to the courthouse.”
My eyes fly open. “You don’t?”
She swallows. “No.”
This time, my knees really do buckle. They hit the ground as I utter an “Oof,” throwing my hands out to keep from faceplanting.
“Colin!” Sam kneels before me, panicked. “Are you okay? Should I call everyone back in here?”
I blink away the darkness that threatens to overtake me, shaking my head and trying to breathe through the relief that courses through me. “You don’t want a divorce?” I look up at her.
“I don’t,” she whispers.
“Thank fuck,” I croak. Then I straighten and go onto one knee as I reach for my jacket pocket and pull out a ring box.
