Page 86 of The No Try Zone
He looks affronted. “I’m a Scotsman. OfcourseI have something.”
“Of course you do.”
“I’d have to get it from my locker, though.”
I wave him off. “It’s okay. Too much alcohol is to blame, anyway.”
He raises an eyebrow. “Vegas?”
I nod in confirmation. “We…nothing happened in Vegas. Other than, you know, the whole getting married part. But I didn’t let anything else happen.”
Lennox is quiet, letting me continue.
“So I woke up, utterly lost my shit about what had happened, and fled. Like a coward.” I’ve told him this already, but I’m compelled to share it again.
“Aye.” The one word is a full sentence.
“I looked. Researched. Just knew I could find a way to reverse the entire thing. Then the team picnic at my place, and up walks Sam, ready to rip me a new one. Rightfully so.”
“And you decided to keep it quiet while you kept trying to get a divorce.”
“Right. Except I’d heard nothing from the county clerk’s office and thought…I thought that maybe they’d just lost the paperwork. Maybe it was all a joke. Maybe we weren’t married. But you can’t just assume something like that.”
“She’s here on a visa, yeah?” he asks.
“Yes. I mean. I guess. I don’t know.” The heat of shame flames my face.
“Ye never asked?”
“We’ve established that I’m an asshole, Lennox,” I say dryly.
His eyes flare, but he doesn’t answer.
“Anyway. Nothing should have happened. But it’s like neither of us can keep away from the other. When she’s anywhere close, it’s like my body canfeelit. As though my entire being calibrates to her. If she’s nearby, I want to be next to her. Touching her. Talking to her. Getting her attention on me.”
I stop and take a sip of the coffee. The bit of sweetness from the cinnamon and foam helps with the bitter taste of regret, but not by much.
“But?” Lennox prods.
“But,” I sigh. “But she works for the team. My contract says no fraternization.”
He scoffs. “Contracts can’t stop feelings.”
I narrow my eyes at his tone. It sounds like there’s more to his words than he’s letting on. “Scott and the Board have made it incredibly clear that I only have this year to get the team to the championship. And to win it when we get there.”
“Aye. You’re the head coach. It’s yer job.”
“Thanks, Captain Obvious.”
He lifts his hands in surrender. “I’m saying that’severyhead coach’s job.”
“Does every head coach have that in their contract?” I counter. “Because I do. Win the season or lose my job.”
A lone auburn brow raises. “How does Sam factor into that? None of that is on her.”
“Because she’s a distraction!” I hiss.
He smirks. “Aye. But a beautiful woman is the best kind of distraction, yeah?”
