Page 80 of On Her Team
“I’m serious, Nolan. Leave it alone, or I’ll be forced to tell Terri you have a pre-game ritual, which includes nudity, a stinking fish, and high heels.”
Terri is the events coordinator at the resort. Nolan’s been watching her the way a quarterback watches a defense tip its hand. Unfortunately for him, she’s been dodging him the waya quarterback sidesteps a sack. There’s more to the story, but I don’t know what.
He growls. “I don’t have a pre-game ritual.”
“Seriously? You don’t eat a packet of peanut butter crackers while listening toEye of the Tigeron your headphones? And, if anyone interrupts you, you have to start the entire ritual over again? Did you forget about the game against the Tigers? Tanner interrupted you and you made the entire team wait while you started your little ritual over. If I recall correctly, you ate five bags of peanut crackers that day.”
“I would never eat five bags of crackers before a game. And I definitely didn’t make the entire team wait.”
“The footage of the team arriving late is on YouTube. The speculation of why we were late ranges from someone having explosive diarrhea to Coach Cha-Cha having a stroke to an ex-wife holding the team hostage. I bet Terri would enjoy learning the truth.”
“You’re an asshole.”
“I’m an asshole? I didn’t start this.”
“Whatever,” he mutters before stomping off.
Corbin slows down until I catch up to him. “I’d appreciate it if you don’t piss the entire team off at practice.”
“I’m not the one pissing people off. Everyone is pissing me off.”
“Regardless. Practice should be taken seriously.”
Corbin is even more serious about football than I am. But he makes it sound as if I’m goofing off. I don’t goof off at practice. But apparently, I do get distracted.
“Don’t you ever get distracted?”
“Nope.”
“Not even by a sexy landlady?”
“My private life doesn’t belong on the field.” He increases his pace until I have to jog to keep up with him. Being the shortest guy at six-foot-two sucks sometimes.
“But you agree you have a private life and it involves your sexy landlady?”
He comes to an abrupt stop and I nearly slam into him. “Siena is not fodder for gossip.”
“You—”
He whips up a hand. “Discussion over.”
I retreat a step. When Corbin is done, he’s done. “Understood.”
He nods before marching off to the locker room. I follow him, but I don’t try to keep up this time.
I reach the locker room and make my way to my locker. I can’t wait to wash all the sweat and grime off me. I’m not in a hurry to get out of here, though.
Addy is working tonight. She won’t be finished until after midnight. Way too late for us to meet up, considering I have a five-mile run planned before practice tomorrow morning.
I’d visit her atFive Fathoms Brewingbut I’m not good at resisting the temptation of a juicy burger and cold beer. And I need to make weight. I’m not letting the team down by being overweight and out of shape. No burgers and beer for me.
My stomach drops. Another day of missing out on visiting my little songbird. If only she worked less. If only she couldearn money from her songs instead. But I know better than to get involved.
My Addy doesn’t need me to interfere. She’s strong and can handle her own life. As she has pointed out to me more than once. I might have screwed up in the beginning, but I learn from my mistakes. I wouldn’t be where I am today if I didn’t.
I’ll still help her. I’m on her team, after all. And teammates help each other.
“Delivery for Gage Edwards!”
