Page 27 of Forever Defiant
“Nothing.” Dante flashed him that media smile. “Nothing is going on at all, is there, Hadley?”
“Right.” Mike looked over his shoulder. “Um... can we start? I don’t want them to yell at me.”
“Get to it,” Dante told him with a nod upfield.
We watched him go, and my gaze flicked back to Hadley, who was watching me.
“Oh, relax,” she said sweetly as she walked past me. “I don’t have time to investigate you today.”
My jaw clenched. “Today?” I repeated.
But she was already walking away, following her brand-new assignment, leaving us staring after her like she’d just walked off with a bomb. And maybe, in a way, she had, because the three sharp blasts of the whistle across the field brought all of us backto the present, and what was currently one very pissed-off head coach.
“Fuck.”
I wasn’t sure which one of us said it, or maybe we all did.
“Let’s go,” Dante said, and we walked toward the center of the field where he was waiting. “Play it cool. Remember, he doesn’t know that we know more than we do.”
Coach Sutherland’s eyes flicked to Noah as we approached, and then he turned to look downfield where the defense was running through drills. “Did you change sides?” he asked him. “Last I checked, you were a middle linebacker.”
Noah smiled widely. “Still am, Coach. Was passing on a message for the freshman.” He started jogging backward. “See you later!” he called to us, then turned and ran down the field.
“His speed is impressive,” Dante said. “Maybe heshouldbe on offense. He’s tall enough for a tight end.”
I knew what he was doing, and I pounced on it. “Yeah, now that you mention it, he’s kind of the same build as Ash Santo.” I turned to Coach Sutherland. “What do you think? Possible?”
Coach Merriman had joined us and slapped Jason Moore’s shoulder. “What do you think, Moore? You want to give up your spot as tight end to Matthews?”
Jason was six five, solid, and fast as fuck. “If he can catch me, he can try.” He grinned at us, knowing we weren’t serious, and even if we were, he was in no danger of being replaced. “But he won’t catch me.”
Dante was laughing. “Plus, I live with the guy,” he said good-naturedly. “Let’s just say runningandcatching, he’s not quite mastered it.”
Everyone laughed; even Coach Sutherland chuckled. “Alright, guys, bring it in.”
We formed the huddle, and he began telling us the next play. I looked over at Dante, appreciating his skill, and he winked at me quickly before turning his attention to the coach.
Because that’s what we’d all promised we would do. Maintain the belief that we were invested in this team, and not the fact that all three of us were waiting to be dragged under by it at any time.
Balance. It was all about balance.
Which is what I was trying to remember, but my head jerked to the lower half of the field when I heard the soft, feminine laughter floating toward us.
I didn’t feel balanced. I felt unsteady, and I didn’t do unsteady. Not at all.
“Slater, are you listening?” Coach Merriman barked at me.
“Yes, Coach.”
“Good, run the play.”
I jogged past Dante as we took up positions. “QB?”
“Wide and to the thirty,” he muttered as I passed, which is why Dante Spence was my best friend.
Head in the game, I reminded myself.She’s just another girl.
The dirt she had on the program was for Dante and Savvy to handle. I didn’t need to be part of it. I would support them, but in reality, they were better suited to that kind of thing. Noah and I could be there for them if they needed a sounding board, but we could concentrate on football.
