Page 36 of Rookie Moves

He scoffs out a quiet laugh. “I wasn’t alone out there. It was a team effort.”

“There’s no need to be so humble. You’re allowed to admit we would’ve been toast tonight without you.”

Smiling widely, he shakes his head, and I drop my arm as I follow him outside.

As I expected, there are several people waiting who look a lot like reporters. One of them is talking to Nelson, but the second they spot Colby, their expressions light up like he’s the genie who’s popped out of a lamp to grant them three wishes.

“Just ignore them,” I mutter under my breath.

Colby ducks his head, eyes fixed on the ground, and I subtly move to put myself between them and Colby as they rush over, already firing questions his way.

“Hey, Colby, we just wanted to—” one of them starts.

“Nope, not today,” I interrupt, steering Colby toward the bus, then turn to say over my shoulder, “We’ve got to get back to campus. If you want a comment, contact the team’s press department instead of harassing players after a game.”

“We’re not harass⁠—”

I whirl around to face the man, and he almost stumbles into me from how close he was walking behind us.

“Yes, you fucking are,” I bite. I spot Coach Vaughn in the corner of my eye, crossing his arms over his chest. I’m going to get in so much trouble for this, but it doesn’t stop the words from tumbling from my lips. “Do you do this to anyone else? Wait outside the arena, follow them to their bus? Sometimes even their houses?” I cock my head to the side in challenge, feeling the fury inside me start to grow. “It’s not fucking normal. But you know what is normal? Reaching out to the press department to ask your questions. You’ve already been told to back the fuck up.”

“Beckmann, that’s enough.” Coach Vaughn’s voice coming from behind me is low but stern.

I snap my jaw shut as he steps up beside me.

“But he’s right,” he says to the man, then raises his voice so the others can hear. “You’ve all had your warnings, plenty of them, and you chose to ignore them. Now, if I so much as hear a peep that you’ve written some shit piece about my player calling out your ass, I will deal with you myself.”

The man in front of us swallows roughly, giving his head a shaky nod before spluttering, “Yes. Yes, of course, Coach Vaughn.”

He quickly turns on his heels and leaves the parking lot, the rest of the reporters watching us with a cautious expression as they follow shortly behind.

“I don’t need to tell you how reckless that was, Beckmann,” Coach mutters.

I let out a heavy sigh, throwing a sympathetic glance over at Colby. He gives me a small, grateful smile before heading to the bus. Once he’s safely on board, I return my eyes back to Coach. “I’m just sick of it, you know? It’s every game. I don’t think they understand what they’re doing to him. It’s not healthy.”

Coach’s nostrils flare as he takes a deep inhale. “I know, and that’s why I’m not going to kick your ass for cursing out a reporter and potentially making yourself headline news because I know it’s coming from a good place.” He lowers his head until we’re only inches apart, and his next words come as a warning. “But don’t do it again. You hear me?”

Biting on the inside of my cheek, I nod. “You’ve got it, Coach.”

He slaps a big meaty paw on my shoulder and pushes me toward the bus. “Now, get on that fucking bus already. Some of us have homes to get to, and I’ve had enough of looking at your faces for one weekend.” His lips curve in the briefest of smiles before he disappears back inside the building, no doubt to check that Liam is dressed and ready to leave.

I shove my gear bag in the baggage compartment, then head onto the bus. I scan the seats for Colby, finding him halfway down, watching me with an amused expression.

When I drop into the empty seat next to him, he flicks me on the forehead.

“You’re an idiot.”

I rear back, rubbing my fingertips over the stinging area. “What did I do?”

“All of that out there?” He motions out the window to where we were just standing. “You could have got into so much trouble, and for what? Me?”

It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell him that I would do anything for him. Maybe not commit a murder or anything that might land me in jail, but there’s not much I wouldn’t do for Colby.

Heaving out a sigh, I slump back and tap my finger against the pattern of the seat in front of me. “I don’t like the entitlement people feel they have with you. I had a feeling there would be some people lurking tonight, but just seeing them out there…” I shake my head, tilting my head to look at the roof of the bus. “Something snapped in me. It was like I was a bull, and they were waving a red flag.”

Colby’s silent for a beat, and I roll my head toward him and whisper, “I’m sorry.”

His smile is sad, and I hate that I’ve put it there. “Don’t be. I’ve never really had someone stick up for me before.”