Page 9 of Campus Muscle

“Prescott!”

I turned and saw Coach waving me over from a few yards away, but he wasn’t alone. Frank Delaney stood right next to him. I took my sweet time walking over, giving myself a chance to figure out what was happening.

“Trace,” Coach said, clearly uncomfortable with what was happening. “You’ve met Mr. Delaney, right?”

“I’ve seen him around,” I said.

Delaney gave me a controlled and deliberate smile. “And I’ve seen you. Your win on Saturday is hard to ignore.”

“It was a team win,” I corrected, sounding more arrogant than I intended.

There was something about this man. I couldn’t pinpoint it at all, but every time we were near each other, all my alarm bells went off. My body protested against his presence, to where all I wanted was to get away.

“Even teams need someone in charge who can change their pace,” Delaney said. “That person was you.”

I didn’t respond because I honestly didn’t know how. I had never been in such a position before, but I knew that everything I said could be used against me if I wasn’t careful. And that wasn’t something I wanted for the team.

Delaney studied me for a good moment before he continued. “Tell me, what’s your plan after all this?”

“I honestly haven’t thought about it.” I frowned, my head going a mile a minute but coming up empty. I had no idea what he was after. “Right now I’m just focused on the season.”

“That’s a very short-term goal. I’m talking about the long run.“

“I guess I wouldn’t mind being a pro player,” I said with a shrug.

It wasn’t a lie. I really didn’t think about anything beyond what my years in college had to offer. Hell, I didn’t even plan on playing football until just before the applications closed, but here I was.

“That’s a very good plan,” Delaney said with a wink. “Then you understand the stakes. Talent like yours gets noticed quickly, and the right position can keep you in the spotlight.”

A tinge of irritation flared in my chest, and my jaw tightened slightly. I didn’t know what he wanted from me, but I was starting to get a good idea of what his plan was, and I wasn’t sure I liked it.

“I don’t like dealing in guesswork,” Delaney continued. “I deal in outcomes, and the players who make it aren’t the ones who are only good in the field. They’re the ones who know how to move when the spotlight finds them.”

I shifted my weight. “For now, I’m good right where I am.”

“It’s a good place to start,” Delaney said without missing a beat. “But this doesn’t pay tuition, and it won’t take care of your family.”

Those words were creepy enough to send a chill right through me.

His tone softened into something almost reasonable. “Unlike most of these guys, you have people depending on you. That’s the kind of pressure that doesn’t just go away. It will only get heavier if you don’t make a plan to get ahead of it.“

Once again, I didn’t say anything because I was totally weirded out. How did this guy know so much about my family and the position we were in?

“I’m not asking you for anything,” Delaney added. “All I want is for you to think about what it means to have someone with knowledge and experience in your corner.”

I finally met his gaze. “And that person is supposed to be you?”

“I’ve been useful before,” he said with a faint but certain smile.

I hesitated for just a moment before saying, “I’m focused on the team.”

I really wanted to tell him to fuck right off, but some of the things he said could change my life. My family’s life. We could do wonders with a full scholarship and a new car, but somehow things just got more insane as he continued to speak. And that left me wondering how much of what he said was actually true.

“Just don’t let this be the place you spend the rest of your future trying to get out of,” he said then. “A team player has a shelf-life. Take the opportunity when it comes your way.”

I was still considering my response when he turned around and walked away, effectively ending the entire conversation.

“Let’s just get back to it,” Coach said, lightly slapping my shoulder.