“Yeah.” Reagan moved toward a locker on the right side of the room. “It means he doesn’t need to see anything else from us.” She grinned and pulled her running shorts off. “It means we’re in.”
“Really?” I couldn’t help but stare at her like she had two heads. I’d never been chosen for anything, but maybe that was because I’d never tried out. I’d kept myself locked away, preferring to disappear into the shadows. That way, I could go by unnoticed.
“Yep.” Reagan walked by me and into the showers, leaving me standing in the middle of the locker room with my mouth opening and closing like a fish. “Get changed!” Reagan shouted at me. “He wants to see us in his office.”
Right. Yeah. I shook my head and opened up the locker I was using. I forwent the shower, not wanting to expose myself to anyone, and changed back into my jeans and T-shirt. I was pushing my running shoes into my backpack when the doors opened and all the other girls filed in, including Jasmine.
I didn’t give her the chance to say anything. Instead, I slung my backpack over my shoulder and walked out. Reagan was waiting outside Cade’s office, and as I got a couple of feet away, Cade came in off the field.
“Come in, girls,” he said, his rough voice washing over me. We followed him inside, and Cade pointed to the seats against the back wall, but I opted to stand as he leaned against his desk. His hand curled around the edge, his long fingers drumming against the wood. “You’re both on the team.” Cade didn’t look at me as he said it, and I couldn’t help but wonder why. Why was he staring at Reagan and giving her all his attention? And more importantly, why was I noticing?
“Thanks, Coach,” Reagan said, but I couldn’t get my mouth to work.
“The schedule isn’t going to be easy,” Cade warned, “but that’s because I know you can make it to state.”
“We can?” I asked, my words coming out broken.
Cade nodded and stood, but still, he didn’t look at me. “You can. I’ll get your class schedule tonight and work out training times. Pick them up from me tomorrow.”
Reagan nodded and stood, walking by me, accepting his dismissal. I started to turn to follow her out, but Cade calling out, “Aria?” stopped me.
“Yeah?” I slid my gaze to his, and for the first time since I entered his office, I felt like I could breathe.
“You did amazing.” His lips lifted into a genuine smile, and I felt it all the way down to my toes. My stomach fluttered with butterflies at the way he was looking at me, and I remembered the way he’d stared down at me in his room. Something had happened in that moment. I wasn’t sure what, but it was something.
“I did?”
“Yeah.” He tilted his head to the side, his teeth now showing because his smile was so big. “You fuckin’ did.”
I quirked my lips and pulled my bag tighter against my shoulders. “Thanks, Coach.”
His features screwed up. “Not sure what I hate more coming out of your mouth: sir or coach.”
I laughed, feeling all of the tension I’d been carrying evaporate. “How about Coach Cade?”
He shook his head and looked down at his desk, shuffling through some papers. “Get out of here, you terror. I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Aye aye, Captain.”
His groan was the last thing I heard as I practically skipped out of his office and out of school.
* * *
CADE
It felt weird to sit in a teachers’ lounge. Part of me felt like I was an intruder, and still the eighteen-year-old kid I used to be, which was why I spent most of my free time working in my office near the gym.
But today, I’d needed a change. I needed to switch it up.
As soon as I poured myself a coffee and sat down, Willow Simmons was on me. I wanted to tell her she was coming on mighty strong, but part of me liked the attention.
Back in college, I’d loved every bit of attention the girls gave me, but the last couple of years had been different. I no longer wanted to hang out with women who didn’t mean anything to me. I didn’t want the one-night stands.
Everything had changed after that night: the way I thought, and the way I lived my life. They said everything happened for a reason, and I wasn’t going to waste the reason I was still here. The reason blood still flowed through my veins. The reason air still expanded my chest. I’d been given a second chance, and I had to live it. And not only for myself but for the three people who’d had life snatched away from them.
“Cade, right?”
I nodded and flashed Willow a smile. “Yep.”