They swallowed him whole, taking him out of my sight, and I turned before another tear had the chance to fall.
I couldn’t be sure how much time passed on that field after that. I checked in on players, talked to reporters, high-fived the other members of the staff and accepted an emotional hug from Principal Hanley, who told me he knew he made the right decision hiring me.
He also said the job was mine as long as I wanted it, and he was happy to see that Jordan and I worked together so well.
I ignored the fire in my chest at his words, encouraging him to go talk to the other coaches while I found my daughter. And as soon as he shook my hand and made his way deeper onto the field, Paige slammed into me full speed, wrapping her arms around my waist and screaming while I tried to keep my balance.
“YOU DID IT! YOU WON! WE WON! WE WON!”
She was hysterical, jumping up and down and squeezing me and jumping up and down again and then running in circles around me. Seeing her excitement brought the first genuine smile I’d had all week, and it somehow hurt, as if my face had forgotten how to activate those muscles altogether.
“I can’t believe it!” she said, panting, her hands on top of her head as she looked up at me with wide eyes. “I mean, we were down at halftime and I thought for sure that was it! And then you guys came back out and wham!” She made a one-two punch motion with her fists. “Sacks here, tackles there, two interceptions and a field goal kick to gain the lead. And they just crumbled! They couldn’t catch us once we were on fire like that!”
I chuckled, rubbing the crazy hair on her head. “I bet it was because you were in those stands cheering.”
“I mean, I do think I’m a good luck charm,” she said with a crooked grin. “But, this time, it was the team. And Coach! Oh my gosh,” she said, as if she’d only just realized she was on the field. Her eyes scanned it wildly. “Where is he? Can I go find him and congratulate him?” She looked up at me before I had the chance to answer and clapped her hands together. “Please, please, please, pleaseeeee.”
My next breath was stolen by my rib cage squeezing in on itself, but I looked back, finding Jordan standing with Principal Hanley, the reporters talking to the players now and leaving him be.
“Alright,” I said. “But hurry over there and then come right back. Stay where I can see you.”
She’d barely acknowledged my rules before she sprinted into action, and I kept my eyes on her as Randy sidled up next to me.
The moment he did, I felt sick again.
“Congratulations,” he murmured under his breath.
I knew he was being condescending and didn’t actually mean it, but I thanked him anyway.
We stood next to each other in silence, both of our eyes on the field. My stomach rolled when the scent of his cologne caught on the breeze. It was a scent I used to love, one I used to find comfort and love in. Now, it just made me ill.
I watched Jordan smiling down at Paige as she jumped around in front of him, animatedly telling him all her thoughts on the game, no doubt, and my heart ached so fiercely in my chest I had to press a hand over it.
Randy watched me from the corner of his eyes, then he looked at Paige, at Jordan, and back at me.
“Is there something you need to tell me, Sydney?”
His voice sent a chill down my spine, though I wasn’t sure why.
“I have literally had nothing to say to you since the day I left you, Randy.”
“I don’t know, sweetheart. I think you do have something to tell me.”
“What are you getting at?” I asked, hoping the long sigh from my chest gave away that I was bored and not interested in fighting with him.
“I ran into Marty at Buck’s the other night,” he said. “You know Marty. Barrel-raiser down at the distillery.”
“Yes. And?”
“Well, he was at Noah Becker’s wedding last weekend,” he said, and then my heart stopped at the same time a wicked grin climbed on his lips from my peripheral view. “But I guess you already know that, since he told me you were there, too.”
It took every ounce of willpower I had left to calm my breathing in that moment, to not let him see that I was intimidated by his menacing gaze, by the threat that lay beneath the innocent words he’d said out loud.
“I’m not doing this with you,” I finally said, and I took a step toward Paige, but before I could walk away, Randy grabbed my wrist and ripped me around to face him.