All Broke Down (Rusk University 2)

“You feel certain that Jake did this?”

“I do,” I say. “If you could have seen his face, seen how defensive he was . . . you would too. And even if he didn’t set out to do it, even if she was awake when they went in the room, an innocent person would have handled things differently. He wouldn’t have left her there like that. And I know fighting him probably wasn’t the answer, and it’s my third strike and you have every right to kick me off the team. I hope you won’t, but I’ve got to say, I’d rather be off the team than play a single game alongside Jake. This team has heart and strength and courage, and he doesn’t deserve to taint that.”

Coach is quiet for a long while. He looks at me, then up at the ceiling. He scratches at his jaw and sighs, before turning his gaze somewhere else and repeating the whole process all over again. Finally, he stands and moves across the room to the window that looks out onto an open grassy area of campus where students play games or study when the weather’s nice.

“You know, when I suspended you from the team, I told you I needed you to be a leader. I wasn’t sure then if you had it in you. I knew you could play, knew you loved the game. But I couldn’t tell if you only cared about your own future, or the team’s as a whole. Even without hearing what you just said, I knew the answer before you ever opened that door. You know how?”

I shake my head, too many emotions lodged in my throat to speak.

“First thing Carson told me Saturday night after he explained what happened was that I couldn’t suspend you again. He said the team needed you. Brookes and Torres showed up at my door the next morning saying the same thing. Keyon rang my doorbell last night in the middle of dinner. He busted into my house, interrupted my date, and told me that you deserved to play. And if that weren’t enough, my daughter told me in no uncertain terms that if I didn’t support you, she wouldn’t speak to me for the rest of the season. People love you, Silas. They respect you. They trust you, and I do, too. And I probably shouldn’t say this, but I’m damn glad it was you that found Stella instead of someone else. Maybe fighting wasn’t the best way to handle it, but I’m not sorry that’s how it went. You shouldn’t be, either. That girl . . .” He stops for a minute, closing his eyes and collecting his words. “I love Stella like she was my own. She brought my daughter out of her shell, and she’s . . .” He trails off and looks out the window for a while. He doesn’t say anything, but I can see him swallowing again and again, trying to keep his composure.

When he turns to me again, his expression is serious. “You’re a good man, Silas. A good player. And I’m glad to have you on this team.”

Goddamn it. I’m not going to get emotional in here. I’m not.

“I may not have any legal authority to address what happened this weekend, but I do have authority over my team. Jake is suspended indefinitely and pending a university investigation, will likely be dismissed from the team altogether. All I need is the athletic director’s okay, and I promise you I’ll get that. One way or another.”

I grip the arms of my chair tightly and nod my head. “Thank you, sir. Thank you so much.”

He comes around the table, and I stand to meet him when he holds out a hand. He shakes my hand, firm and quick, and it has all the softness of a cobra strike, but it’s what nearly puts me over the edge.

I swallow hard, nod my head, thank him one more time, and then head for the door.

“Silas,” he calls before I’m all the way out. “Williams told me about the playground. Pretty inventive idea.”

I shrug. “I guess.”

“I sure do hope this game works out for you, son. But if it doesn’t, I think you could make a damn fine coach.”

I close the door behind me with a quiet click, and I let the relief seep through my shoulders.

I swear to God, it’s like the whole team decided to show up for early morning workout today. Torres and Brookes are pretending to watch game film in the lounge area right outside the office, and they pounce as soon as I’m out. Half a dozen more guys slink in from the locker room to hear me give them the news. Coach Oz and even Coach Gallt nod at me as they leave the office and head into the weight room.

It still doesn’t quite feel real when I leave the athletic complex and head for my pickup so I can make my first class on the other side of campus. Then I see a familiar sleek gray number parked next to my rusty piece of junk, and Dylan climbs out of the driver’s side.

The wind catches her hair, tossing it up in this golden column that catches the sun. She crosses to me quickly and huddles in close so that my body blocks some of the wind.

“So?”

“I’m still on the team. No suspension.”

She squeals and throws her arms around my neck, and I lift her up off her feet so I can bury my face in the warm skin of her neck. Whatever tension was still left in me begins to melt away, and I could stay right here forever.

“I knew everything would be okay. I knew it.”

“Carter is suspended, and if Coach has his way, he’ll be cut soon.”

She pulls back and smiles, running a hand along my cheek. “More good things.”

I kiss her lightly and slowly lower her feet to the ground.

“Good things” doesn’t even begin to cover it.

She grins up at me, slips out of my arms, and crosses to lean against my truck. She’s wearing shorts and the same fall-off-your-shoulder shirt she wore the night we met. She gives me a wicked smile.

“What do you say to skipping our morning classes and going for a drive instead?”

“I say get your gorgeous ass in the truck and let’s go.”

I leave the windows down as we drive, so Dylan’s hair blows across my chest and face as the wind sweeps through. But I don’t mind because she’s pressed tight against my side, my arm resting in the cradle of her thighs so I can switch gears.

I don’t go as far out of town as we did last time, but I drive until all the houses and businesses disappear and there’s nothing but green, wide-open space. When I park, I pull a blanket out from under my seat, and Dylan laughs.

“Oh . . . You’re getting better at this.” I lift her up into the truck bed and together we spread out the blanket.

“I do try to please.”

“Now I don’t have to worry about getting all rusty and dirty.”