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No need to reflect on that—he meant it. Maybe he’s still waiting for the first crack.

And a life on a coach’s salary may work for me, but it won’t for her.

My phone buzzes against my chest, a number I don’t recognize.

I almost don’t answer.

But I do.

“Kolby Grimes? This is Coach Cohen with the New York Knights.”

I sit up so fast I nearly knock over the coffee table.

“We’d like to bring you in?—”

“Yes,” I say before he even finishes. “Yes. Thank you. Thank you.”

It’s not the draft. It’s not a first-round pick, a handshake, a jersey. But it’s something. It’s a door opening when every other one slammed shut.

“You have an agent?” he asks.

“I have a lawyer who?—”

“This is Lucas Links.”

I bite my fist to stop from embarrassing myself by screaming like a little bitch.

“We’ve been in touch with Drew Daniels who reps Warren, Hart, and Skinner. She had no idea we sat on pins, needles, and prayers you didn’t get taken from us when she told us we were idiots if we didn’t pick you up.” He chuckles. “You were in our top ten, even though we don’t need another running back. Wanna find a place for you. Your choice, kid, but you have someone like that on your side already. I’d be thinking that through. Loyalty means everything.”

“I appreciate that. I’ll contact her, and I promise you, wherever you put me, you’ll get one hundred and ten percent every game.”

“Perfect. Have your ass here in forty-eight hours. And Grimes”—he pauses—“bring a hundred and twenty.”

“I will.”

A female voice calls, “Grimes, this is Ava, the team’s legal head. You know what I’m not?”

“No, ma’am.”

“A sports agent. Contact Daniels.”

“Yes, ma’am.” I laugh.

“Cut thema’amshit. I’m under thirty and shit hot,” she replies.

“And my daughter,” Lucas growls.

“Yes, sir.” I chuckle.

“He’s under fifty and shit hot, too.” A woman laughs. “Save sir for your coaches.”

“I’d say yes ma’am, but I’m guessing you’re not old enough for that and shit hot, as well.”

She snorts, and Lucas says, “And she’s my wife, kid.”

“Fuck,” I mumble.

Laughing, the lawyer says, “I messaged Daniels. She’s gonna call you. We’ll see you soon.”