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“Were you drunk? Are you okay? How’s your leg?”
She winces and starts rubbing her thigh. “I’m fine. I wasn’t drunk.”
“And your leg?”
She rubs it a little harder, working her jaw to the side.
“Nylah!”
Closing her eyes again, she murmurs, “It’s sore.”
“What happened?”
“I was walking down the side of the house, and I ended up getting bumped by someone who didn’t see me and fell over. I left the party straight after that but couldn’t catch a ride, and so I started walking.”
“You walked?” Coach sounds incredulous, and it’s pissing me off.Let her fucking finish!I want to yell that into the phone, but I can’t go giving myself away. “You walked in that rain? With the thunder rolling and the?—”
“Dad, I?—”
“Baby.” His voice goes feather soft, tinged with a hurt that even I can hear. “Why didn’t you call me?”
Nylah bites her lip before softly explaining, “Because I didn’t need to. Someone came and helped me. They picked me up and carried me back to their house, and I was looked after. His roommates gave me an ice pack and a change of clothes. It was just easier to sleep on the couch, and?—”
“Nylah, where are you right now?” Coach’s voice has taken on that steely, icy edge that makes my stomach clench. I know that tone. It’s fucking dangerous.
Shooting Nylah a worried frown, she cringes and bites her lip.
“Lie!” I mouth. “Save yourself!”
Her face scrunches up again, and she looks away from me when she finally admits, “I’m at Football Frat.”
“Football Fr…” His words trail off, and then there’s this awkward pause that sounds more like a ticking bomb before the inevitable explosion. “What! You spent the night with a bunch of football players!”
“Dad, don’t say it like that. You make it sound like we had a big orgy together.”
“You had an orgy with them!”
“No! That’s what I’m saying.” She laughs out the words, then groans. “Would you calm down? You’re acting like a crazy man.”
I bulge my eyes at her. No one ever talks to Coach that way.
“I’m coming to get you. You better be dressed and ready, young lady.”
Nylah growls. “I’m already dressed! I just told you that they looked after me. Gave me an ice pack, let me sleep on their couch. I mean, Zander and Sienna are here, for fuck’s sake, Dad.”
“Don’t you use that language with me.”
“Well, don’t you use that tone with me,” she bites back, and now I’m fighting a shocked grin.
Coach huffs and mutters something I don’t quite catch. I frown and look at Nylah for a translation, but she just shrugs.
“Look, Dad, I get that you’re worried and that’s why you’re acting like this, but I’m seriously fine.”
“Do I need to take you to the doctor?” He’s obviously moving, already heading to his car to come get her. Fuck.
“No.” She stretches out her leg, then winces a little when she rotates her ankle.
I run my hand down her arm and mouth, “Are you sure?”