Page 23 of Coach Me (Boston Blues #2)
Dex
We finally land back in Boston bright and early on Monday morning. One thing I can appreciate about travel days is that we always try to book flights either really early or late for us to be able to take in as much time at home as we can. We’ll be here for the week, then right back out again.
Miles has apparently been on so many planes that he’s slept through landing. With his head lying on Lucie’s shoulder, he looks so peaceful.
Lucie looks down at him with a smile. “Part of me is so ready to get off this plane, and the other is perfectly happy sitting here until he wakes up.”
Yeah, I know exactly what she means—it was hard enough not to stare at them the entire flight. Lucie worked on her homeschooling plan while Miles rested, perfectly content next to her.
Lucie and I may have found our footing over this week and a half, but it’s done jackshit for my attraction to her. Hell, it’s only gotten worse.
But instead of focusing on the pure want I have for her, I think about Miles and how attached to her he already is. I think about how much easier and enjoyable work has been with her around.
When all else fails, I remind myself that she’s twelve years younger with goals of figuring out who she is as a person. It’s my weakest reasoning of all, but adding that with all the other reasons makes it stack up a little bit more.
I start to nudge Miles’s arm from side to side, and his eyes slowly start to blink open. “Are we home now?” he groans.
“Close, we’re back in Boston. Just a quick drive in the truck and we’ll be home.”
Miles groans louder this time as he snuggles closer to Lucie and pulls her arm in front of his face to hide from the light. “But I’m still sleepy.”
Lucie chuckles. “Something tells me you’re not going to be sleepy for much longer. I know how you work now, kid, sometimes you just need a little encouragement.”
Lucie moves to tickle him, and his giggles erupt. “Okay, Lucieeee, I’ll get uuuuup.”
Lucie stops tickling and helps him with his seatbelt. “Yeah, I thought so.”
Making our way off the plane, Miles has now fully woken up and is wired and ready to go. He bounces across the tarmac before spotting Callie.
“Dad! Can I go see Callie for just a little bit, pleeeease?”
“Sure, go ahead.”
I watch until he makes it over to Callie and surprises her with a hug. I shake my head as I turn to Lucie and find that she’s got the same look on her face that I did.
“I know it’s a running joke with the team, but his dedication to winning over Callie is so sweet. ”
It really is. I halfway feel like I need to be taking notes from him sometimes, but that’s a thought I need to counter— Lucie is here for Miles, not me.
“He’s persistent, that's for sure.” I dig into my duffle bag to pull out my keys. “When Casanova’s finished, you guys can head to the truck. I can get the bags.”
“Are you sure?” Lucie’s hand brushes against mine as she takes the keys.
“Yeah, I got it. Plus, that’ll make you the bad guy for having to walk away from Callie.”
“See, you’re doing it wrong. You just need to rope Will in and make him the bad guy.
” Lucie smiles, and I can feel this tightening in my chest. It happens a lot, actually—when she laughs at something I’ve said or calls me “Coach”.
When I watch her with Miles. I swear I almost bought heartburn medication at our last hotel.
“Ahh, it all makes sense now. Do you think we should tell Callie and Will that they’re our scapegoats?” The need to say “we” and “our” has been an ongoing battle also. Even though Lucie never seems to catch it, I know I’ve got to stop.
“Oh no, it coincides with their fun aunt and uncle thing they have going.” Lucie shrugs. “I’ll work on that and meet you at the truck?”
Clearing my throat, I nod. “Yeah, meet you there.”
Same as I did with Miles, I watch Lucie walk all the way over to where Callie and Will are standing. Her long blonde hair is pulled up in a ponytail, and while yellow is still my favorite, I think her in any of the Blues merch is second best.
“Hey, I got Miles’s suitcase. I think yours and Lucie’s are over on the far side.
” Beck comes up next to me, his words pulling me from my lingering gaze.
I know he saw what I was doing, and while we’re good after I apologized for being a dick on the shuttle, Beck hasn’t brought up the topic of Lucie again.
“Thanks. If you want to leave Miles’s here, I’ll be?—”
“It’s luggage, not a big deal, asshole. I’ll take this to your truck while you get the rest.” Beck doesn’t give me any time to argue before he starts to walk off.
I take one more look at Lucie and Miles before grabbing our suitcases from the far side of the plane.
“Oh, hey, Dex, do you have a second?” Shannon stops me.
The need to say “no” is strong. I definitely see why Miles likes to hide from Shannon, but, unfortunately, as a coach, I’m no longer qualified to play the game. “Yeah, what’s up?”
“I wanted to offer that if you need someone to help keep Lucie in line, you can ask me.”
What the fuck ? That’s what I really want to say, but professionally, I go with, “Excuse me?”
Shannon flips her black hair behind her shoulder. “You know, make sure her and Miles aren’t causing any trouble on game days. I know she’s young, but if her being here isn’t helping?—”
“It is helping,” I cut her off. “Last time I talked to Olsson and everyone else on this team, Lucie hasn’t caused any issues. Not that their or your opinions matter because I decide if Lucie’s working out or not.”
“Dex, she’s just young?—”
Fucking hell. “You know what will actually help? Calling the hotels for the season. I’m going to need a suite for the rest of our away games. The conjoined rooms in Pittsburgh weren't as functional, and thanks to your oversight in Phoenix, I know that now. ”
Shannon straightens her spine. I can see her jaw tighten for a second before she grits out, “Fine, I can do that.”
I really have tried to give Shannon the benefit of the doubt. I thought her shit attitude came from our last GM, but it seems like she worked so well with him for a reason.
“Great, thank you for the help.”
Turning, I head to my truck, grumbling in my head and this time I really do say, “What the fuck?” when I look up.
Jordan is standing by my truck, watching as Lucie gets Miles in. Beck hovers beside Lucie, and I can tell he’s saying something to Jordan but I can’t make out what.
“…So what you’re saying is you have the day off,” Jordan says as I walk up behind him.
“Jordan, can I help you?” I clip.
Turning around, Jordan has a smug smirk on his face. “I just came to talk to Lucie for a minute.”
“He apparently thought that minute needed to be while she was buckling in Miles,” Beck explains. His tone is just as tense as mine. Damn it, I’m going to have to be nicer to him.
Lucie closes Miles’s door with a sigh. “Okay, Jordan, what’s up?”
“I thought since it was your day off, you might want to have a little fun. A couple of the guys are going out tonight, you should come with.”
Say no, say no, say fucking no.
A soft smile comes to Lucie’s face, and I swear my heart’s in my stomach. “Thank you for thinking of me, but I’m going to pass.”
Thank God.
Jordan rocks on his feet for a moment. “Alright, some other time then?”
No .
Lucie glances at me for a moment but I look away. I know I have no say, if she wants to go she has every right to.
“Maybe, I think Dex and I might be able to come one night. It’s a team thing, right?”
Holy shit.
Jordan takes a step back at that one. “Right, yeah…maybe some other time.”
Lucie’s face beams with her bright smile. “Great, just let Dex know. I’m sure I could get my sister to watch Miles, and we could all go together.”
“Sure thing,” Jordan says as he walks away.
My brain is still trying to process how, rather than just telling him no, Lucie told him she would be bringing me. Fuck, I think that just turned me on.
Beck takes a step forward and turns to look at Lucie.
“What?” She looks back and forth between me and Beck. “What’d I do?”
Beck is silent for another moment, then says, “I think I love you.”
“Beck!” I snap. Maybe I won’t be nice to him.
Beck holds his hands in the air. “What? I’m kidding! Kind of.”
“You do not.” Lucie swats her hand at him before turning to me. “Need any help with the bags?”
No, please stay up there because I need you not to see my semi through my sweats.
I clear my throat. “I got it.”
“Alright.” Lucie shrugs and says bye to Beck before getting in the passenger seat.
Beck waits for her door to shut before turning to me. “I’m not going to say much, but…dude, you’re so fucked.”
“Well-fucking-aware.”