CHAPTER 22

TONIGHT IS FOR YOU

DAVID

They won their first game on Thursday night against College of Conway handily — 70 to 52. Friday morning they were up in the stands watching other teams play, and knew by noon that their next opponent would be Harding University. Evan White’s team.

David kept a close eye on Sage throughout the day, but saw nothing but easy smiles from her, even when Evan stood on the sidelines below them.

His stomach still heaved when he thought about what Sage had told him. The fact that her athletic career had been ruined by a coach made him see red. A coach was supposed to protect, nurture, and inspire. They were in a position to have an incredible impact on the lives of their players. It was a pressure that David felt on an almost daily basis, and he never stopped trying to figure out how to be better. How to be better for them .

But this man had exploited her. Had assaulted a minor and, if his current position as an assistant coach for a college team was any indication, had faced next to no consequences for his actions.

A part of David felt a responsibility to report him.

Now that he knew what he’d done, how could he not? This man was still coaching, still working in close contact with young people even after, if Tim was to be believed, another institution was made aware of his misbehavior. Of his illegal and goddamn reprehensible behavior.

But he knew that it wasn’t his story to tell. If Sage decided to say something, that was her choice to make. As much as it pained him, that course of action was Sage’s and Sage’s alone.

Swooping in and taking that choice away from her would crush whatever trust he’d managed to build between them so far. David could recognize that trust from Sage Fogerty was a precious and rare thing. Their connection was one of the greatest gifts he’d ever been given, and he planned to protect it. To cherish it.

Later that night, the boys suited up for their second game — the conference tournament semi-finals. There was a nervous energy in the air, but David could see in their bodies that they were ready.

David tugged on his blazer before clearing his throat. Immediately, the room went silent. Every pair of eyes focused on him.

“Tonight is for you,” he began, projecting his voice to fill the room. “You’re here tonight because of what every single one of you has contributed over the past few months. Your time, your focus, your effort, and your commitment to your teammates is what has landed us here today.” He felt a smile curve his lips. “I cannot express how proud I am of all of you.” He took a moment to meet the gazes of each player. “You proved everyone wrong. Hell, you proved me wrong, and I’m a better man and a better coach because of the impact each of you has had on my life.

“So go out there tonight and give it your best. This is a team we’ve beat before, so you know they’re going to come out with something to prove. Lean on each other, work together, and play your damn hearts out.”

With that, David looked over at Jordan and Jenks, who sat side by side in the middle of the bench, surrounded by their teammates. “I’m going to leave you guys with your captains. Listen to them and decide on a plan. You know each other and you know your opponents, and I trust whatever you come up with.”

David beckoned to Tim and Sage, who stood off to the side. He met her gaze for just a moment, and the obvious pride and affection in her eyes almost made his knees buckle.

Were they hiding their feelings from anyone? Because even if they won tonight and won the conference championship, the days of the season were numbered. It was only a matter of time before a loss ended their run, and then suddenly, the reason that had kept them apart would fall away.

There would be nothing stopping them from…what? From being together?

David could already see it. Hell, he’d already spent way too much time imagining it. They already spent time together. They already shared each other’s spaces easily and comfortably. Add touching and kissing and exploring her body — the thought was goddamn intoxicating .

“Good work in there,” Tim said, interrupting his thoughts. “They’re as ready as they’ll ever be.”

David laughed, rubbing his hand over the beard he’d trimmed that morning, leaving only a thin layer of stubble on his cheeks and jaw. “We’ve done all we could, and however tonight ends, it’ll still be a successful season.”

Tim clasped a hand on his shoulder. “Couldn’t agree more, Hughes. You’ve done great work with them.”

Damn this old man for making his throat close with unwanted emotion. Damn him .

“Thanks, Coach,” David managed to choke out, blinking a bit too fast to appear natural. Straightening his shoulders, he led them out onto the court. He and Tim took their places at the top of the bench, while Sage settled in at the end.

Even though David’s gaze was focused out on the court, taking in the monumental moment that he was lucky enough to be a part of, he could feel the presence of the tall blonde at the end of the bench.

As soon as the season was done, he was going to ask her out. David was going to take Sage Fogerty on a proper date, complete with flowers and dinner at a place that wasn’t too fancy for jeans and one of those thin little shirts that she never wore a bra with.

And then he’d kiss her, really kiss her, and it would be amazing.

So goddamn amazing.

* * *

They lost.

It was the kind of loss that left David gutted, but so incredibly proud.

The entire game had been close, within five points, with the lead passing back and forth in waves. Even at the end it had been in their grasp, with Harding pulling ahead by four in the last minute, and, in spite of every single one of the Southeastern players leaving everything out on the court, they couldn’t close the lead.

David felt like he’d been out there with them. He’d started sweating in the first five minutes of the game and had never stopped, shedding his blazer and even rolling up his shirt sleeves to his elbows. Even then, he was pretty sure everyone in the crowd could see that sweat had soaked through the back of his blue shirt.

But he hadn’t given a damn, because every single part of him was out there with those kids as they fought together. He was with them as their muscles strained and as their voices grew hoarse from communicating with each other on defense.

He’d coached harder than he’d ever coached before. He’d leaned on Tim, getting his assistant’s input as much as he could while he paced up and down the sideline.

He was exhausted.

All he wanted was sweatpants, a beer, and a tall blonde and his dog cuddled up on his couch.

He walked down the hallway, his brown Oxfords slapping against the stone. Tim walked beside him, and David consciously slowed down his steps to match the pace of his shorter assistant.

“Hell of a season, Coach.” Tim knew better than to smile and laugh and brush aside the loss as a thing of the past, but still, his words meant something. His acknowledgement meant more to David than he could ever express.

“Couldn’t have done it without you,” David answered honestly. At first, he’d seen Tim as a threat to his authority, as proof that the institution hadn’t believed in him. But they had slowly warmed to each other, and, by the end, Tim had become more than a mentor. He was someone David trusted. Someone he hoped to work with again.

They reached the locker room and pushed inside.

Jordan stood in the middle of the room, his green jersey soaked and his skin flushed pink. “Keep your heads up, boys,” he was saying, his voice louder and betraying more emotion than David had ever heard from him. “Think about the team we were at the beginning of the year. Think about how little we trusted each other. And look at who we were tonight. Out there, we were a family. We fought hard for each other, and we were so dang close.” He turned to the other seniors, who all sat beside each other at one end of the bench. None of them had dry eyes as they listened to their teammate, and David felt his own eyes burn as he watched them. He remembered being in their shoes like it was yesterday. “For some of us, this is our last chance to ever wear these jerseys. Me, Zephyr, Chris, and Jenks will never get another shot at this. We’re going to pack up at the end of the year and go off to do whatever comes next. Coach,” Jordan turned to David, obviously trying to keep his expression steady as he looked him in the eye. “We couldn’t have done this without you. You were exactly what we needed, and I’ll never forget the lessons you’ve taught me. Never.”

Well. David was definitely crying.

Jordan continued. “But for the rest of you, look around this room. These are your brothers, and if you want to end up back here next year, if you want to go further than we did, you all need to come together and decide to go after it. Stay in touch over the summer. Stay local and play and lift and challenge each other to continue to get better.” He paused, wiping awkwardly at his face as he sniffed. “Right. Well. Love you guys.” And with that, he sat back down on the bench.

David and the rest of the team immediately broke out in applause, and Jordan’s face got even redder.

“There’s not much to say after that,” David said above the noise, and the guys quickly quieted. “This loss hurt, and we all know that we could have won, but the reality is that we didn’t. That’s the way this sport works. You work and plan and spend hours of your life preparing, and then it comes down to one single game. And that’s why I agree with Jordan. Keep your heads up. You defied expectations this year. No one thought you’d be able to do what you all did to get here. And as I said before the game, I am so proud of every single one of you. Nothing about tonight’s game changes that.”

There was more to say. There was always more to say.

But at that moment there were parents and relatives who’d flown across the country to see these guys play, and he wanted to give them as much time with their families as possible before they had to go back to the hotel. Because they lost, they’d fly out early the next morning.

“Alright. Let’s call it, and then go out and thank the family who came in to see you guys.” David motioned to Jenks, who got up and put his hand out in the empty space in the middle of the room. Immediately, the rest of the guys got up, piling their hands on top until they were all one smushed together group of sweaty, exhausted men.

And Sage. He couldn’t forget Sage, who still smelled like flowers. He beckoned her toward the huddle, and she didn’t hesitate to put her hand in alongside the rest of them.

“Eagles on three!” Zephyr’s voice filled the room. “One, two, three…”

“Eagles!”

Their voices combined, the volume almost uncomfortable as they had one last moment together in the wake of a game.

David watched them disperse, heading to the showers as they fell into comfortable teasing and banter. Most of them would be back the next year, and, if he was lucky, he would get the chance to coach them again.

He lost track of time a bit once he reached the lobby, pulled into conversations with each of the players and then exchanging greetings and introductions with the families that had made the trip to watch them play.

Sage stood off to one side with a woman he recognized as her older sister, Brinley, and an older woman dressed in overalls and a flowing floral blouse.

He wanted to go to Sage. This was her moment too; her steadfast reassurance had constantly reminded him that he’d earned his place on the bench. She’d helped him learn to let go enough to breathe. She’d made him a better coach, and, arguably, a better man.

There was also the fact that he could still taste the honey from the lozenge she’d pressed into his hand after the game.

It tasted like her.

But he didn’t want to interrupt her time with her family, knowing they’d traveled all the way from California to be there. He didn’t want to presume and go up to them.

David was only able to watch her unnoticed for a moment. She must have felt him, because she looked up and their gazes collided with a heat and warmth that had him inhaling a sharp breath. Her green eyes blinked, and she offered him a quick smile before she turned back to her family.

He pushed the heel of his hand into his sternum as he cleared his throat, shifting so that he was no longer staring so obviously. Get your shit together, David .

He felt a sharp elbow in his side and looked over to see Monty grinning at him.

David cocked a brow at him. “What,” he said cautiously.

Monty’s grin widened. “Just wondering when you’re gonna get your shit together and ask her out.”

David’s mouth dropped open. “Excuse me?”

“Come on, Coach. Everyone knows. Everyone ships it.”

“Ships it?” What in the hell was happening?

Monty let out a bright laugh. “We’re rooting for you, Coach.” With a wink that also scrunched up his other eye, he took off to join a group of the guys that hovered near the entrance.

“Watch it, Monty!” David called after him, feeling a mixture of amused and embarrassed at the idea that at least one of the players had picked up on his feelings for Sage.

Shaking his head, he scratched his jaw. Just then Jenks’ dad came up and introduced himself, and David was pulled into another conversation.

Finally, he wrangled the team onto the bus, urging them through goodbyes as he ushered the stragglers outside.

He’d just climbed on the bus when his phone buzzed in his pocket. It was a text from Sage.

I’m going to stay with my family tonight. Hope that’s okay.

David shoved aside the misplaced disappointment as he typed out his reply.

Of course. Thx for everything this year.

You too, Coach. Congrats on a great season.

Couldn’t have done it without u.

You*

His mouth curved into a smile as he leaned his head back on the headrest.

He couldn’t wait to get home.