Page 10

Wild

"You've never committed to anything in your life. How long was your last relationship?”

I wish I had Ro with me to act as a buffer because Coach Billy loved sportswomen, but she has gone back to reclaim her starting spot. Her words, not mine. And prematurely, in my opinion.

There's nothing worse than listening to a man you admire take a hammer and nail to your character. Unless you're me and you have other things to worry about, like Evie not responding to my texts.

“ I told you,” Richard mutters.

He's been ranting about my decision to accept Coach Billy's surprise invitation to dinner.

Like I would have refused.

Richard feels the coach is playing with us, and I shouldn't have accepted the invitation to dinner. But I know he also wants this deal as much as I do.

If there's the tiniest chance Coach wants me, I ’ m taking it.

Sitting at Coach Billy ’ s dinner table reminds me of my first visit to his house in my rookie year with my teammates. Remembering the easy laughter and the team spirit brings a lump to my throat. Fourteen years later, I ’ m back with Lila and Richard, practically on my knees, begging for a chance to play for him again.

Coach Billy is still the same: thick beard (more grey than blond now), a ball cap permanently engraved on his head, piercing eyes, and a dark scowl.

Under cover of the dinner table, I fish my phone out to check my text messages.

Me: Hey.

I should have sent something longer than 'hey’.

I should have asked a lengthy question that would force a reply. It's been a week since I acted out, and Evie called me out on my behavior. Remembering, I feel a surge of pride for her standing up for herself. Proper Evie would have held back to preserve our relationship as it is.

My mind replays my mad dash to Charlie ’ s and my posturing in Rob's face. Bizarre doesn't begin to cover it.

How can I explain something I don't understand myself? It's like my subconscious mentally marked out the day for her date. I was busy training all day, but I never forgot where Evie was and with whom. Then I called Charlie. Gun to my head, and I won't be able to remember what we said on the phone.

But I remember Charlie asking me to come over. Then I learned Rob would be stopping by. With Evie.

A kick from under the table has me jerking upright.Daniel, Coach Billy ’ s six-year-old grandson, sticks out his tongue at me. With his cowlick and dimples, he’s adorable.

Coach Billy is a traditional coach. He still swears by his clipboards, fines, mid-game rants, and one-on-one talks to motivate his players when other coaches have moved on to laptops and complex algorithms.

We both operate on the same wavelength. It was why my draft year was so successful. If Coach knows I'm texting during an important meeting, I can kiss my phone goodbye. Or worse.

Daniel gives me a perfect imitation of his grandfather's scowl. I put my phone away and keep my hands where he can see them. But Daniel's not done. Quietly, he holds out his finger for a pinky promise.

His small finger and too serious face take me back to Charity and my family and hanging out with Dee.

Unfortunately, Jax ’ s grouchiness is beginning to rub off on my niece. I don ’ t see us playing with abandon like we used to.

Coach Billy stops in the middle of his rant to watch. I give Richard's crazy 'what do you think you're doing'eyes a tiny shrug. Daniel and I make our pinky promise over the dinner table bulging with food.

Daniel nods in satisfaction.

"Have you ever been in a relationship?"Coach Billy asks.

Lila throws down her napkin like it's on fire and lurches to her feet. "I've had enough of this farce of a meeting! Why invite us to dinner if you'll kick him while he's down?"

"Down? He made over twenty million dollars last season, minus his Instagram things. He's not down."

"If he's not, do you intend to send him there?"Lila stabs her fingernail in the air. "If it was any other player, you won't get away with talking about family and relationships!"

Coach Billy jumps to his feet to meet Lila's fire. "Because he's not ‘ any other player ’ to me!"

Daniel's mother, Megan, halts at the door, a bottle of wine in her hand. She's a director of operations at North Cats, but she's been mostly silent about my return to the team.

"Well, you can rest easy because he's n-n-never going to be your player!”Lila seethes.

Richard gapes at Lila. “ What are you saying?”

“ What?” She asks him.

“ You shouldn ’ t have come begging for a contract then,"Coach Billy shoots back.

“ Begging?” Lila screeches. “ Who ’ s begging?”

Richard throws his napkin over his face and slumps into his seat until he disappears. Coach Billy aims a scowl Richard's way and barks at his empty chair. "You will sit with respect at my table or go on home."

Richard doesn't surface. Just as I am thinking Coach Billy will go drag him out from under the table like a fish tied to a hook, his face, covered with the napkin, reappears.

Coach Billy mutters something, and Daniel jumps from his seat, shouting, "You said a bad word!"

Daniel returns, holding a jar over his head like a trophy. With a disgruntled sigh, Coach accepts his punishment, putting money in the swear jar.

Megan lowers her head to quietly lecture her son about interrupting adults, and I see where Daniel gets his healthy, full hair. It’s certainly not from the forever-bald Coach Billy.

"But he said a bad word,"Daniel argues.

Coach Billy huffs out a breath. "I did say a bad word. Sit down, let's eat."

Lila doesn't move. Her hair is bright pink today. She's not going to back down. Who will win if they both refuse to back down?

Hunching my shoulders, I try to make my six-foot-five frame smaller. One thing is for sure: I'm not getting between them if there's a fight.

"Help me understand. What does his personal life have to do with this?"Lila asks Coach Billy.

"Everything,"he booms. "A man who can't commit to even family—"

"You know his family well,"she says impatiently. "You're just looking for an excuse not to sign him."

Richard speaks up. "If you're worried about his stats—"

Coach Billy snickers. "That's never been a problem. The boy can ball, but it's my last project, and I foresee us needing one or two years. Two years of his total commitment, none of that TikTok and Instagram thing young people do these days—"

"For goodness ’ sake," Lila says in exasperation. "You're still the same old man who tied his sneakers and tucked in his shirt!"

"And what's wrong with that?" Coach Billy shoots back.

"If you don't tie your shoes properly, you might trip on them,"Daniel offers.

Lila props both hands on her hips to better direct the full force of her glare on Daniel. Even an innocent six-year-old is not safe from her venom when she gets going.

I give Daniel a sign and point at the door. His mother is relieved and grateful. Richard looks like a kid left out of the cool kids' party.

Daniel is a smart kid. Like me, he's careful not to make a noise as we 'sneak'out of the dining room onto the porch. We sit on the top stairs and let out twin sighs. There's a swing set to the left, a small fence, and a basketball hoop for kids on the right.

"You're in soooo much trouble,"he says.

"You think?"

He nods. "Grandpa likes you."

"Me?"

"That's why he's yelling."He jumps to his feet. "Let's play."

A good thirty minutes after I've allowed Daniel to score ten straight points, Lila marches out of the house. Richard follows on her heels, looking like a battered secretary.

This meeting hasn't been easy for him.

Lila doesn't talk to me and walks past, ordering Richard under her breath to drive.

Richard rushes to obey without question.

Not good.

"I think you're in a lot of trouble,"Daniel tells me.

I must agree.

Resigned to making the long drive back alone, I say my goodbyes and head for my car.

“ Wait!” Richard calls.

For the first time since we ’ ve known each other, my clumsy agent runs over without tripping on his own feet.

He pushes his phone into my face. "You need to see this."

◆◆◆

The tweet is innocent enough. Almost. A screenshot of text messages between Parker and Evie, with Evie 'begging' to continue their relationship. The next is a picture from the restaurant with Evie and Parker standing close together. The last is Sarah and Parker's honeymoon return post.

The collage of nonsense put together makes Evie look like a home wrecker. It has already had hundreds of retweets and likes in the last few hours.

I use the car phone to try Evie's number, but she's not picking up. When I get to her house, I take the porch stairs in one leap.

She's not home. I run a hand through my hair, trying to think. Where could she have gone? There's no way she went to Charlie. She won't want to bother him and Kristyn.

And she couldn't have gone to the Langford mansion to force a confrontation with Sarah. That leaves...

She's not in my house.

I stand in the middle of my living room. Who else will Evie run to when she's in trouble? I call Kristyn.

"She's not with me. She's with her neighbor."

"Mrs. Izaacs."I pause to look at an artwork of a lion in mid-roar. "Kris?"

"Yes?"

"I know they've never gotten along, but why would Sarah do this?"

"Jealousy," Kristyn says.

I make a disbelieving sound.

"Seriously. Sarah has always been jealous of the relationship Evie has with Mrs. Langford--"

"They don't have a relationship,"I interrupt.

"You think?"

Her small prodding has me stumbling down my bank of memories for anything Evie and Mrs. Langford. I find nothing. Except...Evie has always been weirdly devoted to the woman who always treated her coldly.

"Wilder?"

"Yes?"

"Take care of her, please."

I go to my kitchen and grab a carton of ice cream, socks, and a team sweatshirt.

When I get to Evie's neighborhood, Mrs. Izaacs is expecting me. She was in the bathroom and didn't see me when I stopped by the first time.

“ My Tommy, God bless him, is away on a trip with my grandson.”

I hear something that sounds like it took you long enough. But when I turn to her, Mrs. Izaacs is the picture of innocence and sweetness with her reading glasses hanging down her neck.

I find Evie in the living room. Instantly, I forget Coach Billy and the meeting. She has my whole focus. With her legs curled under her, she doesn't look away from the television. I don't ask questions.

Mrs. Izaacs helps me with a spoon. I give Evie the ice cream, and she starts shoveling spoonfuls into her mouth without taking her eyes off the T.V. Evie keeps humming with every bite of the ice cream.

"This is good," she says.

"I know."

"You should have some."

I push my shoulders against the couch and switch off my phone. It's the opposite of what I want to do, which is to find Parker and teach him a lesson. I can't believe they managed to pull Evie into their mess even after she moved out and left them to their marital bliss.

Evie looks normal, enjoying her ice cream and watching her favorite show, but I know she's hurting. Sarah is well...Sarah. Evie doesn't expect much from her half-sister. But Parker? She considered marrying the man.

I don't shift my attention from Evie. I'm aware of every movement she makes while eating her ice cream and nodding at the screen, her breathing, her little hums. There's an entire space between us, but it might have been nothing, given how keenly I watch her.

"I'm not going to break,"she says, putting away the empty carton.

It's impressive how fast she went through the ice cream. "I know. You're a strong woman, Evie."

She ducks her head. "I don't feel strong."The couch dips as she changes positions. "The screenshot of text messages..."

I hold my breath.

"It's true." Her smile is wan. "I begged him not to break up. I asked for an explanation and told him we could get over the bump." She sneers the last part.

"He was important to you at the time. Of course, you would want an explanation."

She frowns. "I was afraid of losing him, so I was always...careful. But I didn't hesitate to tell you to back off the other night."

I roll my eyes. "Of course, you shouldn't hesitate. I mean, it's me."I flex my muscles, trying and succeeding in making her laugh.

It's brief, but it's something.

She picks at a thread in her sweater. "Did you read the comments? They're calling me all sorts of names. Mrs. Langford will want an explanation."

"I will have Lila take care of it."

I'm not sure she heard me.

"Sarah texted me."

All my senses go on red alert. I sit up. "You shouldn't speak to either of them. They've already proven they can't be trusted."

"I know,"she says with a sigh. "I just... I'm tired of fighting. I just wanted to know why she did it."

Sarah's a spoiled, selfish brat. There’s no rhyme or reason to her brand of crazy. At least, that's what I always thought. But if Kris is right, then...I don't want to think about Sarah. I'm only concerned with how her actions affect Evie.

"She says Parker has been comparing us."

"And she needed to put you down to shine?”I finish sarcastically.

She reaches for her phone.

I clench my fist so as not to snatch it from her hands. It's a painful reminder I can't shield her from everything. I want to tell her not to read the tweets, but I hold back. She's already seen some of it.

"I'm hoping it will blow over,"she murmurs.

Her phone starts vibrating nonstop with notifications as soon as it comes on. Evie's eyes go wide. "Maybe I should just disappear—it's Mrs. Langford."

She takes the call. I watch the line of her shoulders drop until she's hunched over. After, she drops her phone to her lap, staring at nothing.

I clench my fist to stop myself from reaching for her.

Then, she turns to me with a resigned expression. "She wants an explanation. She wants me to prove I'm not like my mother."

She starts laughing hysterically and with wonder. "How do I prove I'm nothing like my mother when we are mirror images of each other?"

I want to hold her; I need to tell her everything will be alright. I crave it.

"When she sees me, she sees my mother, and for Mrs. Langford, Shonda is a nightmare who devours husbands and destroys homes."Evie shudders at the memory. "I can't believe my father almost divorced her for Shonda."

And she fears Evie doing what? Destroying Parker and Sarah's marriage?

Worse, Evie is allowing it for some reason.

She's so much more than this. So much more.

"What am I going to do?"She drops her head onto her raised knees, a picture of dejection.

The answer bursts into my brain like stardust. If Evie were happily engaged, the news would render the tweet harmless. Mrs. Langford will believe Evie is not interested in Parker.

My pulse starts racing with excitement. It's the only way I can protect her from Mrs. Langford. Evie doesn't care too much about what other people think. Mrs. Langford is another matter.

I want to help. The question is, will Evie accept my proposal?