Page 111 of Racing Heat

“I agree. I just feel really awful. I never apologized, because of the way you looked at me in that meeting. I knew you were pissed. And you have every right to be. I just didn’t have the stones to come over and say I’m sorry until now.”

Andie bumps her shoulder with mine. “I was pissed. But you know what, it’s not you that I’m completely pissed at. Him too.” She motions behind her to where August is probably watching the game from up high, in his box. “It just shouldn’t have been either one of you is all. I like working with you, so I’m glad you’re still here. You really do care for these girls. But she played with so much heart. There’s no replacement for that kind of heart.”

“You’re right, there isn’t.”

We fall into a comfortable silence while the National Anthem plays. Both of us take our spots near the players when the starting whistle blows.

I always hang out down by the goal, at least as far as the coaches’ box will let me go.

“Hendrix, get up in the box,” I call out to her as a player is coming hard for the goal. “You need to cut her angle.”

She nods and moves into position, readying herself for the shot she might take. Amelia runs over and takes the ball from her, then dribbles it up.

“Kelly!” she calls out, sending it up to our new starting right midfielder. But she loses the ball to, and we’re back on defense.

Coach Watts calls out instructions for Kelly and she nods. My heart sinks thinking that Amelia’s pass would have probably resulted in a complete one to Cassie and then to Mac. Or maybe even a goal, because Cassie has amazing range on her shots.

At halftime, the score is still zero to zero. We’ve had a few shots on goal, but none have gone in. Mac is breathing hard as she’s walking into the locker room. Normally, she avoids being near me, but it just so happens that we end up side by side.

“You’re having a great game,” I compliment her. I feel like that’s my best course of action right now. I’m sure she hates me. I got her best friend fired.

“Thanks. It’s hard to get a rhythm with Kelly. We’ll get there, though. The team misses Cassie, I can tell.”

“I miss her too,” I admit. No harm in saying it, I figure.

“I’m sure you do. She’s fucking amazing and she deserved better than this.”

“She sure did.”

“No arguments from you tonight, huh?” she says with a chuckle.

“Nothing you said isn’t completely true.”

“Damn right.” Mac moves faster so that she’s away from me.

I don’t blame her; I wouldn’t have wanted to be around me either. Once we’re in the locker room, Coach Watts is looking around at the girls.

“Coach Ford, I need you. Can you fire these girls up?” he asks me.

I sigh. I know he’s looking for a motivational talk like I gave during our last loss. It helped console the girls and maybe even lifted their spirits. I don’t think I have it in me, but it’s my job.

“Sure, Coach,” I reply. I move so that I’m standing more in the center of the room and can get a better view of them. “Listen, girls, we have got to get our heads up. The chemistry of the formation has changed, but change can be a good thing. We need to learn to embrace and push through so that we can get a ball in that net. You can do this. You just need to believe that you can. They might be tough, but I’ve never met a tougher bunch of girls in my life. Now, stop hanging your heads, and let’s go and win this thing. We’re the Tampa Bay Blaze, and damn it, we need this win!”

“Family on three,” Mac yells. She counts them out and the locker room erupts with the word family.

I look for Hendrix and see she’s already making her way out there. I leave the locker room, ending up beside Mac and Amelia.

“Great speech, Coach,” Amelia says, smiling at me. “You know, I like you. I think you’re a great coach. When I found out what had been happening, I was happy for you. But I hate that it cost my girl something she loves. Just know that I don’t blame you. We all blame August.”

“That’s going to make going out later awkward,” I say, trying to make a joke and failing.

“Those days might be dead,” Mac says, pushing past me.

I nod. Of course they are. How could we all go back to hanging out and not have it be awkward or end in a fight? Mac would proudly take off August’s head for firing her best friend. Hendrix already hates him, so I’m sure she’d happily dismember him too.

The game ends in a loss, two to one. Mac ended up putting a pretty one into the back of the net early, but it wasn’t enough. Hendrix worked her ass off, but a few long shots went in, and we couldn’t recover. The midfield looked sluggish and slow. Something it probably wouldn’t have looked like if Cassie were there.

Fuck, I need to get her off my mind.