Chapter 2
“At least he replaced your food,” Montrell reasoned.
“You damn right he did. He should’ve been looking where he was going.”
He chuckled. “I hope you didn’t curse him out too bad. It was an accident.”
“Nah, this could’ve been avoided had he not had his face in his phone. And get this…he put his phone on the counter while he paid for our food, and a woman sent him a nude.”
“Oh damn! That explains it. He was making plans for later. You and your food were of no importance to him because he had pussy on the brain.”
After I ran into Montrell a few years ago, I took his advice and applied to become a permanent substitute teacher at the high school we attended. Luckily, they also had a boys’ lacrosse coaching position open, and I was blessed to be hired for both.
Montrell and I were cool in high school but had become close friends after working together for the past four years.
He was the only person I knew at the school at the time besides our old teachers, although I was cool with a few others now.
When the apartment across the hall from him became vacant about a year ago, he told me about it, and the next thing I knew, we were neighbors.
My parents thought Montrell and I were a thing, but I assured them we were only friends. Montrell had confessed to me about a year after we’d reconnected that he was bisexual and couldn’t decide if he was more attracted to men or women.
I was still the only person he’d told, and I respected his privacy. The important part was we weren’t the least bit attracted to each other, and I loved that for our friendship.
“Well, I got my food, and hopefully, he got his pussy. I was pissed, though, because I was starving.”
“I bet. So, have you heard anything from Black Elm yet?”
“Ugh! God, no. They’re taking forever to make a final decision. I’m starting to think they chose someone else but forgot to let me know.”
“Did they say they would contact you either way?”
“They did.”
“It would be unprofessional of them not to. Be patient. I doubt anyone is more qualified than you who applied. Plus, you’re an alumnus and still hold records with the women’s team.”
“True, but sometimes that doesn’t matter. I got a great vibe from the head coach, but I could tell the athletic director didn’t like me. He’s probably one of those chauvinistic men and don’t think women should coach men.”
“I wouldn’t doubt it. Unfortunately, most men feel that way, or more women would be coaching men’s sports.”
“True. I bet—” My phone rang, interrupting me, and I instantly became nervous when I saw the phone number. “I think this is them.”
“Answer it.”
“It’s too late to call with a job offer. It must be bad news.”
“Randi, answer the damn phone.”
“Hello. This is Aranda Sampson.”
“Hello, Ms. Sampson. This is Coach Crawford over at Black Elm. How are you?”
“I’m doing well, Coach. How are you?”
“Well, now that we’ve made our final decision for the assistant coach, I feel much better.”
“Umm, I’m sure it was a tough decision.”
“Honestly, it was probably the easiest decision I’ve ever made. Welcome to Black Elm University Lacrosse…that is if you still want the job.”
“Wait! I got the job?”
“Yes, if you still want it. I know it took a while for?—”
“I want it. I mean, I accept. Thank you so much.”
“No, thank you for applying. You should get an email from HR with all the paperwork you need to complete by noon tomorrow. Some info about a background check should be included. Try to get that done as soon as possible.”
“Will do. Thank you again, Coach Crawford.”
“I’m looking forward to working with you. I’ll send you a few dates for me to introduce you to the team.”
“I’ll look out for it.”
“Have a good night, and welcome to the team.”
The call ended, and I hopped off the couch and released an excited scream. I couldn’t believe I’d gotten the job.
“I told you not to worry. Congratulations!” Montrell said once I’d calmed down.
He stood and wrapped me in a hug, kissing my forehead before releasing me.
“Thank you, Trell. I definitely appreciate your positive words and encouragement. Coach Crawford said the decision was easy for him, so I wonder what took him so long to offer me the position.”
“Does it really matter? You got the job.”
“I guess you’re right.”
“I am. Stop second-guessing yourself.”
The following day, after work, I stopped by my parents’ house. I hadn’t shared with them that I’d applied for the coaching position at Black Elm, so I wanted to share the news in person. Their response was exactly what I’d expected.
“Congratulations, sweetheart. I’m so proud of you,” my mother, Marissa, said.
“Thanks, Ma. I only told Trell and Coach Ayers I was interviewing because I didn’t want to get everyone’s hopes up.”
“That’s understandable. When do you start?” my father asked.
“I have a meeting with the team on Friday, and we officially start practice on Monday.”
“I’m sure you’re excited. I hope those young men know what they have in you,” Dad stated.
“I’m sure being coached by a woman will take some getting used to, and I’ll have to prove myself. It didn’t take the high school boys too long to adjust, so hopefully, this won’t be much different.”
“We’ll pray about it and leave it in God’s hands. This is such a wonderful opportunity for you, Randi. It’s the first time I’ve seen the light in your eyes since your injury. Don’t let anyone, not even the players, get in the way of you making the most of it.”
“I won’t, Daddy. This is the opportunity of a lifetime, and I will seize it.”
“Speaking of your current team, how did Coach Ayers and the team take the news?”
“He was very supportive and encouraging. Last year, we lost over half of our team to graduation, so there are only a few boys left who had me as a coach. They’re disappointed but understand the importance of this opportunity.”
“That’s good to hear. Now, let’s go out to dinner and celebrate,” my father suggested.
“I’m always ready for a free meal with my parents, but I’m not dressed for anywhere fancy.”
“Let’s try that new soul food restaurant that opened a few months ago,” Ma offered.
“Soulful Diner?” She nodded. “Sounds good to me.”
Twenty minutes later, we were seated in a booth at the cozy restaurant. We perused the menu for a few minutes before a server approached our table. When I looked up and saw his face, my eyes widened, and I was suddenly annoyed.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I said before I could stop myself.
“What’s wrong?” Ma asked.
“Huh?”
“Do you see something on the menu you don’t like?” she continued.
“Oh, no. It’s nothing. I’m fine.”
My parents gave their attention to the server as I tried to contain my annoyance.
“Welcome to Soulful Diner. I’m Niko, and I’ll be your server this evening. Have you been here before?” he asked with a smirk.
“No, this is our first time. What do you recommend?” My father responded for the three of us.
“How about we start with drinks? We have a few delicious tea flavors that everyone seems to enjoy.”
He explained the tea flavors while I buried my face in my menu, refusing to make eye contact with the handsome yet annoying stranger again.
“Sweetheart, did you hear him?” Dad asked.
“What?”
“I asked if you decided on a drink,” Niko said.
“Oh, I’ll just have water.”
“Water it is. I’ll give you a few more minutes to look at the menu while I get your drinks. Do you have any questions about the dishes you’ve seen so far?”
I pretended to be engrossed in my menu while my parents asked him about a few of the items. When he walked away, I released a breath I had no idea I was holding.
“You okay?”
“Yeah, Ma. I’m fine. There’s just so much to choose from, and it all sounds delicious.”
“It does. I think we should all get something different that we each want to try.”
“Good idea, baby,” my father responded before I could agree.
When Niko returned with our drinks, my father ordered several dishes. I tried to avoid looking at him as he wrote down our selections. I was so irritated yesterday when he bumped into me, I didn’t notice how handsome he was. He looked so damn good, it was a struggle not to stare.
“He’s handsome,” my mother leaned forward and whispered.
“Really? I hadn’t noticed.”
“Well, I noticed him noticing you. Maybe y’all can exchange numbers before we leave.”
“Marissa, please. Don’t start playing matchmaker again,” my father warned.
“Seriously, Ma. The last time you set me up, it was a disaster.”
“That wasn’t my fault. How was I supposed to know he had hygiene problems?”
“You weren’t, but I’m good on the dating scene right now. I just want to focus on my new job.”
We continued to chat for a few minutes before my parents went to the bathroom to wash their hands.
As they returned, Niko arrived with our food.
After he placed the dishes on the table, I went to wash my hands.
When I left the restroom, I found Niko leaning against the wall across from the entrance.
“Shouldn’t you be working?”
“I wanted to apologize for yesterday.”
“Replacing my meal was enough.” I started to walk away, but he stopped me by stepping in front of me.
“Can I have your number?”
I stepped back and looked up at him with my head cocked to the side. “I don’t think the woman who sent you the nudes would appreciate that. Now, if you’ll excuse me.”
He let me walk around him, and I returned to the table to enjoy my meal with my parents. I tried to forget about the little interaction with Niko, but when I arrived home a few hours later, I couldn’t get his face or the smooth sound of his voice out of my mind.