Chapter 13
13
Ella couldn’t believe what a difference two months had made. The weather had turned along with the leaves, and jeans and sweaters had appeared as the evenings started to draw in. But that was nothing compared to the changes that had happened within the grounds of her beloved school.
Sitting in the crowd nervously awaiting the referee’s whistle for the kick-off, in her very own Demons jersey, she had to pinch herself.
The Deluca football field had undergone a complete facelift. The grass was now tended to lovingly by three volunteer grandparents of Deluca students who had been gardeners before they’d retired. New undercover bleachers sat on opposite sides of the field. The goalposts had been replaced and the score board had been repaired and repainted, towering pride of place over the proceedings.
All this was in large thanks to Jake’s generosity but also the hard work and fundraising efforts of the newly established PTA who had hit the ground running.
Two years ago when she’d had the principal’s job thrust upon her, Ella had tried to form a PTA, tried to engage parents. But nobody had been interested.
How things had changed.
With a team that had put some wins on the board as well as grit, determination, vision and the fairy dust of a star ex-football player, things were definitely looking up for Deluca.
She glanced at Jake who was already prowling up and down the sideline like a caged beast. In his regulation aviators and baseball cap, he was all hard muscle and sleek lines, something his dark Henley showed to perfection.
It was hard to believe, now their relationship had morphed into one of painstaking professionalism, that he’d ever pushed her onto a pool table and pounded into her until she’d had carpet burn on her ass. And while there’d been many a night she’d laid awake burning with those memories, it had been for the best, drawing a definitive line through their past, both distant and recent.
Channeling their energy into saving the school.
And tonight, everything was riding on the outcome of this game. The Demons were battling it out with the Sabers for a spot in the playoffs. Which was a remarkable feat considering they’d only made it to this point by the skin of their teeth.
A short, decisive trill pierced the electric hum and the crowd roared as the Sabers kicked the ball.
“I’m going to throw up,” Ella said to Rosie.
“You say that every time,” Rosie murmured, her gaze firmly glued to the action.
“Yeah, but this time I think I mean it.”
“They’re going to be fine, babe.” Rosie squeezed Ella’s hand. “They’re going to kick some Saber ass.”
“Come on the Demons!” someone yelled from behind.
Ella turned, viewing the crowded seats – another miraculous change. The Deluca supporters, a sea of black and red complete with their signature red horn headbands, had turned out in force. As the season had progressed and the Demons had won a few games, the bleachers had gradually filled with Deluca families – both home and away – until it had become the thing to do on a Friday night.
A lump rose in her chest as she gazed upon what seemed like the entire school community attending this, their final home game. Ella had hoped that they’d win enough games to save their school from closure, maybe show her students that hard work and determination could pay off.
But she’d never expected this.
She certainly hadn’t expected the way the entire male student population had undergone a magical transformation. Every one of them had traded their awful, shaggy hairstyles for sleek number twos. It had been a gradual change to begin with, subtle, not something she’d noticed. But slowly, as the Demons had done the school proud, more and more boys had joined the ranks.
And, sitting here tonight, it was a sight to behold. She could see eyes again, faces.
Another surprising outcome had been the gradual decline in her truancy rate, not to mention the spring in everyone’s step, from the teachers to the students. Her staff were energized and kids who used to mope around with the weight of the world on their shoulders were walking tall, smiling at her, greeting her with enthusiasm.
The sense of pride and accomplishment Ella felt glowed like a furnace deep inside, warming her soul on this cool evening. Deluca had finally found its mojo and she was starting to really believe that it all might just work out okay.
But perhaps the biggest change of all had occurred in her. For a start, she never would have believed that she’d be voluntarily spending this much time on or near a football field – not in a million years. In fact, a couple of months ago, she’d have rather had root canal and, while she did still think football was stupidly macho, she couldn’t deny its positive effects.
The crowd in the stand opposite started to roar and Ella tuned into the game. The Saber running back was rushing the ball along the ground, storming toward the end zone. Cameron and several Demons were hot on his heels and Ella’s heart crept into her mouth.
Go Cam. Go Cam. Go Cam .
As she watched her brother gaining, Ella realized that even her relationship with Cam had come a long way this past couple of months. He was the happiest, the most settled she’d seen him since she’d dragged him out of Trently.
He attended school, he trained hard, he’d become polite and respectful. And way more talkative. She knew that them becoming friends was a ways off, but for the first time in two and a half years, Ella actually felt it was a possibility. He and Miranda had become quite close, too, and it was encouraging to see that he had the capacity to form human relationships.
He’d always been so distant – it was a relief to see him engaging finally.
Cameron dragged down the speeding Saber and everyone in the hometown bleachers rose to their feet, cheering.
“Good tackle, Cam,” Jake called.
Cameron untangled himself from the wildly kicking Saber and stood, turning to Jake with a huge grin on his face and Ella’s heart lurched in her chest. Cam adored Jake and she knew her brother’s changes had as much to do with the coach – wanting to please him and make him proud – as they did football.
From the sidelines, the Deluca cheer squad did their thing, plump red-and-black pom-poms fluttering through the air as the squad shook them high above their heads.
Deluca, Deluca, we’re the best,
Better, way better, than all the rest.
You wanna, you wanna, put us to the test?
You’re gonna be sad, you’re gonna be sorry,
Cos we’re gonna win, don’t you worry.
Ella had to admit, despite her initial misgivings, the squad was a credit to Miranda and Trish. A melting pot of genders and sizes and ethnicities, they had become an integral part of the Demons’ games in their distinctive red cotton leotards with mandarin necklines, black cargo-style pants and the signature red devil-horn headbands.
Better still was how the entire school, rallied by Miranda, had united to produce them. The senior textiles students had made the uniforms, the art students had enthusiastically taken on the project of the leotard design from the logo – a pitchforked devil – right through to the screen printing, and the PTA had funded them.
And the squad looked amazing. Not hot pants, cutesy-pie like the Sabers but fit and strong and, with red-and-black stripes slashed on each cheek, warrior-like.
Miranda had even roped Cerberus into the team spirit, making the Jack Russell a doggy coat with “Deluca Demons” handstitched across it. And, so he wouldn’t feel out of place, she’d modified a headband to give him his own pair of red horns.
Jake had taken one look at Cerberus that first time and rolled his eyes. But, like a true stray, Cerberus loved the attention and when he wasn’t sitting by Simon’s feet, he pranced up and down the sidelines, barking encouragement at his team.
A roar came from the Sabers’ stand and Ella didn’t have to see to know the opposition had just scored their first try.
“Oh no,” she wailed and clutched Rosie’s hand.
“Don’t worry,” Simon said. “Plenty of time left.”
Simon had become a permanent fixture both at the games and in Rosie’s life and Ella loved how their relationship went from strength to strength. No guy had ever lasted this long the entire time she’d known her bestie.
“I know,” Ella said, but still her insides felt like they’d been scrunched in a tight ball and she watched until half time through the cracks of her fingers when she could bear to watch at all.
At the half-time siren, the Demons were trailing and Ella went to the restrooms and threw up. When she ventured back, Pete, Jake and the team were huddled together and she made a beeline for them.
After assuring Jake she wouldn’t say break a leg again, it had become a tradition for her to talk to the team at the start of the game. But she wanted them to know that no matter what happened in the second half, she was proud of them.
Jake frowned as she approached. “Miss Lucas?”
“Can I have a quick word, Coach?”
He nodded warily but stood aside in the unfailingly polite way he’d adopted ever since they’d shaken hands two months ago.
“Don’t be discouraged, guys.” She gave them all a big smile, letting it linger on Cameron. “And I want you all to remember, I’m so happy that we even got this far. You’ve done me and Deluca proud.”
The whistle blew as she finished up and the starting team ran back onto the field. Ella stood beside Jake, watching the team get into position, her gut twisting. Miranda led the squad in a cheer and the Deluca crowds yelled, “Go Demons,” and “Demons rule.”
“You okay?” Jake asked, his eyes on the field.
“Fine.”
“You look like you’re going to throw up.”
She peeked at him but he was watching the field, his dark shades giving nothing away, the shadow from the brim of his cap throwing his face into hard-to-read lines.
“Already accomplished.” She slid her hand to her stomach then, as the silence built between them, she said, “They’re playing well, right?”
“Yes,” he assured. “Something you’d probably know if you didn’t have your hands over your face.”
Ella gave a self-deprecating laugh. “I can’t bear to look.”
“I know the feeling.”
This was the most personal conversation they’d had, just the two of them and it gave her courage to say the next thing.
“Look, Coach.” It had felt weird calling him that at first but it slipped easily off the tongue now. “I just wanted to say that I know we made you do this and I know coaching a high school football team wasn’t how you planned to spend your retirement. So, it’s okay if we don’t make the playoffs.”
Especially if it meant they still got the Chiswick Academy gig. They’d come further than anyone had given them credit for, which might just be enough.
Apparently though, that wasn’t acceptable to Jake.
Very slowly he turned his head to look at her, removing his glasses. Ella almost took a step back at the fierce glitter in his eyes.
“Listen to me very carefully, Ms. Lucas.” His voice was almost menacingly calm. “Nobody makes me do anything I don’t want to do. And you better believe we’re going to win this and make the playoffs. After that, the competition is a whole different level and I don’t know what happens. But tonight is in the bag.”
Ella was captivated by the blaze of conviction in his green gaze. She really wanted to believe him. Wanted to believe they could win.
“Jake…” She bugged her eyes at him and whispered, “They’re ahead by twelve points.”
“ Ella ,” he cautioned and damn if the barely contained growl in his low voice didn’t go straight to her ovaries. “Have some faith.”
And with that, he replaced his glasses and turned his attention to the field.
Clearly dismissed, Ella returned to her seat. Trish had joined Rosie and Simon and Ella smiled at her absently, still thinking about that raspy rumble. It had been a long time since they’d had such an intense one-on-one and she’d forgotten how much of an impact he had close up.
Thankfully Deluca’s quarterback chose that moment to go long and thoughts of Jake and their relationship were completely obliterated as the crowd surged to their feet.
She spent the rest of the game on the edge of her seat, hiding behind her fingers as it progressed. With two minutes to go, Deluca was trailing by four points. The crowd behind her were stomping their feet on the wooden floor of the bleachers and her heart thundered along in time.
Twenty seconds out, Deluca’s giant wide receiver, Dwayne Morgan, caught the ball from the quarterback and ran into the end zone to score a touchdown and win the Demons the game.
And the Deluca supporters went wild .
“Oh my God, we did it ,” Ella yelled at Rosie, her heart hammering so hard she thought it might just burst out of her chest. “ We did it!”
Rosie, who was crying and laughing all at once yelled back, “Yaaas, babe! We fucking did it!”
A potent swell of relief almost took her knees out from under her, but Trish and Rosie grabbed her into a three-way hug, holding her upright as they jumped up and down excitedly.
Jake and Pete ran onto the field and tears streamed down Ella’s face as the team – her team – huddled together in a big group hug. Then the boys picked up Jake and Pete and carried them off the field into the swarming Deluca supporters.
The cheer squad joined the fray and Ella, Rosie and Simon got swept up in the crowd, everyone reveling in the high of sweet, sweet victory.
Cameron found her and lifted her off the ground in a huge bear hug. “We did it,” he yelled over the noise, grinning down at her. “We did it!”
Ella almost fell over from the shock at such a show of affection and was glad he was still hanging on to her.
“You did it,” she said, beaming up at her brother, struggling to remember a time her heart had been so damn full. “ You did it.”
Half an hour later Jake found himself standing in a circle with Cameron, Miranda, Rosie, Simon, Pete and Ella. The crowds had largely dispersed, the night had cooled rapidly and the dew was on the grass but none of them, it seemed, were willing to call it a night.
“Time to celebrate,” Rosie announced. “I’ve got a curry in the slow cooker and you’re all invited.”
The only one of them to look enthused was Cerberus, who had grown fat on the curry treats that appeared regularly under the table from anyone who dared to attempt it. He gave an ecstatic little shudder and whined appreciatively at her.
“Ah, count me out,” Jake said.
He glanced at Ella who was glowing . He hadn’t been back to their house since Ella had kicked him out and, in the effort to keep it professional – and avoid temptation – he should probably stay the hell away.
“Oh no. No, no, no.” Rosie shook her head vehemently. “It’s not a celebration without the coach.”
“She’s right,” said Pete.
“Yeah,” said Cameron. “Please, Coach.”
“Please, Jake,” Miranda said, her arm around Cameron.
Jake took in the eager faces, knowing that part of their motivation was how much less curry they’d all have to consume with one more at the table. And then there was Ella whose hair was loose and mouth was curved into a permanent grin and she was still glowing.
“Please, Jake,” she murmured.
There were those words again. Please, Jake . And it was Jake, not Coach and she was staring right at him which was like a hot fist straight into his groin. Between her and Miranda – two women who’d had his nuts in a vise forever – he knew he was sunk.
He gave a grudging nod. “Looks like I’m outgunned.”
“Yaas!” Rosie whooped. “I’ve sourced this great new spice that adds a little extra zing. You’re going to love it.”
Jake blinked. If Rosie’s curry had any more zing it’d need to be classified as a poison.
“We’ll go ahead and get the rice cooked,” she said with a little jiggle as she dragged Simon away.
“I’ll stop off and buy yogurt,” Pete offered.
“Buy extra,” Jake ordered, resigning himself to death by curry.
Even though it was a brisk night, they still ate on the back porch. Thanks to Rosie’s curry it wasn’t remotely possible for any of them to feel the cold. The heat was like a thermonuclear reaction in the stomach, likely to keep them warm to the end of their days.
Was her secret spice plutonium?
Simon took a large gulp of his water and passed around the yogurt bowl for second helpings. “Delicious.” He smiled at Rosie.
Miranda and Cameron had excused themselves earlier, taking their meals into the living room to watch Netflix. Cerberus had followed them in and Jake had no doubt most of the curry would, by now, have found a canine host.
Daisy and Iris were, as usual, tucking in heartily as the conversation turned to football. “I still can’t believe we made the playoffs,” Ella said.
“Believe it.” Pete grinned.
“Just,” Jake clarified. They’d exceeded expectations but the playoffs were a real step up and he didn’t want to give anyone false hope.
Pete, who was clearly in an optimistic mood tonight, shook his head. “Doesn’t matter. We wipe the slate clean now and start all over again.”
“And we go in as underdogs,” Rosie pointed out.
“Which can work in our favor,” Simon added.
“Yep.” Pete nodded. “And even if we’re knocked out of the playoffs, we’re the most improved team in the competition so we should have done enough to secure the game with Chiswick and that sucker gets a lot of attention.”
Ella looked across the table at Iris. “What do the cards say?”
The older woman didn’t hesitate, she put down her fork, moved her bowl aside, shuffled the worn, ever-present pack and laid out a spread.
“They’re still favorable,” she murmured, staring a bit longer before she grimaced. “But it’s going to get worse before it gets better.”
“What does that mean?” Jake asked.
Irish shrugged as she collected the cards. “Time will tell.” Then she picked up her fork and started eating again like predictions of doom were nothing much to worry about. Certainly not enough to put her off her curry.
But it sure as hell shot an itch up Jake’s spine.
Half an hour later, Jake stood to leave. He didn’t want to, he was enjoying himself too much. Laughter flowed and the company was great. Daisy had dialed up Ella Fitzgerald on Spotify and with her crooning ‘It’s a Lovely Day Today’ the atmosphere was decidedly mellow. Three beers had finally doused the fire in his mouth and his buzz fit the mood quite nicely.
But the other Ella hadn’t stopped glowing (non-curry related) and it was driving him nuts. Her hair was loose and her Demons jersey fit snug across her breasts and he was having a hard time remembering why they were keeping it professional .
Not even the niggle of Iris’s warning was enough to blunt his desire to burrow his fingers in her hair and put his mouth on hers. Telling himself he was backward didn’t help either.
Libido had no pride.
To much protest, he made his goodbyes, nodding at Ella as he departed and he almost made it out unscathed before she said, “Wait up. I’ll see you out.”
Jake gave an internal groan as he followed her through the house, her round ass swaying in front of him. The same ass he’d gripped as he’d sat her on the pool table.
The same ass he dreamed about night after night.
Dragging his thoughts back, he called goodbye to Cameron and Miranda before he stepped outside after Ella, barely noticing the naked branches of the trees planted sparsely along the sidewalk or the fact the nearest streetlight had blown, drawing the night in around them.
She stopped at the gate, not opening it. He stopped too as a weird vibe descended. She seemed like she wanted to say something and part of Jake urged him to leave but the message wasn’t getting through to his legs.
The faint strains of ‘A Fine Romance’ floated out to them which couldn’t have been a more perfect song for the state of their relationship.
He cleared his throat. “Ella Fitzgerald, huh?”
She nodded. “They play it for me. They know Rachel named me after her, that she was a huge fan.”
It was on the tip of Jake’s tongue to tell her he knew. How many times had he been to Rachel’s while Ms. Fitzgerald sang the blues? But given what had happened last time he’d mentioned being at the house, he didn’t feel so inspired.
“You didn’t have to walk me out.”
“I know. I just wanted to say…” Her fingers slid to the top rail of the gate and absently caressed the metal. “Thank you. I didn’t get a chance to say it after the game.”
“There was a bit of a crush.”
“ That , is an understatement.” She gave a half-smile. “Well, anyway… thank you. You don’t know how much this means to me.”
“Oh, I think I do.”
He’d seen the improvements around the school these past couple of months. The way the kids carried themselves – and not just the team. The entire student body was walking a little taller, a little prouder and he was very aware that this had become about more than keeping the school open for Ella.
It had become about restoring their dignity and purpose.
Maybe that’s why Iris’s tarot caveat about things getting worse before they got better, was still playing on his mind. Ella cared a little too much.
“How much stock do you put in Iris’s tarot readings?” he asked, his warm breath fogging into the air. Not that he was feeling the cold. Between the aftereffects of the curry and Ella’s nearness he was burning up .
“I’ve been privy to her accuracy on more than one occasion to not put stock in it. I know as a math nerd I’m supposed to be all logical but, as someone who draws the eight of swords on a freakishly regular basis, I’ve learned that there are some things you just can’t quantify.”
“Are you worried about the worse before better thing?”
“Well.” Her face might have been in shadow but he saw the small smile curving her mouth and hell if it didn’t curl right around his heart. “I prefer to concentrate on the whole cards being favorable bit.” She shrugged. “Why borrow trouble?”
Jake chuckled at her deliberate avoidance as the song ended and the music morphed into ‘Cheek to Cheek’ and for a crazy moment it felt like they might be in heaven smiling at each other despite everything between and ahead of them.
The impulse to pull her into his arms rode him hard and he was offering his hand before he could check it. “Care to dance, Ms. Lucas?”
Because that kept it professional, right?
Jake held his breath as she looked at his hand for a beat, then at him. “Coach,” she murmured and slid her hand into his.
He expected her to maintain a formal waltz position, but she didn’t. She stepped in close, sliding her arm around his waist and pressing her cheek to his chest which stoked the fire a little more. For a moment, he contemplated putting some distance between them, but he was weak where she was concerned and he relaxed, fitting his chin snuggly on top of her head as they swayed from side to side.
Suddenly he was fifteen again at the homecoming dance, his heart thudding, his palms sweaty. Was she feeling it, too?
The song ended and she stilled in his arms, a beat or two passing before she eased away, her face upturned. Their gazes locked and she was smiling wistfully like maybe she had felt it.
And it was just so easy for him to drop his head in that moment and press his mouth to hers as he had back then. Not moving, not deepening, just holding in this one perfect moment on a brisk Inverboro night, far away from Kansas yet wrapped in the tendrils of their past.
Jake wasn’t sure who stepped back first but suddenly there was space and clouds of dragon’s breath between them.
He didn’t know whether to apologize for crossing the line or to just leave it be as it was, existing without comment. He decided on the latter.
“Goodnight, Ms. Lucas,” he murmured, unlatching the gate.
“Night, Coach.”