7. Tyler
SEVEN
TYLER
McKenzie’s little car is parked in front of my truck. It was too dark when I got home last night to really see it, but as I pass it this morning, I can’t help but notice that she has a ton of shit in her backseat. Like, she has enough clothes in there to last a whole semester.
College kids are weird.
Getting into my truck, I head to campus. I typically get there early for our home games, but I left the house way earlier than I normally would.
I caught myself staring at McKenzie’s legs earlier, and that is completely unacceptable. She doesn’t need an old guy like me checking her out. I don’t know what I was thinking.
Well, I plain wasn’t thinking, clearly.
Kylie asked me to be nice to her only friend. I’m not going to ruin that for her just because I think her way-too-young-for-me friend is more than slightly attractive. No, I won’t be that guy.
The parking lot by the field house is nearly empty, the only cars here likely left overnight.
When I get to my office, I review some plays again and read some recent commentary on Iowa’s team this year. McKenzie is right; Iowa looks like they’re going to have a strong team this year, but I’m still fairly confident that we can win this. If I didn’t believe in my team, I’d be a shitty coach.
Eventually, the building starts buzzing. My assistant coaches all arrive, and we get hyped for the game.
Once the players show up, we do light warmups, and then it’s go time.
I meet with the team in the locker room. Everyone is padded up and looking sharp in their black home jerseys and black pants. The team looks good, and we have the confidence to win this.
“Alright, boys. This is it. The moment we’ve been waiting for since last January. We’ve worked our asses off for this, and we deserve this win. Go out there and show them that La Vista doesn’t mess around!
“Remember, don’t do anything stupid. Follow your teammates, remember the plays, move where you need to move. You guys know this stuff and are fully capable of taking this stadium down. Let’s get out there and show them who the fuck we are.”
Everyone starts cheering and jumping. We hear the marching band start playing, and I take my spot in the front of the group and lead the team down the hallway and out through the tunnel onto the field. I let the players run past me, giving the audience a show, before heading to the sidelines.
I slip my headset on over my hat and make sure it’s working correctly. When I turn my head to make sure the team has made it to the sideline, I see McKenzie walking in my direction. She’s got a camera guy with her this time. He looks harmless, but I still don’t like the feeling I get seeing her talking and laughing with another guy.
I cut that shit out quick, though. I barely know this girl. I’m man enough to know when I’m being fucking ridiculous, and right now, I’m being very fucking ridiculous.
A few of my players turn to watch her walk. I can’t blame them since I’m still watching her too. Her long blonde hair is in loose waves. Her jeans are tighter than normal and her polo says Bobcats in gold over the chest, making it impossible not to glance right where I shouldn’t.
“Hey, Coach,” McKenzie says as she comes up next to me. I nod my head at her in greeting rather than saying anything. I’m honestly not sure what would come out of my mouth if I tried to talk right now. Not after I pictured her walking toward me in slow motion, her hair blowing in the wind like a fucking Baywatch rerun. Fuck.
“Have a good game.”
She walks back and stands behind the bench with her camera guy and a few other reporters. One of my defensive players, Quinn, goes up to her. I can’t hear what they’re talking about, but she smiles and then tips her head back in laughter. That causes a few of my other players to crowd around them.
Great. This is just what the team needs right now. A distraction in the form of a pretty girl. And I don’t need this distraction either.
The head official calls the captains out to the field for the coin toss. Hayes is calling it this game. The official tosses the coin up, and everyone watches it fall. “La Vista Bobcats have won the coin toss. Do you elect to kick or receive?” Hayes answers him, and the official announces for the stadium, “La Vista elects to receive first.” The captain for Iowa tells the official which end zone they want to defend, and then we get ready for kick-off.
Hayes always chooses to receive first because he wants to be on the field first, but it usually works out better for us anyway. We’re a good all-around team, but our defense is definitely weaker than I’d like it to be.
McKenzie is up and out of her seat as soon as the ball is kicked. She yells and cheers as our offense drives the ball down to the end zone and scores our first touchdown. If she’s supposed to be impartial as a news reporter, she’s not doing a very good job, but her excitement is contagious, and it hypes up everyone around her, including me.
Then she cheers as the defense blocks Iowa from getting halfway down the field. Every time I glance in her direction, she’s watching the game intently. There is always, at minimum, one of my players standing next to her. I kinda feel bad for them. If she rejected Hayes so easily, I don’t see it going well for anyone else.
When halftime rolls around, we’re up twenty-one to fourteen, but it’s not enough. I know it, and the boys know it.
Right as the officials call halftime, McKenzie and her camera guy are in my face, following me off the field. I’m not really in the mood for an interview right now, but I know it’s part of this damn job. And I know she needs it for her assignment. Truthfully, I’d rather her be interviewing me than anyone else.
I don’t stop walking to talk to her, but she keeps pace next to me with her poor camera guy trying to walk sideways to get us both in the shot.
“Coach, how are you feeling about the game so far?” she asks.
“Good. The team is working together, doing everything we’ve worked on in practice. This is a great start.”
“What are you going to say to the team in the locker room?”
“I’m going to tell them that we have to do better. We’ve got to play better, run better, defend better. Warm-up time is over. I know what these guys can do, and they aren’t doing it yet.”
“Thanks, Coach.” McKenzie and Camera Guy stop walking as I run off the field with the last of my team.
I meet the team in the locker room and not so subtly tell them to get their shit together for the second half. It’s a one-score game at this point, and Iowa could easily flip the table on us. We talk about some issues I noticed on the field and what seems to be working well for us.
Before I know it, we’re running back to the field again.
The second half goes way smoother than the first. We get a few bullshit flags thrown on us, but we do well overall and end up winning fifty-six to forty-two. The team is very excited about this win, and now my coaches and I know what we need to work on during practices. I make my rounds, shaking hands with the other team’s coaches.
McKenzie and Camera Guy are waiting for me on the sidelines. She asks me a few questions, and I try to ignore the excitement I see in her eyes. I try to not look in her eyes at all. Then I’m forced to do more interviews, but I try to get through them as quickly as I can.
Back in the locker room, I give the guys a post-game talk before they shower and change. A knock on the locker room door has Hayes walk over to answer it with just a towel around his waist.
“Oh, jeez, Hayes. What the hell?” McKenzie’s voice travels through the room.
“Sorry, babe. This is the locker room. What did you think was going to happen?”
“I thought you all would be dressed by now, but I didn’t realize you were a bunch of girls who take forever.”
Hayes smiles at her. “What can we do for you, Future Wife?”
“I wanted to interview a few of the players before they leave. Is there anyone available who is actually dressed?”
“You don’t want to get me on camera like this?” Hayes does not know when to stop. I kinda feel bad for the girl, but she’s the one who literally walked into the wolf’s den.
“Uh, the only reason I’d want you on my camera is to get higher ratings, but alas, I can’t interview you if you’re in a towel. Darn.” She snaps her fingers and shrugs in fake sadness.
One of our wide receivers, Ryan, walks up to McKenzie and Hayes. Thankfully, Ryan is fully dressed by now.
“Kenzie, my girl.” Ryan wraps his arms around her. These guys are getting a little too comfortable having her around. “Hey, you coming to the party tonight?” I try not to listen, but curiosity gets the best of me.
“I wasn’t planning on it,” she answers.
“Well, plan on it.” She smiles at Ryan.
She bites her lip as she thinks. “Can I bring a friend?”
“Abso-fucking-lutely.”
“Ok, I’ll ask her.” It takes me a minute to realize exactly what she asked.
“Hey, wait a second. Is your friend Kylie?” I call out, giving myself away for eavesdropping.
McKenzie smiles nervously and nods. Dammit. I didn’t account for this when Kylie came to live with me. In my head, she’s still my little Ky-Ky. My baby. I’m not letting any of these guys corrupt her.
“Alright, boys, listen up. If any of you lay a finger on my daughter, you’ll be riding the bench all season.”
A few of them let out a groan. I don’t care. My girl is not up for grabs with these guys. I love them, but no. I was in their place once and know what goes through their minds.
I walk over to McKenzie. “You’re taking my daughter to a football party?”
“Well, I’ve gotta ask her first, but yeah. Don’t worry, Coach. I’ll keep an eye on her and won’t let her do anything stupid.” She pats my shoulder in reassurance. It’s a casual touch and shouldn’t mean anything, and I know McKenzie doesn’t mean it as anything more, but my brain focuses on it a little too much.
“Why should I trust you? I barely know you,” I say gruffly to offset the feeling of her touching me.
“True, but you must know how incredible your daughter is. She can take care of herself, but I’ll stay next to her all night if it makes you feel better.” I don’t answer her, so she leans in closer and lowers her voice so no one around us can hear. “You’ve got to let her have some fun if you want her to like living here.”
“Yeah, but I know what kids your age do for fun. I’ve been there, done that.” I sigh, knowing that I can’t shelter my daughter forever. She is technically an adult. But sometimes, it feels like I just got her back. “Just, keep an eye on her.”
Her smile widens, brightening her whole face. “Got it, Coach.” She turns to look at the rest of the players, who all still seem to be in some state of undress. “Alright. Who’s up for an interview?”
I take that as my cue to leave. The last thing I want is to sit around and watch them flirt with her.
As I head home later that day to an empty house, I realize that for the first time in a long time, I’m alone. I have no one to celebrate the first win of the season with, and that fucking sucks.