Chapter 39
Ainsley
The town Pride festival is chaos in the best way possible.
Music blasts from the speakers set up on the corner. Kids squeal as they run through clouds of colored powder. Even Bernard brought Buddy in a rainbow-colored tutu.
Jayden made this all possible, and our small town came through to support him. Everyone but his mother, that is. Maybe she will one day. I hope she continues with therapy to get to that point.
“Two vanilla cones, please.” Landon pushes his rainbow sunglasses to the top of his head and digs into his back pocket for his wallet.
“Hey, are you okay?” I lean in and press a kiss to his cheek.
“Yeah, I just don’t want to miss Jayden’s speech.” He cranes his neck to see inside the ice cream truck as if that’ll speed the woman along.
“He goes on in a couple of minutes. We have time, baby.”
Once we have our ice cream, Landon drags me down the street leading to the stage. We weave through the crowd as people gather around.
Evan’s head sticks up over everyone else’s. I chuckle as we approach him. “Remember when everyone called you the Jolly Green Giant in middle school?”
He glares down his nose at me. “Where did that come from?”
“I spotted you in the middle of the crowd.” I squint up at him. “You know, you’re not that much taller than Landon. I think it’s just your head that’s huge.”
“Not as big as your mouth.”
Landon snorts, and I dig my elbow into his ribs. “Hey, you’re supposed to be on my side.”
“Sorry, baby. You know I love your big, beautiful mouth.”
I arch a brow at him. “Yeah, well keep it up and you won’t be putting your big beautiful dick in it anymore.”
Landon points up at Evan. “Your head is pretty big, dude.”
Evan rolls his eyes. “You two are as mature as my son.”
I glance at Quinn and Sloane standing several feet in front of us, and lower my voice as I lean in. “Isn’t that the physical therapist you like?”
Landon’s eyebrows jump. “You like Sloane?”
Evan presses his index finger to his lips and shushes us like we’re children. “Could you lower your voices, please?”
I grin. “He definitely likes Sloane.”
“I don’t like her.” Evan’s jaw clenches as he steals a glance at her. “I just said she’s attractive. In confidence, by the way.”
I grimace. “Sorry, man. Landon is my one.”
Ivori nudges me with her shoulder. “I thought I was your one.”
I shrug. “Guess I have two now. Anything you tell me will get immediately told to them.”
Landon claps Evan on the shoulder. “Want me to introduce you? Sloane is awesome. I work with her at the clinic.”
“No, thank you. I’m not looking to date.” His eyes trail down Sloane’s body. “She’s too young for me anyway.”
I scrunch my nose. “Twelve years does sound like a lot.”
“She’s legal,” Ivori says.
“And she owns her own business.” Landon lifts his chin. “Hey, Sloane. Have you met my friend, Evan?”
Evan’s jaw works under his skin.
Sloane spins around and smiles. “Yeah, I know Coach Cole. His son is going to be starting PT at the clinic this week.”
My eyebrows jump. “What happened to Lucas?”
“He twisted his ankle jumping off his friend’s roof onto a trampoline.”
My head falls back as I cackle. “Oh, shit. Why didn’t you tell me this?”
“Because I knew you’d laugh like that.”
Ivori shakes her head as she fights her own laugh. “That kid is always getting into trouble.”
“Tell me about it,” Evan grumbles.
“Sounds like you’ll be spending a lot of time with Sloane at the clinic.” I waggle my eyebrows, being totally obnoxious to my best friend.
The music stops and the speaker crackles as Jayden’s timid voice floats through the crowd. “Can everyone hear me okay?”
I lift my arms overhead and shout. “Yeah, Jayden! Woo!”
Wearing a white T-shirt and jeans, Jayden climbs the stairs and walks onto the stage. “Thank you for coming out today. No pun intended.”
Everyone chuckles.
“This won’t be long, but I just wanted to let you all know how this event started and share my story.” He clears his throat and a hush falls over the crowd. I clasp Landon’s hand, leaning my head on his shoulder.
“I’ve known for a long time that I was in the wrong body. I hid it from everyone, as we do, for fear of judgment and ridicule. But I was inspired by the head coach of the varsity lacrosse team, Coach Ainsley. Where is she?”
My cheeks burn as my friends point to me, and garner everyone’s attention.
“There she is. Hi, Coach Ainsley!” Jayden waves, and I wave back. “For those of you who might not know her, she’s a legend in this town. She made history as the first female in New Jersey to play on the boys’ lacrosse team.”
The crowd cheers, and Landon sticks his fingers in his mouth to whistle.
“She broke the gender norms set by society,” Jayden continues, “and she made me realize that it doesn’t matter what your gender is. What matters is who you are inside. Your heart. Your hard work. Whether you’re a good person.”
He pauses and glances out at everyone listening.
“She made me feel like it’s okay to be who I am, and that I would be supported.
And unfortunately, she got some hate for it.
She almost lost her job because of it. But in the end, this town came together and rallied behind her...
just like you’re rallying for me right now. ”
Landon dabs at the corner of his eye, and I kiss his cheek. “Softie.”
He swipes his thumb under my eyes. “Look who’s talking.”
Emotion balls in my throat, and pride swells in my chest. This is why I became a teacher, a coach. To help inspire kids and let them know they’re not alone.
That they can change the world.
“So, I’d like you to join me in presenting Coach Ainsley with this fantastic news that we’ve been keeping from her,” Jayden says.
My head whips to Landon, who’s wearing a shit-eating smirk.
“Coach Ainsley, the board approved the turf installation for next season.”
My jaw drops as my eyes widen. “What?”
Landon throws his arms around me as the crowd cheers. “We’re getting turf.”
Excitement rushes through my body. “Oh, my God! We’re getting turf!”
“You did it,” he whispers into my hair.
“Technically, you did it. All that money we raked in from the car wash was all thanks to that fine ass of yours.”
His laughter rumbles against my chest as he sets me down. “Next season, those girls will have what they deserve. No more divots, no more muddy holes. And it’s all because of you.”
I close my eyes and turn my face up to the sun.
After years of being overlooked, the girls’ lacrosse team is finally on its way to getting the recognition it deserves.
And I don’t feel like I have to fight so hard to belong.
THE END