Chapter Twenty-One
A mist covered the parking lot at Pemberton Prep, casting a spooky ambiance beneath the streetlamps as the bus pulled in and parked.
It didn’t matter, though, because the girls were exultant, still flying high off their first win, and their laughter and squeals filled the chilly night air.
They piled into waiting vehicles, cruising out of the lot or riding shotgun with excited parents behind the wheel.
“We did it, Coach!” Nicole clapped Marcee on the back as she bounced off the bus, practically vibrating with energy. Marcee was thrilled, but exhausted. She didn’t know where Nicole found the energy.
“We did!” The final score was one–nil, thanks to a thrilling header into the goal by one of her forwards, with an assist from Cope. The roar of their fans as the girls piled together on the field, jumping up and down and hollering, played rent-free in her mind.
Nicole hoisted her bag higher on her shoulder. “Those are the best kind of games, in my opinion. Exciting down to the last second. The kind you remember, ya know?”
“Maybe a little too exciting, Ms. Giles.” Headmaster Wilkes appeared out of the darkness like a phantom, a Pemberton Prep scarf wrapped around his neck beneath a trench coat.
Marcee refused to let him put a damper on their success. “Winning is winning, Headmaster Wilkes, whether it be by a foot or a mile.”
“I’m going home,” Nicole interjected, turning toward her. “You good?”
“Of course. Thanks for your hard work tonight.”
She nodded once at Wilkes and gave Marcee a tiny smile before leaving. She would love to be getting into her car, but Marcee had an inkling Wilkes didn’t show up simply to congratulate her. Not that he’d done that.
“Is there something I can do for you? It’s late and I’d like to get a little sleep before work tomorrow.”
“Of course, of course,” he said, a tightlipped smile stretching the thin, aging skin of his face. “I’m sure you aren’t aware yet, but Alpha Ridge Academy also won their game this evening.”
Her heart surged, happiness for Remy brimming in every crevice of her chest. Winning his first game as a coach was a wonderful accomplishment and a great start to his career. She was even more anxious to get home so she could call and congratulate him.
“I was not aware. Good for them.”
Headmaster Wilkes didn’t share the same sentiment. “Good for them, but bad for us. Lockley’s win was very impressive—what you would call a blowout, seven–nil.”
Jesus. Impressive, indeed. Her stomach clenched with envy.
“A shutout,” she muttered, suddenly very aware of where the conversation was going.
His lips twisted as if he’d bitten into something bitter.
“Even worse. You can see how this might reflect poorly on our little win. Tomorrow’s papers will be inundated with articles about the ex-professional soccer player who flew across the pond and turned Alpha’s soccer team into a powerhouse, likely to lead them to a state championship.
I’ll be surprised if Pemberton gets more than two lines in the sports section. ”
Marcee yanked the zipper on her windbreaker until the only thing visible was her face.
He was unbelievable. She’d never met anyone so dead set on ruining everything.
“My girls have worked their butts off every day, sometimes twice a day. They earned that win tonight, no matter the score and no matter the amount of press coverage it gets. And frankly, sir, those are the wins that mean the most. You don’t learn anything from a shutout.
” She would not apologize. Her team played well, despite first-game jitters.
She was proud of them, even if he wasn’t.
“Quite right, Ms. Ackerman. A win does reflect more advantageously on the school and me.” He paused, letting the words sink in. “Not so much for you, I’m afraid. You’d do well to keep in mind our discussion at the beginning of the school year, because the school board certainly will.”
Her hands shook, so she shoved them deep into the pockets of her jacket, gripping her keys.
“Believe me, I haven’t forgotten.” How could she?
Between his reminders every time they talked, and the weight of carrying not only her job but also Nicole’s on her shoulders, her trapezoids were getting an amazing workout.
“Good! Have a pleasant evening, Ms. Ackerman.” He strolled back into the dark, collar popped against the wind.
“Coach Ackerman,” she growled, desperately wanting to kick something.
Instead, she marched to her car, mumbling obscenities the entire way.
As she slid behind the steering wheel, her phone dinged with an incoming text message, so she started the car, turning the heater on full blast, and grabbed it from her bag.
You will not believe the night I had! What a rush. I never knew
coaching could give me this kind of high. Did I mention we won??
She wanted to be happy for him. Truly. She searched within herself for that feeling of elation she’d had earlier when Wilkes first told her they’d won, but it was gone, snuffed out by her school’s version of the Grinch.
Instead, there was only anxiety and anger, and if she was being honest, jealousy.
It wasn’t supposed to go that way. Marcee loathed Wilkes for ruining it.
I heard! That’s fantastic, babe. Really. Super proud of you.
Exhaustion settled over her, so she put the car in drive and navigated the quiet streets of Belle Cliff, sleepy and slumbering under the watchful eyes of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It was a quiet beauty that could easily lull you into a false sense of peace.
Their next game would be against Alpha Ridge Academy, in one week. With Wilkes’ words poisoning her thoughts, she knew one thing was true: it was back to the drawing board.
Marcee thought, out of sheer stubbornness, if she and Remy spent the night before their game together at his house, that partaking in normal routines would somehow make the shadow looming over them disappear.
It was the wrong move.
After a late dinner with Alex, Matt, Pete and their coworker Kelly, she got back to Remy’s house around eight p.m. Her phone buzzed with an incoming call while Remy was in the bathroom brushing his teeth, but when she picked it up, shock nearly made her drop it.
Eli.
They’d shared a handful of texts since their heart-to-heart a few months ago, but nothing significant.
Hesitantly, she answered. “Hello?”
“Glad I caught you,” he replied, voice chipper. “It’s Eli, by the way.”
“No shit,” she said dryly, rolling her eyes. Whatever it was, it couldn’t be too serious.
He chuckled, the bass rumble so different from when they were young.
“I have a proposition for you.”
Marcee straightened, intrigued. “What kind of proposition?”
“The job kind.”
“Job?” she repeated. Her position at Pemberton was far from secure, but she hadn’t given up just yet.
“I’m moving into the head coaching position at Cross Academy next school year. I want you by my side. Like old times, but better.”
“Are you serious?” she asked. Cross Academy was a prestigious girls’ private school. Never in a million years could she have predicted this. She plopped onto the bed, stunned.
“Entirely. I have approval to hire anyone I want for this spot, and I want you.”
The idea planted in her mind, blooming and unfurling like a soft pink rose.
She imagined going to a job every day where she was not only wanted but respected.
She’d be back in New York, thriving in the hustle and bustle, where people said what they meant, and no one gave a shit who you dated.
She’d be able to look after her parents and keep a closer eye on them, assuming she wanted to.
She could finally show Remy her favorite places, all the best spots to eat—
Remy.
There she was thinking about her future like he’d be right there next to her and not in London. Her gaze turned to the bathroom door.
“I really hope that silence means you’re considering it.”
“I’m flabbergasted,” Marcee replied, shaking her head. Flabbergasted and conflicted. “I don’t know what to say.”
“Don’t say anything,” Eli added quickly. “Sleep on it. I know you have a life there, people you care about. But I think this could be really great and we could build a dynasty here, together. It’s not exactly what we talked about doing when we were kids, but maybe it could be better.”
“Okay.” She nodded, slowly. “I’ll think about it, Eli.”
“That’s what I want to hear.”
The corner of her mouth lifted. Working with him would be fun. “Happy to oblige.”
“I’ll talk to you soon, okay?”
“Talk to you soon. Bye, Eli.”
“Bye, princess.”
She was hooking the charger up to her phone when Remy came out, shirtless, and she momentarily forgot what happened. Even with everything going on, it was still impossible not to be drawn to him.
Half of her brain urged her to tell him about the job offer. The other advised to keep it to herself. Why add the stress of her possibly moving to an already stressful night?
She fell backward onto his bed, searching for something to say.
“Tonight was fun.” Remy broke the silence as he slipped a T-shirt over his head and closed the dresser drawer.
“Yeah, it was. Did it seem like there was a vibe between Alex and Matt?” she answered, latching on to anything that wasn’t soccer related.
The bed sank under their combined weight as he stretched out on the other side. His scent was all around her—on the pillow, the sheets, his skin. She breathed it in, closing her eyes as its familiarity teased her.
“An awkward vibe,” he replied. “I can’t believe they work together every day if the breakup was as tough as you said. I wouldn’t be able to see you like that if you turned me down. First red-eye back to London.”
Marcee cut her eyes at him, lips pursed, until he leaned over and flicked her nose.
“Not that you ever will,” he whispered, then placed a chaste kiss on her lips.