A Royal Christmas Wedding by Rachel Hauck

Author:Rachel Hauck
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Zondervan
Published: 2016-09-01T04:00:00+00:00

DECEMBER 13

TWELVE DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS

The tour of Valdosta State’s facility inspired her. She could see herself here. She flew overnight from Cathedral City and arrived on St. Simon’s Monday midmorning.

She crashed in her room until the sun went down, then headed to the Shack for dinner. Being at home alone with no Christmas decorations was too depressing.

In the meantime, UCLA wrote to say they’d filled the position. One less choice to worry over.

“What do you think?” Coach Boon ended the tour in the gymnasium, hands on his waist. “Think you could work here?”

“Absolutely.” The question boded well for Avery. It meant Coach was seriously considering her.

“The pay’s not much, but it’s decent, will give you a good start.” He motioned to the bleachers. “Want to join the AD and my graduate assistant?”

Coach introduced Avery to the athletic director, an imposing former girls’ basketball star from Connecticut named Dorian Smith, and the graduate assistant, Jason Medwin, a former player at Penn State.

“Coach tells us you’re the one for the job, Avery.” The AD got to the point.

“I’d love to be a part of this program. I’m Georgia born and raised. My family is just up the road on St. Simons Island.”

“But you played college ball for the Big Ten,” Dorian said.

“I liked Ohio State’s program.”

“You were Big Ten Player of the Year two years in a row.” This from Jason, reading her stat sheet. “Leading in kills.” He glanced up. “Looks to me like you worked hard.”

“Is there any other way?”

The questions went round-robin, Avery answering probes about her career, her philosophies on coaching, and her injury.

“Your coaches speak very highly of you.” The AD stood, backing away from the bleachers. “Coach Boon will take it from here.”

Jason shook her hand. “It was great to meet you.”

Coach Boon motioned for Avery to follow him back to his office. “You impressed them, Avery. I could tell.”

Glad someone could. “So where to from here?”

“Dorian, Jason, and I will talk, go over the other candidates, but as far as I’m concerned”—Coach shot her a wide grin—“you’ve got the job. You’d be great for the team. The girls are aggressive, skilled, eager to learn. Just like you.”

“Really? That would be amazing. I really want this job, Coach,” Avery said, grabbing hold of her future with both hands. “I-I’m hungry for this.”

“I heard your daddy died . . . Your high school coach mentioned it when I called for a reference. My condolences. Lost my dad when I was only thirty.”

“Do you ever stop missing him?”

He chuckled softly. “He and I . . . were cut from the same cloth. Butted heads more than I’d like to remember. But yes, it gets better. Sad thing about losing your parent is a door to your childhood closes. One you didn’t even know was open.”

Avery glanced away, not wanting the coach to see the emotion rising in her eyes. “You . . . you just said in a few words what I’ve been wrestling with since his funeral.”

“What

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