Playing For Keeps by Kathryn Shay

Author:Kathryn Shay
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: contemporary romance, raising children, opposites attract, single parent dating, football romance, college professor romance, parents and sons

CHAPTER NINE

As he watched Johnny Turk hotdog it on the Ohio field in the scrimmage against Cleveland, Mike gripped the clipboard until his knuckles turned white. “What the hell does he think he’s doin’ out there?” Though his tone was curt, his words were quietly uttered.

“His girlfriend’s in the stands.” This from Marcus, who stood next to Mike, also assessing the play.

The July sun beamed down on them, a pleasant counterpoint to the blood boiling inside Mike.

“What’s eating at you, Coach?”

He shot a quick glance to Marc. “Nothin’. Why?”

“You’ve been—what do women call it—remote and distant all week.”

Tim Mason sent in another play and Mike watched Turk try to sidestep some cornerbacks. One circled behind him, waiting to tackle him if he caught the ball, or catch the pass if it was overthrown. Mike yelled, “Behind you, Turk.”

It didn’t matter anyway. Turk missed the throw, tipping it out of bounds.

He swore to himself. “Get ready to go in, Marc.”

“I’m ready.” When Mike didn’t pick up the conversation, Marcus did. “The guys are calling you by your old nickname.”

The Cool King. Even in his playing days, Mike rarely lost his temper; instead he turned inward and froze everybody out when he was mad or frustrated. His teammates and coaches used to respect that. It had worried the hell out of the players. When he was in one of those moods, everybody gave him a wide berth.

All week, except when he was with Ty and Kyle, he’d kept to himself. He was steely. Unfriendly. And mad as hell at the world. Because, true to his promise, he hadn’t spent any time with Jacelyn. She’d asked him to stay away and he had. He’d changed the game plan, and come up with an alternative strategy. Just get the hell through the rest of this summer camp and then skip town.

It was hard, though, since they’d met up a few times....

First for the formal offer to be an adjunct next semester.

Congratulations, Mike. I know this is what you want.

I thought it was.

Then one afternoon, he’d picked Tyler up at the pool in the subdivision where Kyle lived. He didn’t know Jacelyn had gone with them and, from the expression on her face, she obviously hadn’t realized he’d be coming for his son. He could have gone his whole life without seeing her in a bathing suit, thank you very much. Though it was a simple one-piece red thing, with little cutouts at the top, it rode high on her legs and shot his blood pressure to kingdom come.

He’d also bumped into her at school twice. Both times they’d been polite and phony with each other.

The pencil he held in one hand broke in two.

“Something wrong, Coach?”

He glanced over to see Gage standing next to him. Gage who was hot and heavy with Millie these days. She was coming to the scrimmage with her boys.

After he sent Marc in, he looked over at his friend. “I’m pissed at the new kid, is all.” Even to his own ears, his excuse sounded lame.

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