He glared at me in silence a moment, which made me more uncomfortable than his yelling.
“Are we on the same page?”
“Yes, Coach.”
“Good,” he said. “Go get suited up and on the field. We’re doing two scrimmage games today to prepare for the playoffs coming up.”
“But I’m not agreeing to ending it with her. I can’t do that.”
His eyes narrowed as he stared at me.
“You’re fucking kidding me, right?”
“No, Coach. I’m serious.”
He sighed and put a hand on my shoulder.
“Look, son. You’re making a huge mistake. Take it from me. I was in the same position as you many years ago.”
“Yeah?”
He nodded.
“And I choose the girl. Look where I am now.”
“You’re a great coach.”
“I know, but I would have been a better pro player. I’m sure of it, but I’ll never know for sure because I made the wrong choice. I don’t want you to make a wrong choice too.”
He squeezed my shoulder then moved his hand away. I had never seen him get so personal before. The idea of him being with a woman had never entered my mind.
“I’m not saying break it off completely, but tell her you need to cool it off for the next year. By that time, you’ll be in position to accept offers from some pro teams. She will be more than happy to wait for you.”
“It’s not like that, Coach. She doesn’t care about the money.”
He laughed and shook his head.
“You kids these days. Think you have it all figured out, don’t you?”
“I know I love her.”
“That’s well and good, but this is your one chance to do what thousands of other players in college right now can’t do … go pro. Do you want to throw that away, Austin?”
“No, Coach.”
“Exactly. The best way to do it is leave her alone. Don’t even talk to her again for now. By the time the semester is over, she’ll be dying to get back with you. At that point, you can explain your long-term goals to her. Trust me, son. This is for the best.”
I pressed my lips together and nodded, trying to let his advice sink in.
“Now go get ready.”
“Yes, Coach.”
I lied to my coach, a man I respected. But I didn’t care, I had to know Brooke’s reaction to the letter. She was the main priority now.
THIRTY-FIVE
Brooke