“You can’t continue,” he gritted out.
“I can.”
“Don’t be foolish. It’s only a game.”
Quinn was competitive and fiercely determined. She’d proven it time and time again. People who knew her rarely made the mistake of underestimating her.
“A game we are going to win.”
“Quinn—”
“Go away, Luke.” She took the cold pack off and glared at him. He winced.
The women in the huddle were watching Luke and Quinn closely, which was never a good thing.
“I’m fine,” she added when he continued to look at her.
Luke shot her a glare then stomped away.
“Well now, that’s interesting,” Piper said.
“What is?” Quinn was muffled again, as Mr. Goldhirch had the cold pack back on her nose.
“You and Luke,” Rory said.
“There is no me and Luke.”
“Beg to differ. He doesn’t run into the huddle when any of us are injured. Which now I think about it, just pisses me off,” Piper said.
“He did look at you differently,” Luna said.
“No, he didn’t.” Quinn refused to acknowledge the leap her pulse gave.
The whistle thankfully went, and Mr. Goldhirsh shot something up her nasal passages that made her wince.
“You get out there and win, girls, and I’m bringing banoffee pie for you.”
“Ooooh,” the girls cooed as one.
“We’ll win,” Rory declared.
“You okay there?” the girl who had used her back as a ladder asked when Quinn passed her. “Need me to take it easy on you?”
“She’s Captain Quinn Harper of the United States Air Force. She’s a fighter pilot. So maybe it’s you who should be scared,” Luna snapped.
“No way!” The girl looked impressed.
“Yes way,” Luna said.
The whistle went, and play started again.
“Quinn!”
She found Piper, who was to her left. Luna had the ball and was advancing. Piper looked to the baseline.
Quinn ran down the sideline and shot right toward the hoop, then leapt at the same time as the girl who was marking her. Reaching up, she caught the ball and threw it with more hope than skill.
The crowd told her she’d got the shot.