I tap my index finger against my temple. “Right up here.”
He shakes his head like a disappointed father. “Let’s start with varsity. Who are your definites?”
“My seniors stay.” I glance at Raymond. “Jones made a lot of progress since last year’s tryouts. I say we give her a shot.”
Landon nods, placing a checkmark on his paper. “I was hoping you’d pick her.”
Worry about JV, dude.I turn back to Raymond. “Blake’s left is weak.”
“It won’t be by April.” He rocks back in his chair. “You’ll get her where she needs to be.”
Landon taps his yellow highlighter against his clipboard. “She’d be great on defense.”
I roll my lips together, holding back the snarky comments. “We already have a strong defense.”
“I watched last year’s tapes. If you put Blake on defense, and move Russo to midfield, you’ll have a stronger?—”
“I know how to run my team. Why don’t we worry about yours right now, and Raymond and I can figure out the rest after.”
Brown eyes bore into mine, Landon’s jaw working under his skin. “I was just trying to help.”
“I don’t need it.”
He huffs out a humorless laugh and shakes his head. “You know?—”
“We want Shreeya Patel,” Quinn blurts out.
My eyebrows jump. “The freshman?”
Quinn glances at Landon, and clears her throat. “She’s got a lot of potential, and I think she’d be good as an attacker.”
Landon sits up straighter. “Yes, and Jayden Morales. She’s a little chaotic, but with some fine-tuning, she’d be a beast on the field.”
I nod.Okay, this is a good start.
Landon taps his clipboard. “And we want to keep Brennan as goalie.”
I spoke too soon.“We want her.”
Landon’s chin jerks back. “You have Delgado.”
I cross my arms over my chest. “I need a backup goalie.”
“On varsity, she’ll ride the bench and waste her second season. At least on JV, she can get play time.”
“She’ll learn faster on varsity.”
“Ifshe plays.”
Silence stretches between us as we stare at each other across the table.
“She’s only a sophomore,” Raymond says, mostly to Ainsley. “Let them work their magic on her this season, and she’ll be ready next year as a starter when Delgado’s gone.”
It makes sense, but I still think she’d be better off on varsity. “Fine.” I heave a sigh, and glance at Quinn. “Brennan’s yours.”
Landon makes another checkmark on his paper, and I want to fling his stupid highlighter across the room.
We continue for the next hour, until both rosters are locked in.
