He leaves me standing in his bathroom, and heads upstairs.
I lean over the sink and splash some cool water on my face, a failed attempt at regaining my composure before I have to put on a game face in front of everyone upstairs.
But it doesn’t erase the blaring voice in my head...
You’re so screwed.
Chapter 20
Landon
Spring of Junior Year
“Before you hitthe locker room, I have one announcement to make, so take a knee.”
We lower to the turf. Sweat trickles down my face from a grueling first practice. Coach always goes hard on us, but the start of the season hurts the most.
Coach motions to someone behind us, and my eyebrows jump when Ainsley’s long legs stride into view.
“Ainsley will be joining our team.”
My mouth falls open, on par with the rest of my team.
What?
“But she’s a girl,” Patrick blurts out.
Coach purses his lips as he shoots him a pointed stare. “And I’ve seen her run circles around you, so what’s your point?”
“Oooohh,” ripples through the group.
But my focus is on Ainsley.
Why didn’t she mention this to me?
Not that she owes me anything, but we hang out in the same circle. I consider her a friend, and assumed she felt the same. Yetshe hasn’t breathed a word of this monumental news to me, or even mentioned that she was thinking about doing this.
I cut a glance to Evan.Did he know about this?Not only as our team captain, but as her best friend.
His usual furrowed brows and tight jaw don’t give anything away.
“Now, I know this is a change for all of us,” Coach continues, “but I expect you boys to act accordingly. Do you understand?”
“Yes, sir,” we reply in unison, though I’m not sure they even know what actingaccordinglyeven constitutes as.
Coach dismisses us, and we head for the locker room to change, but I linger at the back of the group, my gaze still on Ainsley.
Evan gives her shoulder a light shove as they walk side-by-side.
She smirks and shoves him back. “See you at practice tomorrow, Cap.”
“Don’t expect me to go easy on you, Morgan.”
She grins. “I was hoping you wouldn’t.”
She turns toward the parking lot, but then her name flies from my mouth, and her head whips around.
“Congratulations. This is a big deal.”
