Page 3 of Hometown Halftime

“And we respected that pace,” Knox says.

“You’ve been texting me every other day,” I remind him.

“Gentle reminders,” he corrects.

“Borderline harassment,” I say.

He shrugs. “Depends on your definition.”

Before I can reply, the door swings open and Knox’s wife, Brynn, walks in with a mischievous smile. Brynn and our other best friend, Kate, were a year ahead of me in school, but we crossed paths in drama class when they needed a third person for their talent show skit and I said yes. That one moment turned into something bigger than any of us expected. Even with moves, college, and everything that came with growing up, we’ve found our way back to each other, settling into a friendship that feels more like sisterhood over the past few years.

She spots her husband and beams, then her eyes find me and she adjusts her smile into something entirely too innocent.

Oh, great. Reinforcements have arrived.

“Hey, trouble,” she says, sliding onto the stool beside Knox. “Did they start without me?”

I gesture to the two Cokes. “Very wild night. You might have trouble catching up.”

Brynn sets her elbows on the bar, chin propped on her hands. “So. Did he ask you yet?”

I stare at her. “Subtle.”

Cam whispers, “We came up with a script for a reason, Brynn.”

She ignores him. “Kinsey, Knox has been vibrating with impatience. Let him talk before he strains a muscle.”

Knox clears his throat with all the gravitas of a man about to present to a boardroom of executives. “Okay. Official pitch. Ready?”

“No,” I say.

He continues anyway.

“The athletic department has approved the girls’ rugby team. The roster is forming, interest is high, and the director is excited. The board is thrilled. But Kinsey…” He leans in. “They need a coach.”

“I’m aware,” I say. “You’ve told me countless times.”

“And now we want your answer,” he says. “Or, option B, you let us convince you tonight.”

Brynn wiggles her eyebrows as if she’s a stage magician about to reveal a trick.

“We have talking points and everything,” she says, beaming.

“Oh, my God.” I drop my forehead to the bar. “You made a PowerPoint, didn’t you?”

“No,” Knox says.

“Yes,” Brynn says at the same time.

Cam winces. “Yeah, she made one.”

I lift my head. “You seriously made a PowerPoint to convince me to coach the team?”

She taps her phone a few times and turns it toward me. Sure enough, on the screen is a slide with my face and the words “Why Cedar Falls Needs Coach Malone” in pink bubble font letters. I pinch the bridge of my nose.

“Oh my God, you did.”

Brynn shrugs. “What? I like visuals.”