Page 108 of The Overtime Persuasive

Sawyer lifts a hand.

Coach closes his eyes briefly. “What now, Stockton?”

“Why announce that you might choose someone later instead of choosing them now?”

Coach bites his cheek, keeping him square in his sights. “Because it’s my team, Stockton, and I’ll handle it the way I want.”

Sawyer nods. “Good answer.”

“Thank you. Anyone else?” Not one hand moves. “Excellent. Get out of here.” He then turns on his heel and leaves with the assistants, and the room erupts again.

Campbell reaches me first, pulling me into a hard embrace and clapping my back.

“Welcome to middle management. You’ll love it. Everyone complains to you, but you don’t have enough authority to fix anything.”

More people crowd around. Hands strike my shoulders. Someone shoves a water bottle at me. Campbell starts telling a story about the first game he wore the C, and for once, I don’t care that I’ve heard it before.

I let myself have the moment.

The letter isn’t on my jersey yet, but I can already feel it there. I imagine telling Dad. And imagine my brothers’ reaction will be great. I picture Lucy rolling her eyes before hugging me hard enough to damage something.

Then Tripp steps in front of me. The room hasn’t emptied, but the space around us seems to clear anyway.

He holds out his hand. “Congratulations, Snyder.”

I take it. “Thank you.”

“You earned it.” There’s no edge in his voice. After everything I turned into a competition between us, he looks genuinely pleased for me.

“I thought it might be you,” I admit.

He gives my hand one last squeeze before releasing it. “I didn’t.”

I study him. “Why not?”

“Because I wasn’t the one Coach was watching.”

Before I can ask what he means, my attention shifts to the clock hanging on the wall.

12:20.

“Oh, no.” I lunge for my stall and grab my phone. The screen lights with notifications.

Two messages from Eva.

Three missed calls from Lucy.

My stomach drops as Owen walks past, patting my shoulder.

“What’s going on?”

“I’m supposed to pick Eva up,” I say. “Five minutes ago.”

Owen points toward the door. “Go.”

I’m already calling Lucy. Thankfully, she answers before the first ring finishes. “Where are you?”

“I’m leaving now.”