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Almost.
Her voice kept piercing the silence, along with the voices of her assistant coaches. Sounded like we weren’t the only ones having a rough night. Her voice volume kept rising, and it got so bad that I actually ducked my head around the curtain.
“Hey, can you just lower the volume a little?”
She whirled on me and I almost took a step backward. I’d never seen her have such an intimidating look on her face. Add to the fact that she had a tank top on that put all her muscles on display, and I had to remind myself how to breathe. Her hair glinted with gold highlights under the harsh gym light.
“Fine,” she snapped and turned back around. Okay, guess I was dismissed. Her squad looked red and sweaty and done. I wondered what they were having issues with.
It didn’t matter. They were my competition. If they were doing poorly, it was to our advantage. Less than three weeks to go before we all got on a plane and headed to Orlando.
The last half of practice was spent with the video, going over each and every tiny thing. Championships were won and lost on fractions of fractions of points. Everything had to be on point.
I brought everyone together to end practice and let them know what we were working on tomorrow.
“Tomorrow we’re going to just pyramid. Once we get the mats, we’re going to start doing at least two full outs in every practice, and more on the weekends.” I heard whining, but I didn’t care. This was what it was going to take. I wasn’t asking anything of them that they couldn’t do.
“Do you want to look polished and good, or do you want to look sloppy and bad? It’s up to you.” The grumbling subsided a little.
I had to stay after for a little while with Dom to talk to a few parents that had questions about the travel arrangements and chaperones and all manner of other things that sports parents wanted to say to the coaches of their children’s team. I think I was very lucky in terms of cheer parents. I had a group of moms who were total booster club rockstars, and if I needed money for new uniforms, they had a check in my hand before I could say pom poms.
Every now and then we had an issue, but overall, they were great.
The bus for the Bulldogs was late and they were all antsy to leave, clogging the entryway to the gym. Dom and I couldn’t leave until they left, so I hung back in the gym messing on my phone instead. I had a few funny texts from my mom and an invitation from Katie and Penny for a pajama wine party that we tried to do a few times a month for girl’s night.
“Hey,” a voice said, and I looked up before I had time to process that it was Echo who’d spoken.
“What can I do for you?” I said, my voice dripping with sweetness. I didn’t think anyone was paying attention to us right now. She walked across the gym floor, as slinky as a panther. I hated how good she looked all the time.
She didn’t speak until we were standing with only a few feet between us.
“You don’t have to be so hostile, Kiri. It was ten years ago.”
I wasn’t going to give her the satisfaction of blowing up.
“It was more than that and you know it. Just go, Echo. Just go.” I closed my eyes and rubbed my forehead.
She stepped closer. “Why are you letting a little competition get in your way?”
“I’m not letting anything get in my way, least of all you,” I said.
“I mean, you already kinda did. Who won at New Englands?”
Oh, this was just ridiculous. I was about ready to scream at her when one of her assistants called out that the bus was there.
“Just something to think about,” she said, reaching out and drawing a finger down my arm. I flinched away from her.
“Fuck you,” I hissed.
“I’m sure you’d like to,” she said, turning around. “See you tomorrow, Kiri Kentwood,” she called over her shoulder.
––––––––
“IMAY HAVE TO MURDERher,” I said as Katie poured me a glass of wine and slid it across the white granite countertop. It was a good thing I adored both Penny and Katie enough to come over to their gorgeous house because it gave me the worst house envy I’d ever had.
Penny shared a look with Katie before speaking. “Is there a history with her? You know, other than her team beating yours? Because murder seems a little extreme, unless she’s really that annoying.”
Crap. I’d said too much. I’d let my irritation get the best of me and hadn’t been in charge of what was coming out of my mouth.
