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No girls.
Church is a requirement, not a choice.
And last but certainly not least, absolutely no fraternizing with his daughter. I quote, “If I catch you with as much as one lustful gleam, you’re kicked off the team, sent back home, and will no longer be NCAA eligible.”
I seriously doubt the man wields enough power to ruin my NCAA eligibility, but I can’t risk being sent home.
The need to flee overwhelms me. I’m itching to go for a run or take a hot shower—anything to be alone. I need time to think and formulate a plan. My gaze pushes past the large sectional, landing on my luggage by the front door. I’d snatch it up and hide in my bedroom if I knew where it was. After we arrived, Coach led me straight to the backyard. Their miniature pinscher was barking its happy greeting outside the sliding glass door. But the ranch-style house isn’t overly large. I’m sure the bedroom is down the only hallway to the left of the kitchen and living room.
The backdoor slides open, and the sound of feet tramping across the hardwood floor fills the silence.She’s here.Nicole leads the trio and gives me a side-eye glance as she passes. I barely register her as my gaze slides to Cassie. I soak every inch of her up until those vibrant, blue eyes meet mine. I stand a little straighter, powerless to stop the rush of memories flooding my mind. I picture the way her face glowed in the moonlight three years ago, all innocent and bright.Angelic.And her taste. God, the way her sweet taste filled my mouth as waves lapped the shoreline.
And then our last night together.
I shut that thought off and will my breathing to slow down before the ache in my pants makes it apparent how much I remember. One thing is for sure—three years isn’t enough time to get over this girl.
Coach clears his throat as the girls disappear down the hallway. “Sorry about that. As I said, this is the first year Cassie’s home during baseball season. She won’t be parading around half-naked anymore.”
Shame.
But is he for real? Her bikini was modest at best. The US beach volleyball team sports less material than Cassie’s two-piece.
I clear my throat. “That’s okay, sir. I’m here to play ball.”
He eyes me for a long moment before breaking away. He steps to the counter behind me, grabs a packet, and tosses it to me. “That is your schedule. Read through it. I expect you to know every detail. We have practice tomorrow, so be ready. You’ll ride with me. I spend a lot of time at the church, so on those days Cassie will run you to practice, or you can find a ride with someone from the team. The ones who brought cars are listed on the blue paper. You’ll find the calendar highlighted when I can’t give you a ride. You’re only to find rides on the days I’m not available. Otherwise, it’ll be me taking you. Got it?”
“Yes, sir.” It takes great strength to stop myself from rolling my eyes. I can’t believe this man. He seems like a control freak. Maybe this is part of his punishment regime—forced proximity with the coach.
Lucky me.
“This is the kitchen. You’ll find the refrigerator stocked with the essentials.” He points to a white door. “The pantry is through there. There’s a shelf containing high-protein snacks. That is yours. It’s your responsibility to keep it stocked. I expect you to accompany us to church as I already told you. We observe the sabbath, so be sure to stock up before Sunday as there are no purchases to be made on that day.”
I nod, trying not to clench my teeth. Church and I don’t get along. Even if there is a God, he abandoned me long ago.
Christ, this is going to be a long fucking summer.
“Grab your jacket and suitcase and follow me.” He waits until I grab my belongings and then stalks down the hall. The corridor is long and skinny. It consists of three doors—one directly at the end and two on each side. Pointing at the closed door on the left, he says, “This is the bathroom. You’ll find the towels and everything you need in there. Since my daughter insisted on staying home, you’ll have to share it with her. Her room is here.” He points to the other closed door at the end before turning to the door on the right. “This is your room.”
Great. Right next to Cassie’s.That won’t be awkward or anything.
“Thanks.” I place my luggage on the hardwood floor. The miniature pinscher trots over and gives a tiny yip. Then he wags his undocked tail and stares up at me. It’s a cute little thing. The short black and tan coat shimmers like polished black obsidian.
“This little guy is Bellow.”
My gaze snaps to Coach for a beat and then back to the dog. Surely, the guy isn’t named after my hometown, Bellow Bay. It must be a coincidence. I crouch down, extending my hand to pet his head. I belt out a laugh as he burrows into my palm, clearly basking in the attention.
“Huh, he must like you. Normally he yaps his head off at strangers. He bit the kid staying here two years ago. But Bellow’s almost three now. He has outgrown the puppy stage.”
“You got him three years ago?” I ask before I can stop myself.
“More like two and a half, but yeah. We haven’t had him for too long.”
“Huh.” Perhaps staying in my hometown did mean something to her.
When I don’t say anything else, Coach leaves me to my room with Bellow on his tail.
Traitor.
Although, I suppose Bellow switching allegiances to Team Dalton would be deemed a traitorous act. Coach is his master, after all.
