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“Her car was vandalized.”
Coach’s eyes narrowed. “What happened?”
Hope felt the need to step in. “Cade, please. It isn’t fair to accuse Scott when we have no proof it was him.”
“Please,” Coach insisted. “I want to know.”
As Cade told him the details, it was clear Coach took the incident seriously. For sure he didn’t look happy. When Cade finished explaining about the tire and the security feed he’d watched, Coach’s face was hard and determined.
“If anything, and I do mean anything, like this happens again by any one of my boys, I need to know about it.”
“Of course.”
“I’ll handle it personally,” he added.
“All right,” Hope reluctantly agreed. She understood Coach wanted to protect his team by taking matters into his own hands. Losing a key player due to discipline problems could well mean losing the chance of winning the state championship for the second year running.
They stood together for a few minutes longer before Coach nodded toward Cade and then walked over to join one of the parent chaperones.
The rest of the dance proceeded without incident. At the end of the evening, Hope was exhausted. She hadn’t done any real physical work, so it seemed silly to find herself yawning.
With the other chaperones, they stayed for cleanup. Cade was a big help. They remained with Lois as she locked up the gym after the DJ had packed up his equipment and left.
“All in all, it wasn’t such a bad night, now, was it?” she asked Cade, as they walked out into the dark to the nearly empty parking lot.
“I confess I actually enjoyed myself.” His arm was around her, and she could hear the smile in his voice.
“I’m glad.”
“What was there not to like? I got to spend the evening with you, didn’t I?” he said.
“And I wasn’t at the dance alone.” Hope had spent so much of the last two years by herself, it felt good to feel a connection with another person, even if that thread remained fragile and was still relatively new.
Cade drove Hope back to the cottage. Although it was after midnight and she was tired, she didn’t want the evening to end.
“Come in for a few minutes,” she said, when they arrived at her place.
Cade hesitated. “Are you sure?”
“I’m not asking you to spend the night, Cade. Neither of us is ready for that just yet. I need to let Shadow out, and I thought I’d put on a pot of chamomile tea and relax for a minute.”
“All right.” He didn’t hesitate, and that encouraged her. Before, he always needed time to think through each invitation, as if to sort through the implications of being with her, and what that might mean.
Once she unlocked the door, Shadow was there to greet her and then immediately went outside to do his business.
“I hate keeping him locked up all day,” Hope said. It was her one regret with owning Shadow. “Mellie’s been kind enough to come and let him out once or twice a day while I’m at school.”
“Didn’t you mention getting a doggie door?”
“I did, but I need to find someone to install it.”
“I’ll do it,” Cade said, with an eagerness that surprised her.
“I didn’t mention it so that you’d offer, Cade.” She didn’t want him to feel obligated.
“I know. I’d be happy to do it, really. That’s just the sort of thing I enjoy.”
His enthusiasm was unexpected and welcome, as it helped solve a problem for her. “I’d appreciate it, but I can’t let you do it for free.”
