Epilogue
“Are you even putting clothes on at all in there?” I yelled from the hallway as I waited for Cassidy to come out.
“It’s a movie premiere, Erik. It takes longer to get dressed for this kind of thing. Stop worrying; we still have an hour before it starts.”
“I kind of need to be there on time, you know. I’m sure you look fabulous. Can we please just get going?” I begged her.
We had been waiting in the living room for over an hour for Cassidy to get ready. My father and brother didn’t seem to mind, but I was going crazy with anxiety that we were going to be late.
This was the first film that our movie studio had made all by ourselves. We had contributed to several films over the first year of our business, but this one was all us. So, if it did well, then we were going to be getting a ton of new jobs, but if it did horribly, we might lose all the money we had put into it.
“You really need to learn to relax,” my father said as he sat casually on the couch. “Women work faster if they aren’t under so much stress from you yelling at them.”
My dad was dressed in a black tuxedo that matched both my brother’s and my outfits. The three of us looked pretty darn sharp, if I did say so myself. Heath and I had already decided we were going to find a hot movie star and fix her up with our father. He deserved to have some fun in his old age, we joked.
“Heath, can you talk to Kelly and see if she can hurry Cassidy up?”
“Oh, hell no. Don’t bring my wife into this. I’m not getting on her bad side,” he joked as we all laughed.
Heath and Kelly had gotten married only a few short months after they started to date, and Kelly had just given birth to their son. It was amazing how fast life moved when all the stars aligned and you found the right one.
Kelly and Heath were perfect for each other: There was no denying it. And their son looked just like me. I made sure to tell them that all the time, and I was going to do everything possible to ensure I was the best damn uncle that ever lived. Although I was scared to death at the prospect of ever having my own child, having a nephew who I could send home at the end of the day seemed like a great idea.
Another fifteen minutes went by before Kelly and the baby emerged from the room. Finally, I thought that Cassidy would be on her way out. With Los Angeles traffic, we were going to be lucky if we made it there on time.
“Is she coming?” I asked as I tried not to sound frantic.
“I’m all ready,” Cassidy said as she strolled out of our bedroom and walked down the hallway.
I am sure that my mouth literally dropped open as I watched my beautiful girlfriend walk elegantly toward me. She had on a floor-length black gown that hugged all her curves perfectly. Her hair was styled in amazing waves that were reminiscent of the 1940s, which was exactly the time period our new film took place in.
“Wow,” my dad said as he stood up and came over to stand next to me. “I’m pretty sure she’s going to steal all your thunder tonight,” he joked.
“Seriously, Cassidy, you look amazing,” Heath added.
I wanted to talk. There were so many compliments in my head and I wanted to share every single one of them with her, but all I could do was stand there and stare. This was my woman. This amazingly beautiful creature had decided to follow me out to Los Angeles and stay with me, encouraging me along my journey to become a film producer and studio owner.
I couldn’t get the words to come out of me I was so floored by how beautiful she looked.
“Do I look all right?” she teased as she did a 360-degree turn in front of me and showed off the ultra-low back of the dress.
“Damn, yes, baby, you look like perfection,” I finally managed to say.
“Well, stop standing there. We better get going. You don’t want to be late for your own movie premier,” she said as she grabbed her purse and hustled to the door.
Heath kissed Kelly and his son as we all rushed behind Cassidy and out to the limo that was waiting. We had thirty minutes to get three miles, which under normal circumstances seemed like it would be easy, but you never knew if the traffic would go your way or not in Los Angeles.
“You know, Cassidy looks like a movie star,” my dad said as we drove toward the big event.
“I do not. Come on now; you’re just trying to make me blush.”
“I think he’s right. Maybe you should give the actress thing a try. I happen to know a movie producer,” I joked.
“Well, since I dropped out of nursing school, I might just take you up on that offer. I just don’t know what I was meant to do.”
“I’m going to check around. After tonight, you and that dress? Man, I bet directors are going to be begging to work with you.”
Cassidy just laughed at me, but I was being serious. She had a special look to her. Unusual, yet down to earth at the same time. Not to mention that she was a sweetheart to be around. I suspected she might have just fallen right into what she was meant to do with herself.
When we pulled up to the red carpet, it was pretty quiet. Most everyone had already gone inside and the photographers looked like they were packing things up. But at least we were there and we could run in and grab a seat to watch the show.
It didn’t matter all that much if we were late. It was our studio, so we could see the movie whenever we wanted and the main thing I was interested in was how the film was going to be reviewed, which wouldn’t happen until after the release.
Our door opened and I got out first and helped Cassidy as we started our way down the red carpet. As a movie studio head, many photographers didn’t really know who I was, so I wasn’t expecting too many to be interested in taking our photos. We would just sneak by and get our butts into the theater.
“Erik, who’s that with you?” one of the camera men yelled out.
“My girlfriend, Cassidy Conrad,” I said as I wrapped my arm around her and we posed for his photograph.
“Wait right there,” another man said as he pulled his equipment back out of his bag.
“Yeah, don’t move,” a third said.
Before we knew it, all of the photographers and entertainment news stations had their cameras out and were snapping away. They barked orders for us to turn one way and then the next. They even asked for pictures of Cassidy alone, which she refused to do.
Entertainment News on NBC pulled us aside and wanted to do a live interview, which I really hadn’t expected at all.
“Mr. Levy, tell us about your career change from technology to film,” the young reporter asked.
“The two fields aren’t that different. I’m using my technology background to help develop an expressive alternative to film batteries so our shoots can last longer without costing more money.”
“And, who is this young lady? Have you already found your Los Angeles starlet?”
“Actually, this beautiful woman is my girlfriend, Cassidy Conrad.”
“Cassidy, what’s it like to date one of the most eligible bachelors in Los Angeles?” the reporter asked.
I couldn’t help but laugh at the idea that I was one of the most eligible bachelors. It wasn’t a title that I ever knew I had. Cassidy did great and kept a straight face through her interview.
“Erik and I started our relationship as all great ones start: as friends. I’m lucky to have such an amazing man in my life.”
“Are you in the film industry, too?”
I could tell that Cassidy was about to say no, and I didn’t want her to throw this opportunity away.
“She is going to be in one of our upcoming movies. We couldn’t let this kind of talent go to waste. We better keep going. I’m sure they’ve started the film without us by now.”
I pulled her away, and we caught up to my father and Heath. Spencer had also just finished an interview and we all made our way in together. In that moment, I realized that it didn’t matter what everyone thought of the film. I was happy. Cassidy was happy. My father and my brother were with me and that moment was one of the best I could have ever dreamt of.
I was in business with my best friend and if this movie sucked, we would fix what we did wrong and move forward with the next thing. Nothing was going to hold me back from having the life I always wanted.
As my brother, father, and Spencer went into the theater, I held onto Cassidy’s hand for a minute. I was overcome with emotion and there was something I needed to say to her.
“I love you. I hope you know that I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”
“I know.” She laughed.
“Will you marry me? I don’t have a ring right now. But I’ll get you any ring you want. Just say that you’ll make me the happiest man alive and become my wife.”
She seemed pretty shocked that I had slid down on one knee as was asking her to be my wife. But it hadn’t happened overnight, and I knew she was the right one. I knew long before that moment and I wanted her to know it to.
“Yes,” she said with a sultry smile. “I’ll be your Mrs. Levy.”
“Yes!” I screamed as I grabbed her into my arms and hugged her.
BAD COACH
By Claire Adams
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places and incidents are products of the writer's imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2017 Claire Adams
Chapter One
Eryn
The tension in the air was almost tangible. Everyone's nerves were on edge, everyone's breath was held, and my team was collectively hanging in the balance. After four hard-fought rounds, it had come down to this one play. The games were tied up at two apiece, and we stood at the ready to defend our one-point lead. At 14 to 13, this could be the deciding play. If we took this point, we'd take the game and the match.
Our opponent, however, had the serve. I was positioned at the net on the left: my favorite position. I watched the serve come in, waited for it to be received – which it successfully was – and then sent back over the net.
Over the net…and right in the direction of their two best players, Kelly and Tammy. They always worked as a pair, and I could see the setup for a spike coming from a mile away. I dashed in fast and low, correctly anticipating the spike, and managed to block it with a low dive. In the process, I set it up for a perfect counter-spike, which my best friend Leena smashed with almost poetic perfection.
The ball zipped between two players and bounced just inside the line. We had the point.
My team let out a cheer of victory, and we all rushed in to hug each other. I gripped Leena tightly, smiling and basking in the joy of our victory.
“That was a perfect block!” she exclaimed. “How did you see that spike coming?”
I shrugged as I detached myself from our embrace. “K and T weren't exactly subtle with their movements. I saw it coming.”
“Really? ‘Cause, I didn't.”
I glanced across and saw the pair of them glaring daggers at me. They were clearly not happy about the fact that I'd ruined what they had thought was a perfect setup maneuver. I couldn't understand why they were so mad, though. It was just practice, wasn't it?
The harsh blast of a whistle jolted me from my thoughts.
“All right, ladies, gather round! Before y’all hit the showers, I just want to tell you about this coach situation.”
My practice team, the second string, mingled with the team of starters we had been playing against and gathered around Coach Hatting. Coach Hatting had temporarily come out of retirement to coach us over the past few weeks while the powers that be searched for a new coach. His small, blue eyes swept across the crowd of young women in front of him while he chewed gum, causing his square, stubble-covered jaw to move back and forth like a bull's and crinkle the heavy wrinkles around his eyes.
“Now, as y’all know, today was my last practice with you ladies. I'm too old for this, gosh darn it. And as much as I love the game, I've got a beach house that needs fixing and a fishing boat that ain't seeing nearly enough use. I only came out of retirement because of the incident involving your previous coach, but we ain't gonna speak about that now. Water under the bridge.
“You all did well today – and some of you did exceptionally well.” A rush of nerves washed over me as his eyes met mine.
“Miss Barnett,” he said to me, “only God knows why you haven't been on the starting lineup the last two years, but if I had been the coach during your time here, you'd have been a starter for every single game.”
I couldn't help but blush and feel a gush of pride – and sadness at the same time. Coach Hatting was right. For three preseasons, I'd worked my butt off, but had never been picked for the starting lineup. The team all had theories as to why that was, but of course, we couldn't say anything – not until the allegations against our former coach had been proven.
“Anyways, Miss Barnett, I'll be speaking to the new coach about you and giving him a strong recommendation that you be included in the lineup. And you as well, Miss Sykes,” he said, looking now at Leena.
“As for the rest of you, some of those who have been consistently placed on the starting line…well, I have to be honest. If it were up to me, some of you would be warming benches. I'll be speaking to the new coach about that, too, mark my words.”
Leena and I both discreetly glanced across at Tammy and Kelly. Their faces reddened with what I was certain to be both embarrassment and rage. Both had been starters since our freshman year, regardless of their performance. Now for the first time, the certainty that they would simply make the starting lineup without putting in any effort wasn’t as secure as they might have thought, and the looks on their faces said they didn't like it – not one bit.
“Before I say my farewells,” Coach Hatting continued, “let me tell you a bit about the new coach. First up, he's a lot younger than I am – and I'd say a sight better looking, too, so you young ladies better keep your eyes on the ball and not the piece of eye candy that's coming in!”
We all laughed, and Coach Hatting chuckled at his own joke. Despite his often harsh attitude on the court, he had a soft heart underneath it all.
“The new coach’s name hasn’t been announced to the press yet. The board wanted you ladies to hear it first. But, it will be public knowledge later this evening. His name is Wade Vinson. I'm sure most of you have heard of him.”
A ripple of hushed whispers rolled through the gathered volleyball players, and I knew exactly why.
Wade Vinson was something of a celebrity, not only in the volleyball world, but in the gossip magazines and tabloids, as well. He'd recently split from a two-year relationship with Hollywood A-list actress Georgia Jackson amidst a storm of controversy and rumors. It had been all over the press and social media a few months back.
“As y’all know, Mr. Vinson is an ex-pro and won Olympic gold, so he knows his stuff. And, y’all know how he helped coach the UCLA men's team to a top spot two years in a row, so we're really hoping he can do the same for you.
“Also, he happens to be a graduate of this very university, though I’m sure some of you know that, too. He and his teammates put Florida State University on the map in the volleyball world. I should know, I coached him back in the day when he was a rising star here. And I can tell you, the man has skills on the volleyball court!
“Anyways, he'll be here on Monday to start practices. I wish you young ladies all the best. There's some fantastic potential, some amazing talent right here in front of me, and I sure do hope that Mr. Vinson puts his all into developing it as best he can. As for me – that's all for now, folks. It's been a good – if tiring – few weeks.”
“Thank you, Coach Hatting!” many of us shouted together.
He smiled, and I almost thought I caught sight of tears sparkling in his eyes as he waved goodbye to us. Then, he turned around and shuffled off. The girls started to disperse, picking up water bottles, towels, and gym bags, and heading to the locker room to hit the showers.
Leena and I gathered our things and talked on the way to the showers.
“I'm actually kinda sad to see Coach Hatting go,” I confided. “He's been so good, and I’ve learned a few things from him. Not to mention, he’s so fair.”
“Yeah, he's really great,” replied Leena, “but how cool is it that Wade freakin' Vinson is coming to coach us! Like, oh my God! Not only is he a gold medalist and former pro, but he's super hot, too.”
She giggled, and I leaned into her shoulder with mine playfully.
“Come on, Leena, don't be ridiculous.”
“What? You don't think he's just gorgeous?”
I rolled my eyes. “All right, he's pretty damn good looking. But from what I hear, he's a bit of a douchebag, and you know with all this Hollywood gossip stuff and him being involved in those kind of circles, the odds are those rumors are likely true. And jeez, what are we even doing talking about him like that! I mean, he's like 30-something. Seriously. I'm 21, you're 20. He's old!”
“Hey, 32 isn't that much older than us, Eryn,” countered Leena. “Hell, I'd do him.”
I gasped with mock shock. “Noooo, Leena! You slut!” I joked, and we both laughed.
“Yep, that’s me. Leena the slut. But in all seriousness,” she said, “I think it'll be a good thing. I mean, you heard what Coach Hatting just said. He's gonna recommend us as starters to Vinson when he talks to him! We've both been dreaming of this and working our asses off for it for so long now. Especially you, with all the extra practices and workouts you put in.”
I nodded. “It's definitely been a long time coming. But you know what they say about hard work – it does pay off in the end. And hopefully, it's about to pay off for us in a big way.”
“Yeah, now that we no longer have a coach who chooses who's in the starting lineup based on how big a bribe her parents paid him.”
I shook my head. It still pissed me off to think about it. “Do you really think those rumors about Coach Edwards are true?”
“Are you kidding?” she replied. “They have to be. Why else would you have been a benchwarmer the last two seasons when you're clearly one of the best players – if not the best player – on the team?”
I blushed, a bit embarrassed by Leena's praise. “C'mon, I'm not the best player on the team.”
“Like hell you're not! Quit being so modest. I mean seriously, you are here on a volleyball scholarship. That makes it even more criminal that you haven't been part of the starting lineup!”
“It does look like that might change now, though,” I replied with a smile.
“Yes, it does! Things seem to be changing for sure.”
I was about to respond when I heard my phone ringing in my gym bag. “Hold that thought, Lee, let me see who this is.”
I reached into my bag and grabbed my phone. When I looked at the screen, I shook my head as a flood of emotions rushed through me, none of them good.
When Leena saw my expression change, she glanced down at the screen and quickly snatched the phone away from me before I could answer it; she rejected the call, sending it straight to voicemail.
“Tim is a grade-A asshat,” she said, shaking her head. “I can't believe that cheating douche is still trying to call you.”
“I wasn't gonna talk him,” I replied.
“Good. He doesn't deserve a single second of your time. He already wasted two semesters of it with his lies and cheating. Why is he trying to call you and message you all the time, anyway? I mean, it only started up around a week ago, right?”
“He broke up with Ma-”
“'The Whore,' Eryn, 'The Whore,'” Leena interrupted me. “I thought we'd agreed on calling her by her correct name, ‘cause that's what she is.”
“Well, whatever you wanna call her, they broke up. She dumped him-”
“Oh, and now he thinks he can just waltz right back into your life, huh? Hell, no. HELL to the no.”
“Don't worry, Lee. Like I said, I'm not gonna talk to him. It's over, and it's been over for a long time.”
“I hope so, Eryn. You know how much of a jerk he is. Even if you did love him, don’t forget how he had you fooled for so long. And, don't let your heart deceive your head – it was lies, not love, even if you really want to believe otherwise.”
“I know, I know.” We walked in silence until we reached the showers.
“All right, let's get cleaned up. Then how about grabbing a bite to eat afterward?” Leena asked.
“Not tonight, Lee,” I replied. “I'm going to stay at my mom's place for the night and make her dinner and then breakfast in the morning. That asshole store manager has her working double shifts this week.”
“Ugh, that's terrible. She really should be taking things a little easier at her age.”
“I know, Lee, believe me, I know – but it's tough for her being on her own. Times are hard, and there are bills to pay. My sister helps out when she can, but she's all the way across the country now and has a family of her own to provide for. Mom made a lot of sacrifices for my sister and me, and I gotta do what I can to help her out.”
“I understand. Well, maybe we can get coffee tomorrow morning if you've got a gap between lectures?”
“I do. We can do that. C'mon now, let's get showered up and then we'll make plans for tomorrow.”
*****
I got out of the taxi and looked up at the front of the familiar building — the one I'd grown up in. It had never been a particularly attractive building, but these days, it was looking shabbier than ever. The plaster was cracked and stained around the corners, but the graffiti on the ground level at least attempted to mask it a bit.
My senses rose to full alert the moment I stepped out of the taxi; this had never been a great neighborhood, and it had gotten worse over the years. My first priority when I graduated college and started making a salary was going to be to get my mother out of this area.
I darted up to the entrance of the building and buzzed myself in, then bounded up the familiar flight of stairs until I reached my mom's door. Beyond it was the small, two-bedroom home where my sister and I had grown up, raised by a single mom after our dad walked out on us. I didn’t remember much about him; I'd been a toddler when he left.
I slid my key in the lock, opened the door, and walked in to the sound of the TV blaring. I saw my mom in front of it on the sofa, still dressed in her work uniform from the supermarket.
“Hi, Ma,” I called out. There was no reply. “Ma, did you hear me?” I moved a little closer and saw that her eyes were closed; her thin chest was rising up and down in a slow, gentle rhythm.
I sighed, feeling a stab of pain tear through my chest. “You really are killing yourself. I promise you that it's not always gonna be like this. Somehow, I'm gonna get you out of this cycle. You've spent too long now working yourself to the bone just to scrape by. I don't know how yet, but somehow I'm going to get you out of this situation,” I whispered and leaned down, pulling a blanket up over her sleeping form before gently placing a kiss on her forehead.
I tiptoed away, so as not to wake her from a nap she no doubt needed after a 12-hour shift, and headed into the kitchen to quietly prepare dinner.
Life was going to change for us. It had to. I had to make sure of that.
Chapter Two
Wade
I sipped slowly on my beer, relishing every mouthful of the crisp, amber liquid. In the background, over the buzz of conversation and laughter in the bar, the Beach Boys’ “Kokomo” was playing. I let out a soft chuckle as the chorus echoed through the bar. It was appropriate, wasn't it? A perfect tune for my first night back in Florida.
My miserable, lonely, first night back in Florida.
I'd moved across the entire country to get away from the mess my life had become in Los Angeles. And boy, what a mess it was.
It almost seemed like some strange dream I was only beginning to wake up from. How had all of that stuff happened? How had I gone from winning Olympic gold and having a promising career ahead of me – hell, my whole life ahead of me – to becoming involved in…well, a shame spiral of bad decisions and worse relationships.
It had almost destroyed me.
Almost.
But I'd realized what was happening in time to save myself. Call it an epiphany, if you would. And, it had taken ending my relationship with Georgia Jackson for it to happen.
I'd lost myself, I'd lost everything about myself that was truly me. All for the sake of her — a woman every man on the planet would likely give his left nut to be with for just one night. But fantasizing about a Hollywood A-list actress and actually dating one were two different things entirely, and I’d found that out the hard way. Life was not all glitz and glamour, and those people were, believe it or not, just normal people like everyone else beneath all of the hype.
They had their flaws, too, as much as we can't or don't want to believe it. I mean, hell, for the longest time, I didn't want to believe it, either. And that forced ignorance on my part had not only blinded me to the type of person Georgia really was, but it had also almost killed me.
“Would you like another beer, sir?” a gentle, female voice asked from behind me.
I turned around and saw the young waitress who had brought me a beer earlier waiting with an expectant look on her face.
“Yeah, I’ll take another Bud Light, please.”
She smiled, nodded, and hurried off behind the bar to grab another bottle.
I smiled, too. I could only assume the tabloids and press weren't as active, or at least as widely read, over on the East Coast as they were on the West. So far, nobody in Tallahassee had recognized me. If they had, they hadn't said anything to my face, at least.
I was counting that as a win. I had no desire to talk about all the rumors, all the gossip, and all the controversy and allegations surrounding this and that.
That was my old life, the trap I'd been pulled into, and it was a trap I'd managed to escape.
Well, I hope I had escaped it. I mean, hell, I packed up everything – my whole damn life to be precise – and left to come here with the hope of starting fresh and living a normal life dedicated to my passion: volleyball.
It was weird being back in Tallahassee. I hadn't been back since graduation. I'd left immediately and gone straight to the West Coast to play professionally. Most of my friends from my college days had moved elsewhere as well except one: John Robinson. He was why I was even at the bar; I was waiting for him, and he was supposed to have arrived half an hour ago.
I chuckled when I thought about that; he hadn't changed much in that regard. As the waitress arrived with my second beer, I saw John hurry through the door, looking flustered.
“Sorry to send you running again, but can you bring me another beer for my friend there?” I asked before she left.
“Sure thing,” she replied with a smile.
I watched John make his way toward me. He'd put on a bit of weight since our college days, but was still looking fairly youthful for a 32-year-old. He saw me almost instantly, and a big grin appeared on his face as he rushed over. I stood to greet him and we gave each other a big hug and then chuckled as we sat down together.
“Jesus H. Christ!” he exclaimed. “You look fantastic, Wade. Just great, man! You been working out?”
“Working out like crazy, man. I don't think I've missed a day at the gym over the last six months. It's one of the only things that's kept me sane.”
“I don't think I've set foot in a gym once in the last six months!” he countered, letting out a loud belly laugh which I couldn't help laughing along with. He patted his stomach and grinned. “And my lack of effort shows, doesn't it?”
I chuckled. “I'm gonna make it my personal mission to get you back in shape, Johnny boy. You're gonna have a six pack in a few months, just like back in our college days. I’ll be your personal coach.”
“I'd rather have a six pack of this,” he said, taking the beer from the waitress as she came back.
“All right, all right,” I laughed.
“Speaking of coaching, isn’t your first day tomorrow?” he asked.
“Yep.”
“How are you feelin' about that?”
“Well, I mean, it's what I do best, but I can't help being a little nervous about meeting a new team. Especially when I've got a professional reputation to uphold and a personal one to live down. Then, you throw in the pressure from all the expectations Florida State has of me. They're really expecting me to take this team to the top.”
“You will, Wade. C'mon, you're a great coach. One of the best in the country. There ain't nothing to be nervous about.”
“Yeah, I know. But enough about me; how are you? How's the university's IT department?”
“As exciting as it sounds,” he replied. “But hey, it's a great job, and computers have always been my thing.”
“You were a great volleyball player, too, you know,” I reminded him.
“I had a few skills, I guess, but I never had the passion for it like you did. That's why you went pro, and me? Well, I kinda gave it up.”
“You ever regret that? I mean, not trying to go pro.”
“No, I just wasn't good enough. And, I really do feel fulfilled working with computers. I love what I do.”
“I’m glad you do. C'mon, drink up, buddy! To you loving your job and to my, well, not-quite-so triumphant return to FSU!”
We both grinned, clinked our bottles together, downed our beers, and spent the rest of the evening reminiscing about our younger days.
*****
I stared into the mirror on the wall of my new office. Staring back at me was the reflection of a man who was both broken and repaired at the same time.
Physically, I looked good, better than I had in years. Like I'd told John the night before, I'd been hitting the gym regularly and hard. I'd inherited good genes from my parents, as well – a strong jawline and thick, dark hair from my dad, and my mom's piercing green eyes and smooth, youthful skin. I’ve always known how lucky I was to have been gifted with good looks, but also cursed, in a way.
The part-time modeling I'd done after being noticed in the Olympics was what had gotten me into those Hollywood parties and that circle of people. It was the beginning of my downward spiral and had gotten me into more trouble than it was worth. If I'd been a more average-looking guy, I don’t think any of that would have happened. I'd probably still be coaching at UCLA in blissful obscurity, living a quiet and relaxing life. Maybe I'd even be married with two kids and a dog, a house with a white picket fence, and all of that.
However, that wasn't how things had turned out.
At least I now had the opportunity to have a fresh start. And this time, I wasn't going to let any woman close enough to get my life into a gigantic mess again. No sir, no way – going forward, I was doing things for me, and me only.
I ran my fingers through my hair to settle it into place and then hung my old whistle around my neck – my lucky whistle, the one I'd used when coaching my first team and taking them to the top of the league. I was ready.
I checked my watch. Twenty minutes until practice was set to start. I ran over the notes again given to me by Coach Hatting. For a moment, I thought about the days he’d coached me when I'd been on the Florida State University team. He was a great coach and knew the game better than any coach I’d ever had, even the coaches of the Olympic team.
I double-checked the names of the players Coach Hatting noted I needed to be paying attention to. Some names were underlined in green, some in red, some in blue. The red ones were bad apples – players who either had bad attitudes or were lazy. The green ones were players who, under the old coach, had been unfairly overlooked despite having real talent.
The blue ones were different altogether. They were connected with the scandal in which the former coach had been involved. The school had managed to keep it pretty hush-hush, but Coach Hatting had informed me that the former coach had taken bribes from these players’ parents to put them in the starting lineup. Now it was up to me to evaluate them and see if they actually had any talent, or if they were starters simply because their parents had paid for the position.
I took a deep breath. It was such a mess to clean up. Coach Hatting had tried, but he was only there for a few short weeks. It was up to me to sort everything out. I folded the list and put it in my pocket before heading over to the indoor court where the practice was to be held.
As I arrived, the girls were all busy warming up, chatting and laughing as they did, but when they saw me, a hush quickly fell over the court. I tried to tamp down the uneasiness as a few of them checked me out. As flattering as it was, it got in the way of being professional, and the last thing I wanted to deal with starting with a new team was a bunch of flirty college kids. I just wanted to do my job as professionally as possible.
I moved my eyes over the crowd and wondered how long it would take to learn all of their names. There were 22 players on the roster. That may not seem like an overwhelming number of names to learn, but when you’re already terrible with names to begin with, it was.
I studied the team for a moment, watching how they interacted and how they moved as they warmed up. They all looked to be in good shape, and most seemed to just be going through the motions. Not that you would expect anything more from a warm-up team.
Then, my eyes reached a player at the edge of the court. Her back was to me, but she stood out. Her form was flawless and her hustle was clearly more intense than the rest of the team. She reminded me of myself. All in, all the time. One hundred percent.
When she turned around, I had to catch my breath. She was stunning. I didn't know if it was her honey-colored eyes or wavy, chestnut hair. But when she smiled at her teammate, she took my breath away all over again.
I'd gotten used to the bleached, fake, surgically-enhanced, and plastic-pumped “beauty” in Los Angeles, but hers was a natural beauty, classic almost. This girl had your old-fashioned, girl-next-door kind of a look to her – a look I hadn't seen in years.
I jolted myself out of my little trance. Stop it, Wade. I should not have been staring at her, especially since I was the coach and she was a student who was at least a decade, or more, younger than me. I had to remind myself that I was here to do a job, not get caught up in admiring the view.
I cleared my throat as I took a few steps closer to the court and prepared to speak.
“Good afternoon, everyone.” I waited until they had all turned to face me. “As you may have guessed, I'm your new coach, Wade Vinson. You can call me Coach Vinson or Mr. Vinson. I won’t be asking for anything outrageous from you ladies. I’ve been where you are, so I know what should be expected.
“What I will ask for is total commitment out there on the court. If I'm going to take this team to the top, I'm going to need each of you to do everything I tell you, to the absolute letter, without complaining or whining or asking questions. Do you all understand?”
“Yes, Coach Vinson,” came the reply spoke in unison. There were a few giggles, but mostly the girls seemed as serious about this as I was. That was good.
“All right, since today is my first day and I don't know any of you, I just want you each to introduce yourselves to me. Let’s all go over to the bleachers, and you can each take a turn to stand up, tell me your name and where you're from, and what you're majoring in here at Florida State. After that, we'll play a few games so I can see you in action and see who's really got what it takes to be in the starting lineup. So go on, get a move on.”
The girls did as I said and sat in two neat rows on the bottom bleachers. I guessed Coach Hatting had whipped them into shape over the past few weeks; I was grateful he had at least taken care of one issue for me.
I quickly took out the list of names and scanned over it, making sure I wouldn't miss the players Coach Hatting pointed out – for both good and bad reasons.
The first girl who stood up was a blonde knockout, one who would totally look at home in any L.A. A-list party, and therefore, one I felt a little repelled by. I didn't want to be reminded too much of those times. She was even wearing a shit-ton of makeup…for a volleyball practice. Really? Come on.
“Hi, Coach,” she said, smiling flirtatiously and batting her eyes.
Oh, this was just great. Already someone trying to win me over with what she surely thought was her feminine charm.
“I'm Tammy McRae.”
Ahhh. I remembered that name from the list. She was one of the players whose parents had been slipping the coach a little something on the side. Well, bribing the coach, to be more accurate.
“I'm 21 years old, and I'm from Los Angeles. I'm majoring in acting and drama. And, I must say, I feel so, so privileged to be coached by a volleyball legend like you,” she added, giving me a lustful gaze.
Great, just great – a wannabe starlet. I didn’t need any more of those in my life.
I listened to the several of the girls as they introduced themselves. More than a few of them had cushy majors and gave me that flirty smile I was hoping to avoid. I could only hope they could be professional and take their position on the team seriously.
Finally, though, the girl who had caught my eye – and taken my breath away – stood up and introduced herself.
“Hi, Coach Vinson,” she said in a soft, but confident tone. “My name is Eryn Barnett. I'm 21 years old, and I'm majoring in computer programming.”
Interesting. It seemed that this girl had brains as well as beauty. And, I immediately recognized her name as the one on Coach Hatting’s watch list.
However, her attitude was nothing like the majority of the others who had gone before her. The way she looked at me came across as if she didn't want to talk to me, at all. Still, I couldn't help but stare at her as she spoke. I caught myself doing so and immediately blushed, hoping she or none of the other girls had noticed.
She smiled a tight-lipped smile and sat down abruptly.
If she was one Hatting said had talent, there was only one way to find out about that: get her out there on the court and play. I made a few notes on my chart as the remaining players made their introductions.
“All right, girls,” I said, “let's get you into two teams, and then you can show me what you've got.”
I arranged them into two teams and let them go at it while I watched carefully and took notes. Hatting was right: there were a few stellar players who seemed to have been unfairly excluded from the previous starting lineup, most likely because they hadn't paid off the coach.
And chief among these was Eryn Barnett. My God, she could play – she had incredible talent.
I knew I had to speak to her after practice. It was rare that I came across anyone with such natural talent for the sport. I sent the team to hit the showers, but as they were leaving, I hurried over to Eryn as she was picking up her gym bag.
“Hold on there, Miss Barnett,” I said, hoping that she wouldn't notice the raw attraction gleaming in my eyes. “Can I have a quick word with you…in private?”