Her lips parted with a soft, “Oh.” And my gaze fastened on her mouth. “What is this for? I would hardly celebrate the outcome of the game, even if we didn’t lose.”
“You also deserve to be comforted, darling. It wasn’t just the girls not getting enough points to get to the final.”
Adalyn sighed. “Red is perfect. Thank you, Coach.”
I had to fight the urge to smile at her calling me that. Or growl, I wasn’t sure. “Don’t thank me just yet,” I murmured, and served her a glass. “So two rounds of milkshakes?”
“Yes. The girls were so devastated I started getting everything Josie had behind the counter. Nothing was left, not even Josie’s raisin cookies.” Her hand came around the stem of the glass. “I mean, we all knew that if we didn’t win this game against the New Mount Eagles we would only be able to fight for a third or fourth place. But I…” She averted her gaze, her lips closing around the brim and taking a long sip. “I don’t know.”
We had talked about this, long and hard. We’d established a strategy and the girls had entered that field today with a literal battle cry. Adalyn had gotten everything on camera. When we’d only managed another tie, I’d been ready to deal with the possible consequences that would have on Adalyn. I’d been prepared to weather a storm. Because I’d known just how badly Adalyn wanted—needed—the girls to get to that final that was no longer possible. But she’d been… okay. No. She’d been so concerned about the girls’ reaction that she hadn’t even shown disappointment herself. She’d put on a strong face.
It’d been impossibly hard not to kiss her in that moment.
It was impossible now. “Are you not a little devastated? You don’t need to act strong around me, love.”
Adalyn set the glass back on the island. “I’m disappointed. There was a lot at stake for me.” She frowned. “But no, I’m not devastated. Somehow. It was me who got their hopes up. I wanted this for them.”
There was a lot at stake for me.
I knew that she had messed up in some way or another and was trying to redeem herself. But I was starting to believe that there was more than just that.
“What exactly was at stake for you?” I asked.
Adalyn shook her head. “You know what the Miami Flames sent me here for,” she said. And I knew. But I let her talk. Because now, I was certain I was missing something I’d overlooked. It was right there, in the way she wouldn’t look at me. Her shoulders tensed. “I know that the condition had never been to win but… Well, I just hoped we would. A win is always a win. And you can better sell a win to the press. People love winners, we all know that. But I still have a lot of material to work with. And I’m planning something big for that last game. No matter where we end up. This is still a success story.”
I frowned. The condition? Why would she say that instead of the goal or the milestone? But also… “There wasn’t any press at today’s game. Or the one before.” I specifically remembered her mentioning talking to local outlets. “Why?”
She brought the glass to her lips again. But I could tell it was to give herself time.
I stared at her, in silence. Willing her to tell me the reason even though I knew. She must have done it for me. And that… made me want to scream for very different reasons. “Adalyn—”
“Enough about me, please.” She tried to smile over her glass, but I didn’t buy it. It was that plastic smile I didn’t like. The one that wasn’t hers. “What about you? What’s Cameron Caldani’s plan? How… long do you think you’ll be in Green Oak?”
I remained quiet. Partly because of how she’d shot me down, and partly because of the reminder that none of us were here to stay. Or maybe I was. I didn’t know.
Adalyn must have sensed some of my reluctance to talk about any of that, because she reached out and touched my arm. “We don’t need to talk about it.” She lowered her voice. “Can I ask you something else instead?”
I reached for my glass and brought it to my lips for one long swig. “You can ask me anything,” I told her, returning the wine to the surface of the island. I just wish she’d extend the same offer to me.
“It’s about your retirement.”
I stiffened. So much that I had to focus on the touch of her fingers on my arm to simmer down enough to speak. “What about it?”