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He breathes football. She shudders at the very mention of the sport. After a tragedy involving a football player destroyed her family, athletic trainer and graduate student, Cassie moves across the country looking for a fresh start, but a change in financial aid lands her in the middle of her worst nightmare. Meanwhile, rookie coach Reed worries his dream career will slip away as injuries plague his players and his star receiver teeters on the brink of ineligibility. As the two work together to salvage the season, sparks fly, and Reed must eventually choose between the game and the woman he loves.
Excerpt:
“It’s
about time you showed up.”
Cassie
Parker stiffened and turned her attention from the retreating
receptionist to the silver-haired football coach glaring across his
desk.
“I’m
sorry, but I only found out an hour ago that the university hired
someone to teach aerobics and eliminated my graduate assistantship
position. I understood that I wasn’t supposed to report until
classes start next Monday.”
“Then
I suppose it’s a good thing you decided to report early.” Coach
Thomas raised an eyebrow and leaned back in his black leather chair.
He
thought it was a good thing to have her hopes crash to the mat? Not
exactly. But she’d trained for years to get back up after a fall.
If
only getting up wasn’t so hard to face this time.
I
can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Just like
Mom always said.
She
squared her shoulders and removed an envelope from her handbag. “Like
your receptionist said, I’m Cassie Parker—a new graduate student
in the Health and Exercise Science program.” She unfolded the
financial aid packet and slid the paperwork across the desktop.
She
swallowed hard as he picked up the papers and read the first page.
“You’re our newest academic adviser, since the guy we had lined
up left with a family emergency.”
He
flipped through the rest of the pages, snatched a pen from his
holder, signed the last page with a flourish, and slid the papers
back to her. Making the position official.
Feeling
a little light-headed, she perched on the edge of a chair with her
handbag in her lap. A tension headache pounded in her temples.
Maybe
skipping lunch to save her dwindling cash hadn’t been such a good
idea.
“So,
Coach Thomas, what do I need to know?”
“We’re
a Division I football team with a lot of work ahead of us if we’re
going to win our conference championship or reach a Bowl game again.
As you said, classes start Monday, and the first game against our
in-state rival is less than two weeks away. Your primary job will be
to help keep our athletes academically eligible.”
Eligible?
She
wanted to ask for specifics on how she was expected to keep them
“eligible.” Did they even know what a book was? Cassie bit her
lip. Sometimes the fine line between being blunt and being mean
challenged her.
The
head coach rambled on about NCAA rules and regulations while printing
out and handing her more papers. Team schedules for the next two
weeks. Instructions to have her classes rescheduled for mornings. She
hoped to find everything written down somewhere because, as if
performing on the balance beam, she still teetered one misstep shy of
an emotional collapse. Why had moving across the country to pursue
her dream landed her in the middle of a nightmare?
She
rubbed a hand over her aching forehead. In exchange for full tuition
and a stipend for living expenses, she would be in frequent contact
with football players. She glanced around the room in search of a
miracle, but framed photographs or autographed footballs covered
every surface. The walls crowded in, looming over her.
Just
like in Judge Whitworth’s private chambers eighteen months ago. No
miracle in sight. Could she really spend hours around jocks with egos
the size of Texas and muscles to match? Of all the programs
available, why did hers have to be football?
God,
why are you doing this to me?
“Not
to mention, with your undergrad degree, you can pitch in and help the
training staff at practices and games,” Coach Thomas continued.
“Games?”
Not even her weekends were safe. Her stomach hurt.
What
other information had she missed?
“Yes,
games. That’s what we do around here.” The sarcasm in the air
threatened to strangle her. “Unless you don’t think you’re
qualified.”
“Qualified?”
Cassie frowned. “I can tape ankles with the best of them.”
“We’ll
see.”
“Hey,
Boss?” A blond giant of a man rounded the corner and stopped. His
pale blue eyes surveyed the room and widened when they landed on
her—as if he’d never seen a girl in a dress before. A flash of
appreciation appeared as his gaze swept over her, and a smile slowly
formed. Spread.
Her
heart thundered in response. Likely in dismay over the source, she
decided. While she had wanted to look nice when meeting her new
supervisor, she hadn’t felt the need to impress a bunch of football
players. Yet here she sat, facing a handsome hulk, who—based on the
Front Range University football logo on his dark green polo
shirt—unfortunately counted as part of the enemy camp.
She
weighed the benefit of the job against the violent impact of her past
and decided she must try to get along.
She
forced a weak smile and nodded a greeting.
The
man seemed to gather his wits and turned toward the head coach. “I
wondered—”
“Perfect
timing. Cassie?” Coach Thomas stood. “This is Reed Worthington,
our receivers’ coach. And, Reed, Cassie is our newest academic
adviser and will also be helping the trainers.”
She
extended her hand as good manners dictated. Reed’s huge palm
squeezed her tiny bones. “Ouch.”
“Oops.
Sorry.” Reed released her hand. Well-defined muscles bulged from
his short sleeves.
Cassie
rubbed the sting out of her crumpled fingers while trying to ignore
the tingle of awareness his touch sparked. He probably spent hours in
the weight room—and equal time staring at himself in the mirror.
Probably had girls fawning all over him to ogle his bodybuilder
physique. Likely all brawn, no brains.
“Reed?
I need you to give Cassie a tour so she can find the academic center
and training facilities. Then you can finish up that practice film
before our staff meeting later.”
“No
problem, Boss.” Reed’s deep voice was too cheery to fit her mood.
The
man behind the desk found his first smile. “I told you to stop
calling me that.”
“Sure
thing … Boss.”
Another
glance at the giant—who seemed so unlike a reed—revealed
twinkling blue eyes and a dimpled cheek, as if he hid a smile. An
expression that almost made her want to like him.
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