first place in any contest and, just now, in her underwear. Extremely hot underwear.
He turned up the AC. The image of her popping out of the dressing room in purple lace, creamy skin filling bra cups that barely covered her nipples and full hips poured into sexy underwear was front and center on his brain.
Rachel had filled out since high school. She had run away a skinny girl and returned a voluptuous woman who did amazing things for purple lace.
Amazing things.
Logan pulled into the high school parking lot. It still gave him an odd sense of déjà vu. Sure, he’d been to the high school before. He’d practically lived there. But, now he was the coach. It was his field and his team. And, right now, his team needed to win some games.
He pushed thoughts of the sexy Rachel Delaney-Tolbert from his mind and focused on his job. The one he was getting paid for.
His cell phone buzzed as he entered the coach’s office. Logan checked the caller ID and suppressed a groan. He answered the phone. His boss, the AD, skipped hello and started talking. “Logan, I need a favor.”
Logan slid into his chair, propping his feet on the desk.
“What can I do for you?”
“I want you to let my wife’s cousin help coach this year.”
Logan’s feet hit the floor.
“He played a little in high school, not too much in college, but that’s just because he went to the wrong school. That program couldn’t see his potential—”
Logan pinched the bridge of his nose.
“—he just moved to Dixon, so he’s only twenty miles from Redemption. He’s really motivated. He’s smart. Got a great football mind. He’ll fit right in.”
Logan cast a glance around his office. He’d hung up pictures of all the teams he’d been a part of from high school through college and pro. “I don’t have an opening.”
“Sure you do. He could coach the running backs.”
“I have a running backs coach.”
“He can help Morrison coach the defensive line.”
Charlie didn’t need any help from the AD’s cousin. Logan had had many coaches. He’d respected every one of them. Most of them had had some sort of impact on who he was today. His eyes landed on a picture of his high school coach, the one who’d helped him catch the attention of college scouts and the one who’d helped him see that he could become more than just Mean Gene’s son. He remembered the man, now long gone, fondly and wondered if the AD’s cousin might have that impact on one of his players.
“Logan, consider this a personal favor.”
There wasn’t much he could say to that. “I need to meet him first.”
“Yes, yes, of course. Meet. You’re going to hit it off. You’ll see. I hope you don’t mind but I asked him to meet with you today, before practice.”
Logan rolled his eyes. He needed every minute of practice for practice, not playing human resources manager. The AD continued speaking in his ear.
“Thanks, Logan. You won’t regret this.”
Logan didn’t believe that for a second.
Molly refused to let Rachel walk out of Fancy Pants wearing the wrinkled linen suit.
She put Rachel in a light blue, non-wrinkle, jersey sundress—a gift, Molly had said—that barely reached mid-thigh, and sent Rachel on her way.
Rachel was ready to put the event in motion, no matter what that jerky jock Logan said. Or did. Or saw.
The clock was ticking, the town council had said “yes”, and she was one month away from giving her final gift to Nana.
First stop: the high school. Rachel parked in the parking lot and just sat there, a flood of nostalgia washing over her.
It was an odd sensation of disconnection and belonging. Her world had once revolved around the happenings at this school, the people at this school.
Her friends, her teachers. Molly. And Logan. He’d been a super-star. Everybody had loved him—his teammates, his friends, his teachers. She hated to admit it, but he’d been a big part of her life—everyone’s life—in those days. The difference
Sonu Shamdasani C. G. Jung R. F.C. Hull