“But nothing. Do you have any idea how hard it’s been, going to bed alone every night, after being told by the person who promised to love me forever that I wasn’t good enough anymore? How lonely I’ve been?” I kept my voice low, there were still people around after all, but I could feel ten years of repressed anger and pain seething behind every word. “And you, my mother, everyone made me think it was my fault. And then this incredible woman suddenly says that you were all wrong, that I am beautiful, and that she wants me. Even if I’d never looked at another woman in my life,” I gave a bitter laugh, “which I assure you is not the case, it would have been very tempting.”
I took a breath and looked back out to the field, where the team was starting to reemerge from the locker room. “As it is, I’ve always liked women. And I like that one a lot, so you better get used to her being around.” I watched my girlfriend emerge from beneath the bleachers, her long, tight curls pulled back into its usual ponytail. Her arms were crossed under her breasts, her green eyes hard over her sharp, aquiline features.
As she passed in and amongst her players you could see her intensity infect each young woman. Paige had said it often, she was the type of coach who made you want to run through a wall for her, who made you be better than you thought you could. A lovely tingle built in my core as I watched her. Her eyes found me for just a moment, a bare hint of a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth for the briefest second. It made the heat inside me click up a notch, and I took a long, appreciative look at her firm backside underneath the black slacks she was wearing.
“So, well, shit.” Bill’s voice snapped me out of my reverie. I’d almost forgotten he was there. It took self-control, but I didn’t laugh at his befuddled expression. I didn’t feel any need to reassure Bill that I had loved and been attracted to him like I had when I’d talked with Paige. It was important to me she knew I’d loved her father. If he didn’t know it, well, that was his own damn fault. “Do, um, Will and Charlie?”
“Yes, they all know, they’ve met her. Will’s not thrilled with the idea, he thinks Anna’s parents will make her break up with him if they knew.”
“Would they?”
“Honestly, he’d know better than I would. I remember her mother asked me early on what church I attended, but that’s been the extent of the religious conversations I’ve had with them.”
“And that doesn’t bother you?”
“Well, we don’t plan on taking out billboards, but I won’t let anyone’s homophobia ruin a wonderful start to a relationship. What they choose to do is on them, not me.”
“Does that anyone include your mother?”
Ouch, that hurt. “It has to. If I ever tell her.”
We both chuckled. “Well, she won’t hear it from me.” Bill stood up. “I’ll probably still talk to Paige about this, but if she says what you said, I’ll consider it closed.”
“I’ll have Principal Harrison send you copies of the photos. You can look and see there’s nothing there.”
“I’d appreciate that.” We nodded to each other, and he headed back toward Ashley while I bought my Diet Coke. When I climbed back up to my seat I looked over my shoulder at Renee Perry. I met the daggers coming from her with as icy a look as I could muster. I was not going to let my family or my new relationship be casualties in whatever petty war she had decided to wage.
I turned back toward the field and watched as Adrienne took the pass back, and the second half was underway.
*****
The team was jubilant as the final buzzer sounded. Paige had scored off a penalty corner in the first two minutes of the first half, but Broughton had tied the game with about five minutes left. In the past, the team would have deflated, but instead they kept going, pressing the attack even more. Shortly after, Adrienne made a gorgeous move, faking a shot and reversing the ball between her defender’s legs. She’d pivoted, turning her stick over in her hands and smacking the ball just outside the reach of Broughton’s wrong-footed goalie and inside the near post.
“See? If that woman had been letting her do that all season…!”
I tuned out Renee’s ignorant comment. The only reason that move had even been possible was because Broughton’s extremely stingy defense had been forced to respect Adrienne’s passing ability.
But they’d won, and they were back in the playoffs for the first time in three years. Paige ran up to me and threw herself into my arms in the parking lot afterwards. “We did it!”
“Yes you did, sweetheart. That was great.”
Her father appeared at my side, and accepted his hug as well. As Paige embraced her stepmother in turn I realized there was someone I didn’t know standing close by.
“Hi, can I help you?”
“Hello, Mrs. Pierson? I’m Tyler Croft, a scout for the University of Virginia. I’ve been at Paige’s last few games and I have to say we are very impressed. I’d love to talk to you and her about having her up for an official visit.
“Honey?” I waved Paige over, and she came with her dad. “This is Ms. Croft. She’s from the University of Virginia.”
Paige’s eyes got big. “Hi.”
Bill nodded. “Lady Cavaliers, huh?”
“Actually, we’re just the Cavaliers. We all represent the same school. I’d like to invite you up to campus next weekend. The team is playing Wake Forest this weekend, and we’d love to have you and your family at the game, show you around campus.”
“Really? That’d be amazing! Dad?”
Bill looked at me, and I shrugged. “It’s your weekend, Bill. I’m all for it.”
Paige had been spoken to by scouts after most of her recent games, but this was the first time she’d ever been formally invited to a campus. I looked around the parking lot, and several of the other girls were being talked to as well. Kaylin and her parents were talking to someone who appeared to be wearing a Wake Forest polo, and Adrienne was conversing with someone wearing Duke Blue.
Coach Dalton was standing by the team bus. I doubt anyone else could have done so, but I could see the pride beaming from her face. As Paige and Bill kept speaking to the Virginia scout I walked over to Sandy.
“Congratulations.” I beamed at her.
She gave me a soft smile. “Thanks. A very satisfying end to a very long day.”
“Yeah.” There was something about the way her face was set that bothered me. “You okay?”
“Sure. Just,” she let out a breath, “my brain is spinning. I’m going to have a hard time sleeping tonight.” She looked at me softly, her voice suddenly soft and vulnerable. “I wish you didn’t have the kids this weekend.”
In an instant I made a decision. “So what if I do? Come over.”
I saw the hope flicker in her eyes. “Are you sure?”
“Yeah.” I really was. Wow, what a feeling. “You’re my girlfriend. We sleep together. It’s okay that the kids know that.”
I could see the smile pulling at the corners of her mouth, cracking her professional resolve. “God, I want to kiss you.”
I moved away slowly. “Well, all the more reason for you to get the girls home. The faster you make it to my bedroom, the faster you can do just that.”
She nodded, and even though we weren’t touching I could feel the air crackling between us. Finally she broke the moment, turning away. “Paige! On the bus!”
“On it, Coach!” I saw Paige say goodbye to Tyler Croft before grabbing her dad’s hands and grinning ear to ear for a second before running off. “Lady Panthers! On the bus!”
I gave Sandy one last smile and headed back to my car.
“I don’t know what the hell you told Principal Harrison, but you know this isn’t over.”
I turned on my heel to face Renee Perry. “Why not? There is nothing going on between the Coach and my daughter.”
She smirked at me. “You know how many other times I have her Jeep at your house? It’s a lot, you know.” She gave an evil, derogatory little laugh. “What is that sweet little girl of yours doing behind your back?”
“She’s eighteen years old. I’m sure she’s doing plenty behind my back. Adrienne probably is, too.” I shrugged. “I know I was at that age.”
“Well, Carlton has already talked to the Chief of Police and the District Attorney. You know it’s illegal, right?”
“If it had happened, it would have been illegal, yes, I know. But it didn’t happen. What’s it gonna take to convince you of that?” I shook my head and started to turn away
“She’s a dyke you know.”
I stopped, looking back over my shoulder. “Excuse me?”
“Coach Dalton, the woman you’re daughter so admires.” She laced her voice with mocking contempt. “She’s a dyke, a lesbian whatever you want to call it. Disgusting.”
My heart was suddenly going a thousand miles an hour, but I kept my voice low and even. “How do you know that?”
“It wasn’t hard. The P. I. I hired just tracked down some of her old friends and pretended he was a reporter for some internet fag rag. They probably even thought they were doing her a favor.” Renee’s smirk turned into an ugly frown. “Think about what she’s teaching her team captain.”
I stepped closer to Renee, anger flashing in my eyes. “The only thing she’s taught my daughter is how to be an amazing hockey player. And I don’t give a single, solitary fuck if Paige wants to date men or women or no one at all. I only care that she’s happy and prepared to be an adult. And to that end she is lucky to have Sandra Dalton in her life. So is Adrienne, for that matter. At least your daughter has one positive role model.”
With that I climbed into my van and slammed the door, my whole body humming with nervous anger. I started the engine and drove away, pausing at the edge of the parking lot to take a few deep breaths. I picked up Paige back at the school and let her drive home. I hadn’t got a chance to talk to Sandy, but I couldn’t wait to see her. Was I doing the wrong thing? Letting her come over for the night while the kids were home?