“We have that in common, Coach.”
He gives me a wry smile. “On this trip, call me Noel.”
I don’t think I could get his first name out of my mouth unless someone had a gun to my head. He’s my coach, and he always will be. Even if I play for a different team or retire, I’ll always call him Coach to his face, and either Coach or Turner when I’m talking to someone else about him.
“Did you bring any work with you?” I ask.
“Always.”
The large sailboat we’re on is crowded with not just the huge bridal party, but lots of other family members and guests that Audra and Kyle invited. Kyle’s mom cried when she saw Talia, embracing her warmly and telling her how much she missed her.
“So you two are a thing now?” Coach asks me, his tone bristly.
I shrug a shoulder. “We would be if she wanted to be.”
He pinches his brows together. “Then what’s with telling everyone you are? And all the touching?”
He can be the nicest guy in the world, or the grouchiest bastard. I know he just wants to protect his daughter, though. I tip my beer bottle to my mouth, speaking in a low tone right before I take a drink, so my mouth is covered.
“Because she feels more confident with people thinking she’s moved on.”
His scowl falls away. “But she hasn’t?”
“You’d have to ask her. I think she has, but being here is still tough for her.”
He exhales heavily. “Thanks for being here for her. I thought it would be enough if I was here, but ... thanks.”
“I want to be here. Talia’s awesome.”
Kyle’s been avoiding me. He only greeted Talia when she was pulled aside to meet someone. I catch sight of him holding on to the side of the sailboat, puking his guts out.
“Looks like Kyle is sick. Shame.”
Coach scoffs. “Hope he chokes on it.”
“You doing the paddleboarding group thing tomorrow?”
He groans. “I don’t know.”
“I guess there’s a volcano hike, too. In the afternoon.”
Coach shakes his head, draining the last of the whiskey from his glass. “Beaumont, I’d rather walk into a live volcano than spend time with my ex-wife.”
“Hang out with me and Talia, then.”
He clears his throat. “I’ll be frank. Watching you hit on my daughter is also not fun.”
I smile, but stop myself from laughing. “That’s fair. Just wanted you to know you’ve got people here.”
“Thanks. I agreed to do this and the ceremony. That’s it.”
Coach has been in a darker mood since his recent divorce. Which I get, because her cheating and leaving him for their contractor was an ugly, public thing. His ex, Angie, accused him of being emotionally unavailable and married to his work.
Talia comes over to us, saving me from trying to make more small talk with Turner. She’s radiant, her natural waves pinned up with a few pieces loose around her face.
“Lucien, this is my cousin Kimmie. Kimmie, Lucien Beaumont.”
Kimmie looks around thirty. She’s got wild dark curls and her eyes remind me of Talia’s.
