Her nose brushed mine again. “You’re all mine, Holden. Your whole heart. I’m taking it.”
“You already did,” I said in a hush. “A long time ago. I didn’t even have a choice. It was gone before I even knew what was happening. Just lassoed it like you lassoed that calf.”
She giggled, shaking gently in my arms. Then she shrugged. “Gotta put my roping skills to use one way or another. I don’t want them to get rusty.”
I tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and just took her in for a moment. I hadn’t said I love you to anyone other than family since high school. The relief of having it out there—and of having things fixed with her—took all the weight and heaviness of the last decade and bulldozed it straight off a cliff. I pressed a kiss to her forehead. Just a promise of later.
“Let’s get you to the car,” I finally said.
We had to cut through the gym to get to the parking lot. When we opened the door, volleyballs were already bouncingas the varsity girls warmed up. Our hands came apart just as heads started turning.
“Coach!” Ming yelled, running headlong toward us. But it was Christy she tackled in a hug, which I appreciated. Because a high-five was all they got from me.
“Hey, Ming.” Christy laughed, squeezing her back.
Jasmine bustled up next. But her expression was sad. “Coach?” she said to Christy. We followed her gaze to Alyssa, sitting in the bleachers, crying. Her mom and dad were on either side, arms around her. What in the world?
I followed Christy over. At the bottom of the bleachers, I noticed two large boxes. Full of our missing volleyballs. Alyssa was gasping out sobs.
Her mom’s expression was pained. My chest clenched as I realized. She was Amber’s older sister. I didn’t know her. Only knewofher. She was much older. Maybe ten years. But the resemblance was clear. But they seemed different too. She seemed less like a viper and more like an actual human with a heart.
She smoothed Alyssa’s hair. “She’s so worried you’re not going to let her play.”
“I told her that was ridiculous.” Her dad’s tone was a touch threatening. And that mustache made me think he wasn’t bluffing. “It’s not her fault her aunt is a piece of…” He clamped his lips together to refrain from the word he so badly wanted to say. It was evident in every line of his face.
Christy sat on the bleacher directly beneath Alyssa. Then she reached out and took her hand. “Hey.”
Alyssa sniffed, face bright red. “I’m so sorry, Coach Christy. I didn’t know.”
Christy patted her hand. “I know you didn’t. It’s okay. Sometimes people are just…”
“Jackasses,” I said for her.
Alyssa’s dad laughed. But her mom looked incredibly sad.I wanted to have empathy for her. But I also didn’t want to touch that family with a ten-foot pole. Except for Alyssa. I’d care about her.
Christy looked up at me, pleading in her worried face. She wanted me to take this.
“Lys,” I started. “Of course we’re letting you play. You’re the best setter in the district. We would lose without you.”
“That’s what I told her,” her dad said proudly.
“Facts.”
I turned. Ming had said it. She and Jasmine were at the bottom of the bleachers, arms around each other, silently supporting their friend.
“And,” I began again. “You didn’t have anything to do with it. We know that.” It was a statement, not a question. She needed to know we believed her.
“I didn’t. I promise.” Her face crumpled and she started crying again. And I hoped they really did nail Amber. If not for Savannah or Christy who both deserved it, then for her niece whom she’d used as a pawn in her twisted game. Alyssa looked at Christy. “I’m so sorry for everything she did to you.” Then to me. “And you, Coach Dupree.”
I was about to tell her she didn’t need to apologize. It wasn’t her fault.
But then Christy said, “You know the best thing you could do right now?” There was a twinkle in her eye. “Take it out on the ball. Leave it all on the court. Be there for your team today. Okay?”
Alyssa smiled through the tears. “Let’s do it.” Then she hopped up and ditched her parents for Ming, Jasmine, and a love of the game.
“Can you girls put the balls away?” I said before they went. The gym was beginning to buzz with incoming fans.
Alyssa’s mom stood with a heavy sigh. “We found the balls in my parents’ basement. Honestly, it was pretty genius.There’s so much stuff down there, if Alyssa hadn’t gone on a rampage looking for them, we might never have known.” She glanced at me nervously. “I’m so sorry.”
