Coach grunts when he realizes he’s on speaker. The worry is written all over Ivory’s face, so I mouth “it’s okay” before engaging with her father. My coach. I’m walking a fine linealready and don’t want him to feel disrespected that we kept this from him. “Did you need to speak with me?”
“I thought I told you to keep an eye on my daughter.” Coach’s tone has a cutting edge to it.
“You did.” I keep my voice even and calm instead of meeting his annoyance.
“And what part of that indicated to you that it meant to put your hands on her?” Was it implied that I wouldn’t make a move on his daughter when he asked me to keep an eye on her after being kicked out of the resort? Yes. Was I going to let that stop me from pursuing the most important and incredible woman I had ever met? Hell fucking no.
“DAD!”
“What? I have a right to know what’s going on!”
“I take it you saw the picture I posted.” Ivory worries her bottom lip.
“Hell yeah, I saw the picture,” Coach explodes. “The entire world saw the picture. Were you planning to tell me or let the whole world know first?”
Ivory’s body tenses against my chest at the outburst.
“You’re stranded in a foreign country with no end in sight. I’m worried about something happening to you. I felt marginally better when I found out Fields is with you. I don’t like it, but it gave me some reassurance that you weren’t alone.”
He’s texted me a few times to make sure Ivory is okay. I can tell they have a solid relationship.
“There’s no need to worry. We’ve been perfectly safe.” Ivory is distressed, wringing her hands in her lap.
“I will protect her with my life, Coach.”
“AND YOU!” he fumes. It reminds me of when he yells at us after a loss. “You met my daughter two months ago! How long did you wait to take advantage of her?”
“Take advantage?! Are you fucking kidding me. Ivory is an adult. She—” I’m seeing red. I thought we had a good relationship.I thought he trusted me. But this reaction is coming completely out of left field.
“I might respect you on the ball field but that doesn’t give you the right to make a move on my daughter. She’s in a vulnerable place.”
I bristle at the accusation. Ivory’s eyes gloss over. She stares at the wall, tuning him out. Taking a deep breath, I try to regain my composure. I’m already on thin ice. I can’t get suspended or kicked off the team for fighting with my coach. But this reaction isn’t cool.
“She’s not as incapable as you seem to think.” My hands never leave Ivory as I try to deescalate the situation. I don’t stop kneading her shoulders and rubbing circles on her arm.
“You don’t know her like I do. You don’t know what she’s been through with the media and her career. I won’t let you use this forced proximity situation to satisfy some horny baseball player fantasy of sleeping with the coach’s daughter.”
“That is not what happened. If you want to talk to me, you can call me on my phone. Like I told Ivory, when she calls you, you are her father—not my coach. And she doesn’t need this right now. I get you are her dad but what happens between us, is between me and Ivory.” My tone is sharp to my ears. Ivory jumps and her eyes whip around to find mine. I kiss her temple, massaging the back of her neck.
“The hell it is! She’s my daughter and you’re my player. This is every bit my business.” He’s on a roll now, turning his brashness back on Ivory.
“ENOUGH!” Ivory yells.
“Ivory Gwyneth Crenshaw. You have a lot of explaining to do. What happens when the press finds out you two are together? Did you really think it was a good idea to publicize this? You know the headlines they’ve been running with. This is going to add fuel to the fire. What the fuck were you thinking?”
Ivory’s head snaps back into my chest. The blow landed where it was intended.
“With all due respect, Coach.” My jaw clenches and my neck feels hot. I wouldn’t be surprised if it were turning red with how angry I am. I’ve always looked up to Coach, but him acting like Ivory can’t take care of herself and then berating her for this post even if his anger is directed at me, is too much. I know it has to hurt him to see the backlash Ivory gets but this is too far. “You can yell and cuss at me, but I draw the line at you berating Ivory for a personal choice that she made. I understand you were caught off guard, but this is out of line.”
Ivory clears her throat, finding her voice. “Preston did not take advantage. He wouldn’t. And you know that. So just stop it. I know you’ve been caught off guard and we should have told you. But it’s my life, I can make my own choices. I choose Preston. He’s good for me, Dad. He’s a good man. The best.” Ivory is speaking to her father but she’s talking to me. Her eyes bore into mine. She grips my hand in a tight hold as if her touch will drive the point home.
Coach blows out a breath on the other end of the line.
“I understand you are worried, but I have to figure out how to take back control of my life, Dad. That’s what I’m trying to do. I need you to trust me. I need you to treat me like an adult.”
“I only want you safe. The press is relentless when it comes to you. It worries me what they will do in this situation.” His voice cracks. He cares a lot about Ivory. That part is clear as day.
“I know. I am safe. I posted the picture to test the waters. I have been living in fear and hiding a part of myself because of the press. Preston showed me that. I need to take back my power.”
