“Looks that way.”
“How?”
Like, I understand the breakup – as hard as that still is to believe – and his suspension from the team. But I don’t get how all of that led to him becoming a coach at St. Mary’s.
He clamps his jaw for a second before he says casually, “Because Mom thought teaching a bunch of schoolgirls would be a nice way for me to spend the time while I’m here.Recoveringfrom injury. And what can I say, I can never refuse my mom anything.”
“But that still doesn’t…”
Oh, it makes sense.
It completely makes sense now.
Leah is doing to him what she did to me.
I tried to run away with stolen money and so she called the cops before sending me here.
She’s doing the same with him. He punched his assistant coach and got suspended from the team, and so he’s here, teaching a bunch ofschoolgirlsthat he doesn’t like.
“She’s punishing you, isn’t she?” I conclude while he watches me intently. “But that’s so crazy. You just made a mistake. You were upset over the breakup and you punched him but –”
The muscle on his cheek starts ticking and I stop.
Oh shit.
I just spilled the beans, didn’t I? I spilled that I know.
I know the real story about his fake injury.
And I did that even though my sister told me not to open my big mouth.
Damn it.
“So you know,” he says softly, dangerously, and I swallow.
“I’m not gonna say anything,” I say, lowering my voice because for the first time I realize how quiet the space is around us. How public.
We’re in a library.
Of course, the space is quiet and public.
There are students sitting up front, studying. Thank God we’re in the back, surrounded by thick, dusty volumes.
“How?” he asks.
“M-my sister. I called her and forced her into telling me.”
“But you’re not supposed to be making any calls.”
Again, he’s speaking in very soft tones, low tones, but I flinch, nonetheless. “Well, I break rules, don’t I?” His face remains blank at my declaration and his eyes remain watching and for some reason, I keep explaining. “So that’s what I did and called her. But only because you guys broke up and I was –”
“Worried,” he speaks over me.
I jerk out a nod. “Yes, and she told me everything.”
“She did.”
“Yeah, and now I know your secret.”
