Page 7 of The Overtime Persuasive

My spine straightens before I can stop it. This is it. I have waited for this. I know this team.

Since I got here, I’ve put in the time. I have worked my ass off to show Coach and the powers that be that I’m steady. Dependable. The player you send out when you need someone to protect a lead or settle things down. I’m ready for more.

One of those As should be mine.

“I’d like to formally volunteer,” Tripp says.

Laughter breaks through the heaviness around us.

I look across the circle. “You’ve been here like, what, twelve minutes.”

“Looks like I came at the right time. Like a gift from God, don’t you think?”

Oh this guy. “You should probably learn everyone’s name first.”

“I know yours.” Tripp’s grin widens. “Snyder.”

Coach points his whistle at him. “Mercer, try surviving your first week before you start campaigning.”

“Yes, Coach.” But Tripp keeps his eyes on me, looking entirely too pleased with himself. Yep. Same Tripp. Guess that answers how we’ll be as teammates.

“Okay, we’re done today. Get off my ice,” Coach says.

There’s the usual clamor as everyone heads for the locker room. By the time I reach my stall, the ache in my leg has settled into a steady pulse. I drop onto the bench and start working the tape from my socks.

Across the room, Sawyer claps Campbell on the shoulder. “Another year of everyone pretending to listen to you.”

Campbell gives his cousin a look. “You could try actually listening, huh?”

“So, Mercer,” Sawyer calls across the room, clearly not paying attention to Campbell. “You find somewhere to live yet?”

Tripp pulls his jersey over his head. “If six nights at a local hotel counts.”

“I thought you were talking to my realtor,” Campbell says, facing Tripp. “What happened to the apartment?”

“Lease fell through before I got here. I’m looking for something short term until I figure out where I want to be.”

“Snyder bought a house,” Sawyer says. “Got some space you wanna give up, bro?”

“Nope,” I answer.

Tripp glances at me. “I didn’t ask.”

I stay focused on unraveling my tape. “I’m getting ahead of it.”

“Afraid I’ll take your alternate spot…and your guest room?”

The other guys snicker, and I just breathe in and out. Slow and deep. “You’re not getting either.”

“Man,” Owen cackles, “if you had a girlfriend, Snyder, would Mercer be moving in on her too?”

“Owen, you stop, and you—” Campbell shakes his head at Sawyer. “Stop volunteering other people’s houses.”

“I think it’s volun-telling them to do it,” Sawyer says thoughtfully. “Look at it this way, I’m being a leader. A man of assistance.”

“You never offer assistance,” I tell him.

Sawyer smiles wickedly. “That’s not what your sister says.”