We stopped at the bottom, and I asked, “Do you mind me asking if you’re a student here?”
She sounded like maybe she was a dean or a professor.
Her shoulders relaxed some after letting out a short breath.
“Sorry.” She laughed, and I joined her.
“I’m so used to talking to parents of the freshmen I’m assigned to reassure them their children will be fine here.”
“No problem.”
She heaved out another breath. “The long and short of it is, we girls have things we may not want boys to see or know about.”
“Are you talking about my period?”
We burst into more laughter.
“Sure, that and taking a shower. I mean if you’re okay with showering there, it’s fine. But if you want some privacy, you can find it here.”
She led me toward a sign that read pool. We walked in, and I was surprised by the size of it. It had to be as big as those used during the summer Olympics.
“So,” she said. “Though this is primarily for the football team, there are female staff members. When they designed the complex, they added a small locker room for us ladies.”
I used a fake drawl. “Are you saying they didn’t count on the little ladies playing ball?”
She giggled. “You said it, not me.”
We walked into the locker room, which was way smaller than the one the boys had upstairs. There were three rows of orange lockers that resembled the kind we used in high school; though they were a little shorter and skinnier.
“Both the men and women’s locker rooms in the pool areas are temporary lockers because they are smaller and fewer. There are signs posted that any locks found overnight can and will be removed. However, we are making an exception for you. The lockers upstairs have no doors to conceal things we girls want to keep to ourselves.” I nodded. “So take your pick,” she said.
My plan had been to use the locker room upstairs. But she was right. There were some things I wouldn’t want left exposed. I wandered down the aisle to the back. I figured most would use the lockers up front.
“This one.”
I pointed to one on the end that faced in the direction of the entrance so I could see anyone who came into the aisle. She made note of the number and then pulled a business card free and handed it to me.
“Fancy,” I said, glancing at it.
“Please feel free to call me if you have any questions or problems.”
“Yeah, thanks.”
Maybe if things go south for Shepard, I could call her for help.
12
shepard
There was no avoiding the anvil that was about to fall. I trudged to the office door and swung it open without knocking.
“Connelly, sit.”
Coach held out a hand indicating the single chair in front of his desk. I pushed the door and heard it click closed as I slumped in the chair. Coach examined me with silently tapping steeple fingers.
“What happened out there?”
I stood up for the girl I love against Devon Bryant. “Devon said some pretty nasty things to Finley, Coach.”
He angled his head to the side. “Did he touch her in any way?”
I shook my head as I clasped my hands in my lap.
“So he just spoke to her?”
I jerked my head up and down in agreement.
“They’re just words, son. And Farrow is going to have to deal with a lot more of them when game time comes. Do you plan to punch every asshole that’s got something to say about her being on the field?”
I would if I could. “No, Coach.”
“Then I suggest you stop and let her handle it. From what I could tell this morning, she is more than capable.”
I smiled again thinking about her quick retort to Jones when he’d offered his cup for her to use.
“As far as Bryant is concerned, you’re lucky you only bruised his jaw and he doesn’t need it to kick a ball. If you’d broken anything, I might have been forced to kick you off the team. And I know you need to play to stay in school.”
The dryness in my throat felt raw. I didn’t regret serving up justice to Devon. However, leaving school, leaving Finley, would have been painful.
“How’s the hand?”
I glanced down and noticed old wounds reopened.
“It’s fine.”
He tipped his head, and I lifted my hand so he could see.
“Get it checked out in the morning. I need my tight end able to catch a ball.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Dismissed.”
I got to my feet. Before I reached the door, he said, “And Connelly—”
Though I didn’t want to be afraid there was more in store than a reprimand, I turned.
“I can admire you standing up for your fellow teammate, but leave Bryant and his whininess over losing to a girl to me. Farrow has earned her spot. You save the rest for the battle on the field.”
I gave him a stiff nod and exited the office. Not sure if I could contain my anger if any of the guys said something, I headed out of the locker room. August intercepted me on the way.
“What the fuck, man? I was in with the trainer getting my ankle checked when Bryant came in bleeding from the mouth to see the doc. One of the guys with him said you fed him his front teeth.”
Some of the guys must not have connected that August was Finley’s brother, or he would know all of it.
“He tried to make Finley out as a slut.”
I ground my teeth together, remembering the asshole’s words.
“What?” August snapped.
Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted August’s jaw tighten and his expression grow dark.
“He asked her how many dicks she would have
