Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 87395 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 437(@200wpm)___ 350(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87395 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 437(@200wpm)___ 350(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
She laughed and lifted her hands. "I suppose you're right. But you clean up nice, as always."
Someone in the audience cheered in approval, and Kevin laughed. "Thank you."
Kathy poured them both water and set a glass down on the edge of her desk where he could reach it. "So let's talk about last night. First, what it means, that the NCAA season started and you're wearing orange. Please don't take offense to this, as I mean no slight against your new team, but why did you transfer to Palmetto State? I understand you came as an assistant coach, but once you knew you could play again, why sign with the Foxes? I'm sure you had choices. Why would you go from the top of the ladder to the bottom?"
"Coach Wymack was friends with my mother. As I'm sure you know, she taught him how to play. Even after she died and Coach Moriyama took me in, Coach Wymack kept in touch with me." Kevin studied his left hand with a removed look on his face. "Last December I thought I would never play again. I was a wreck. Coach Wymack was the only one I could think of turning to, and he didn't disappoint me. He and his team took me in without hesitation. I enjoy working with them."
Kathy reached across the desk and clasped his left hand. Kevin forced his gaze up from his scars to her face and smiled. Kathy smiled back at him and said, "I admit I expected you to return to Edgar Allen this fall. Regardless of where you are, it's amazing to see you back in action. You deserve a round of applause for that."
The audience was happy to oblige.
Kathy squeezed Kevin's hand and let go. "Kind of unfortunate that your first game back was against Breckenridge, isn't it? You took three points last night, fifthyear senior Seth Gordon bagged two, and your newest teammate scored two. Let's talk about Neil Josten for a moment, shall we?"
"Of course."
"You really know how to upset things around here, don't you?" Kathy said. "What were you thinking, recruiting someone as fresh as Neil?"
"Neil is exactly what the Foxes need right now," Kevin said. "His inexperience is inconsequential. We went through a hundred files looking for a striker sub for this year, but Neil is the only one we approached. We knew as soon as we saw him we needed to sign him. We're just lucky we got there before anyone else did."
"You went to great lengths to get him, I hear," Kathy said. "Refusing to even give the ERC his name, is that right?"
"Our primary concern was keeping Neil safe," Kevin said. "Spring was very difficult for Palmetto State. Announcing him as ours would put a target sign on his back. The ERC was initially hesitant to fly blind on him, but they eventually sided with us."
"You didn't think the ERC could keep his secret?"
Kevin didn't answer that immediately, likely figuring out the most tactful way to respond. "Let me put it this way: 'Three can keep a secret if two of them are dead'. I mean no offense by that, but let's be honest. Sixteen people are assigned to the ERC and one of them is the coach of a fiercely competitive team. Even gossip shared in confidence can get out and destroy a man's life."
It was a lesson Kevin learned the hard way, Neil knew. ERC chatter led to Riko and Kevin's violent fallout.
"So much work and effort for a single player," Kathy said. "I can't wait to see what you make of him."
The lounge door opened and an aide leaned in to motion at Neil. "One minute. It's time to move."
Neil got up and followed the aide down the hall to the wings of the stage. A woman waiting for them had a radio linked to Kathy's ear bud. She looked Neil over, checking his appearance, and sent Kathy an okay.
"Why don't we all take another look at him?" Kathy said. "Let's see the man who replaced Riko Moriyama at Kevin's side. Introducing Neil Josten, the newest Palmetto Fox!"
Neil clenched his teeth, then forcibly relaxed his expression. The audience clapped in anticipation and Dan cheered his name. Neil buried his reservations deep and crossed the stage to Kathy's desk. She stood up to shake his hand, then motioned at the cushion beside Kevin. They sat at the same time. Kathy poured him water, and Kevin passed the glass to Neil.
"Isn't this an interesting picture?" Kathy asked the audience. "Kevin is paired again."
She propped her chin on her hand and leaned over her desk to smile at Neil. "I'm not exaggerating much when I say you're the talk of the nation, Neil. You're the amateur who caught a national champion's eye. This kind of thing should only happen in fairy tales, don't you think? How does it feel?"
"Undeserved," Neil said. "I gave Millport everything I had because I knew it was going to be my only chance. Kevin was the last person I expected to see in Arizona."
"Lucky for us he found you," Kathy said. "You have a natural talent for the game. It's a pity you started so late. Imagine where you'd be today if you'd started a couple years ago. Maybe you would have been snatched up by Edgar Allen or USC, if Kevin's right about your potential. Why did you wait so long?"
Neil thought of his little league team and lied through his teeth. "I was never really interested in team sports before. I only tried out at Millport because I was new in town and thought it'd help me get to know people. I didn't mean for things to turn out this way."
"If it bothers you, I'll take your spot," Kathy said with a wink. "I don't mind cozying up to Kevin."
"Would you really come between two strikers?" Kevin asked.
"Is it possible?" Kathy asked. "It's no secret there was hostility between you and the Foxes' strikers last year. Last night made it obvious there are still problems to work through with Seth. That doesn't seem to be the case with you two."