Page 85 of Better to Believe


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“No.” Coury’s confused tone had Liam turning around. “Coach Brophy.”

“Today?”

He shrugged and tapped his phone. “Hello?”

Although he wanted to listen, Liam joined his grandfather at the grill. “And?”

“I don’t know,” Pop said. “But the call is a good sign.”

“No, sir. I haven’t changed my mind.”

Liam’s stomach flipped. Coach Brophy had asked Coury a few times if he was sure he didn’t want to put in for the draft.Why was he asking him again now?

“Really?” Coury’s face gave him away. Whatever the coach said, it pushed all his buttons.

Hard as he tried not to worry, Liam wanted this to be what he hoped. Coury deserved it for all he did for everyone.

“Wait, the Harrisburg Senators? Really?”

He tamped down his hope. Despite how Coury bounced, he wouldn’t relax until he knew for sure.

“Yes. Of course.” Coury smiled and flashed a thumbs up. “Yes, sir. Please tell them I’ll be in touch. And thank you. This is amazing.”

Coury listened, his smile practically splitting his face in half. “Thank you again, Coach. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate this.” He laughed. “Yes, sir. I will absolutely come ready to pitch.”

Digging deep for every ounce of control, Liam tried to hide his excitement. It had to be what he expected, but he needed to hear it before he was sure.

Coury stared at his phone for another second, pocketed it, and rushed over. “That was Coach Brophy.”

“Yeah, I heard.”

“Really? So you heard the news?”

“The Harrisburg Senators drafted you.” Lying helped him hide his smile until Coury could tell him.

“What?” He shook his head and waved his hand in front of Liam’s face. “They didn’t draft me. They can’t. Besides, the draft is next month.”

Liam frowned. Hopefully Coury was too amped up to recognize his faked confusion. “But he said the Senators?”

“Remember how he kept asking if I was sure I didn’t want to enter the draft?”

“How could I forget?” Liam said.

Helen joined them and stood next to Pop.

“Stop it. I told you I’m not leaving.” He quickly kissed Liam’s cheek. “Coach kept asking because he was trying to set something up, and he wanted to be sure I was serious.”

“What did he offer you?” Pop asked.

Liam almost elbowed his grandfather. “What did he say?”

“Coach offered me a job. Two actually—he wants to hire me to be the assistant pitching coach for the Harrison team. Coach Wagner, our pitching coach, is planning to retire in the next year or two, and Coach wants me to work with him.”

“That’s . . . wait. You’re going to be a coach for Harrison?” Liam glanced at his grandfather, who just smiled.

“Assistant Coach, but I guess that makes me Coach Henderson now.” Coury did that bouncing thing he always did when he was excited.

“But he was talking about the Senators? Didn’t you get a job with them?”