“Good evening, Watson. Calling to congratulate me on an epic performance tonight?”
I grunt in response, which makes him laugh.
“Parker told you, didn’t she?”
“No idea what you’re talking about.” There’s something in hisvoice, though. Parker and Rett are close. It doesn’t matter that they’re now in different states; they still talk almost every day. And Parker is pissed at Kodie. It makes total sense that she’s mentioned something and set her brother on payback for what Kodie did to me the other night.
“Rett,” I breathe.
“Your boys got their asses handed to them tonight, Watson. They need to have a very hard look at themselves before the season starts.”
I let out a sigh, hearing the unspoken words.
“They’re ready,” I state confidently, making him scoff. “Just you wait. The tables will turn.”
“I’d like to see them try. I gotta go, Watson. I can see two bunnies with my name on them.”
“Still a pig, I see,” I tease.
“Living my best life while I can. Who knows when these knees will give out.”
I laugh. “Enjoy your celebrations while you can.”
“Cheers. See you soon.”
“Rett?” I call before he hands up.
“Yeah.”
“Thank you, but despite what Parker says, I don’t need anyone else fighting my battles for me.”
“No idea what you’re talking about, Watson,” he says before cutting the call.
Silence fills the line, and I slump lower in my bed, feeling stupid for not figuring it out earlier.
Opening Instagram again, I stare at his message.
My heart flutters. He’ll have seen I’ve read it.
Mentally, I come up with numerous replies. I even tap a few of them out.
But I never hit send.
None of them feel right, and I don’t want to send anything that I’m going to regret later.
Instead, I put my cell on silent and turn it face down on my nightstand.
The TV continues to play, but I don’t see any of it, andeventually, I turn it off and lie in the dark, reliving the events of the past few weeks over and over until I pass out.
“Hello, this is a message for Casey Watson. My name is Lisa Kirk. I’m calling regarding the assistant coach position you’ve applied for. We’d love to invite you in for an interview to discuss the position further. If you could get back to me at your earliest convenience so we could discuss availability, that would be fantastic. Speak soon.”
It doesn’t matter that I’ve listened to the message no fewer than five times this morning and called them back to schedule my interview—butterflies still erupt in my belly when I hear it again.
“See, I told you that they’d want you, Care Bear,” Dad says with a proud smile.
A mixture of nerves and excitement shoots through me.
“I’m scared,” I confess.
