Coach hands me a piece of paper. My hand shakes as I take it.
“He wants you to call him.”
“Did he see tonight’s game?’
“You better he fucking didn’t.”
“And…Collin?”
“He’s getting a call too. Carson and Dylan are both on his radar, but he wants to see more from them. After tonight, I don’t blame him. Wilson all but gave the game away.”
“We all contributed to tonight’s mess of a game.”
Coach cracks a rare grin. “That’s why you’re the captain. You never place blame, you shoulder it.”
I sit there, shell-shocked. I thought…hell, I thought they didn’t want me.
“You’re going to need an agent. I listed three below McClare’s number. I know them all and they’re damn good. Do your research. Call McClare and then call one of those agents. Tell them I recommended them to you.”
“I…thank you, Coach.”
“Get your ass in the shower, then the ice bath and then make those calls.” His voice is gruffer than it was and I nod.
“Yes, sir.”
“Don’t lose that paper,” he calls as I walk out of his office, stunned. I stand outside his door for a long minute, shocked and unable to move.
“Mendoza, get your ass in here!”
I jump, not expecting him to be so close. He was just sitting behind his desk. How did he make it to the door so fast? Man shouts louder than the damn whistle he wears around his neck. It does get me moving, however.
I don’t go to the showers or the ice bath. I rush to my locker and grab my phone. My first call is my mom. She’s working, so I leave her a message to call me as soon as she gets the message, assuring her nothing’s wrong. I made that mistake my freshman year in high school. Scared her senseless, thinking I’d been hurt.
Daisy is my second call. She actually answers on the first ring. I thought I’d be sent to voicemail.
“Hey,” she says, yawning. “Congrats on the game.”
“We almost lost.”
“But that guy got there in the end. That’s all that counts.”
“You should tell that to Coach.”
“Want me to?”
It would be funny to see Daisy telling Coach he needs to shut up and take the win. I’m not sure if Coach could handle my little bit of scrappy fluff.
“No, but I got news and I need to tell someone. I left Mom a message since she’s working.”
“What’s your news?”
“Coach told me to call the Raptors recruiter. He gave me the name of three sports agents he personally knows.”
“That means…”
“It means they want me. I think. Or maybe they just want to talk to me about possibly recruiting me if I keep my numbers up? I’m not sure.”
“Well, if your coach gave you the name of agents, maybe they want you?”
