Free Playing For Keeps by Kathryn Shay

thing.”
    “Ever hear of silent consent, darlin’ ?”
    “I told them after you left that they were
acting like little boys on the playground.”
    Casually, he lazed back and crossed an ankle
over his knee. His face was flushed and his gray eyes turbulent.
“But you agree with them, don’t you?”
    “What do you mean?”
    “You think my job is a piece of cake, that
we’re
all spoiled little boys on the
athletic
field.”
    Remembering her comments to Millie, she
hesitated.
    He swiveled away. “That’s all the
confirmation I need, Dr. Ross. You know, I was beginning to think
you weren’t so bad—that you had hang-ups about things, but could
get past them.”
    “Look, I’ve made no secret about my feelings
regarding the team’s disruption of campus life and the viability of
a sports major.”
    He didn’t say anything, just stared at the
screen again.
    “But you’re a nice guy, Mike, and I don’t
want to offend you. You were so understanding of what happened at
my house Monday—you didn’t—”
    Again, he swiveled angrily around. “What?
Give my opinion on that scene with your ex?”
    His tone silenced her.
    “Didn’t ask you how you could let that jerk
walk all over you?”
    “He didn’t walk all over me. I stood up to
him.”
    He ignored her comment. “That I didn’t ask
what the hell kind of mother you are to let him hurt your boy like
he did? Like he apparently
does
all the time.”
    She felt her face blanch. His opinion of her
cut to the quick and tapped into her insecurities, which she had
plenty of since Neil left her for a younger woman and constantly
criticized her mothering. So Mike’s words really stung.
    Carefully, Jacelyn stood and smoothed the
skirt of her dress before slowly turning and walking away. It
wasn’t until she reached her office that she realized he’d done to
her what she’d done to him—each of them had given their negative
opinions of the other’s life. Unfortunately, they’d both spoken the
truth.
    o0o
    “Hey, Coach, where are you?”
    Mike turned from the Porsche parked by the
dorms and stared at the tall, good-looking guy in front of him.
Marcus Stormweather—the fans had a field day with his last name—was
one of his best wide receivers. He was also a nice guy. Not all of
them were.
    He waited to answer Marc’s question because
he’d been thinking about some stupid female who insulted him
without even trying. He’d insulted her back, but good. And it made
him feel like a slug. “I’m checkin’ out your new wheels.” He patted
the hood of the black beauty. “Bet it’s faster than greased
lightning.”
    “Yeah. Bet it’s faster than yours.”
    You think this job is a piece of cake,
that we’re spoiled little boys on the athletic field.
    “Mine’s red.” Mike reached in and grabbed a
box. “What’s in here?”
    “DVDs, man. I gotta do something at night,
now that my honey’s not with me.” Marcus had recently married. Mike
had been his best man.
    “How’s my favorite lady?”
    “Singing your praises.” Marcus picked up a
heavy box as if it held feathers. “I’m jealous, man.”
    “Hey, that does my ego good.” They walked
toward the dorms. “And I need it.”
    “Why?”
    He glanced around the formerly sleepy campus—
now abuzz with activity. “We’re not being welcomed here with open
arms.”
    “Why the hell not? Jeez, the camp’s gotta be
bringing business into the city and giving the college lots of air
time.”
    Mike nodded to the faculty building, tall and
stately and covered with ivy. A perfect home for Jacelyn Ross. “The
brains beg to disagree.”
    “Then they ain’t so smart. We’re good for
Beckett.”
    “Yeah, we are. Still, we do turn them around
some. Summer school was cut for the second session.”
    “Small price to pay.”
    “Guess there’s just no reasoning with those
academic types.” They took the stairs to Marcus’s room. When they
reached it, Mike scanned the inside. “This is pretty near the