I should have probably complained. But I didn’t think I had the energy. As I stood in that spotty field of grass, I really was feeling at my lowest. I’d thought that assaulting my team’s mascot in a clear lapse of judgment had been rock bottom. Then, when I found out there was footage of it and the clip had gone viral, I was sure that had been the rock bottom under the rock bottom. But then, I’d been banished and sent away, only to realize I was stuck in some tiny and tacky hunting cottage in the middle of the mountains. And I’d thought, this is it. This is the real bottom.
I’d been wrong.
This was.
The Green Warriors were. This children’s team that held the key to my redemption was my real rock bottom.
The girls moved around us, and I was vaguely aware of Josie interacting with them. My eyes blinked back to reality, and I found myself gaping at Cameron. At all that dark hair, the unkempt beard, the green eyes flashing with something between curiosity and… concern. He was even wearing workout clothes. A long-sleeved thermal that clung to his chest and made his shoulders look even broader, and shorts. Nylon shorts that reached the middle of his thighs.
“What…” I heard myself mumble. “What are you doing here? Why are you here? It doesn’t make sense.” I also didn’t make sense. But I was so confused and blindsided, and my brain seemed set on fixating on the fact. “You’re Cameron C—”
Josie’s panicked face materialized beside Cameron, who was now looking at me with a hostility that hadn’t been there before. “Oh no. No, no.” She chuckled, but there was tension in her voice, now lowering to a loud whisper. “He’s just Cam around here.”
My still dumbfounded gaze flickered in Cameron’s direction, and before I could prepare, he was turning around and walking away.
Josie sighed.
And I… What had just happened? Why was Cameron leaving so suddenly? And why was Josie concealing Cameron’s identity?
But instead of asking any of those very valid questions, I watched him stride along the sidelines of the unkept facilities and asked, “Does he always storm out of places?”
“Don’t think too much about it,” Josie said with a conviction that made me glance at her in surprise. “Cam’s a bit… standoffish, but I’m pretty sure he’ll be back.”
“I genuinely hope you’re wrong,” I blurted out, obtaining a curious glance from Josie. “I fired him for a reason.” I simply needed to decide exactly what that reason was.
She laughed, as if that’d been a joke. Although perhaps it was just the way Josie operated. Maybe she was one of those always glass-half-full people. Always laughing. Smiling. Positive.
“It’s for the best,” I told her. “The dislike for each other is mutual. We didn’t exactly start off on the right foot and he… has a good reason to hate me. I—” I shook my head. “I might have almost run over his pet this morning.” Josie’s eyes widened. “I know. I feel horrible, but it’s not that easy to spot a chicken crossing a driveway.” Neither was spotting a six-something pro soccer player, apparently.
Josie muffled a cackle with a hand, the corners of her eyes wrinkling with humor. “Oh, don’t worry about the poor thing, they are resilient creatures. I’m sure it’s still alive and clucking. Did you see it running?” I nodded and she smiled before pointing at my forehead. “Is that how you hurt yourself? I didn’t want to be rude and ask, but it looks recent, and Cam asked one of the kids for the ice pack.” Concern entered her expression. “You should get it checked out.”
“So I’ve been told,” I whispered, defeat entering my voice.
“I’ll take you to Grandpa Moe when we’re done here. He used to be a paramedic and still volunteers around town sometimes.”
“It’s nothing,” I assured her, wondering what else the man did. “It barely hurts.”
“I insist.”
“Okay,” I relented, returning my gaze to the group of girls, now sitting in the grass and chattering between themselves. The one with the tutu shot me an accusing glance, as if I’d just ruined all the fun, causing an unexpected pang of guilt to surge in my stomach. I turned to Josie. “I know you must have been very excited about the perspective of having someone like… Cameron coaching the team, but I can assure you: you’ll be fine without him now that I’m here.”
Josie smiled, but it was short-lived. “I’d appreciate if you’d keep under wraps who Cam is.” Her expression turned serious. “Nobody in town knows.”
“But…” I trailed off, the wheels in my head turning. Was Cameron Caldani… hiding? Was that the reason for him staying in a place like Green Oak? I shook my head. “How is it possible that no one has recognized him?”
“The beard?” Josie offered. “The fact that he doesn’t play football or baseball or isn’t an influencer giving away cars?” Another shrug. “You’re the first. And we should keep it that way. It’s important to him, and I want to respect that.” Her megawatt grin returned. “And you know how small towns are, the moment someone finds out, everyone in Green Oak will know, then the whole county, and before we can blink, there’ll be journalists trying to snap a photo of a”—she lifted her hands—“retired soccer star, feeding the chickens.”
I could see how that would make good news. Cameron Caldani had never gained celebrity status in the States, but I knew well how something like this could be turned around.
“Also,” Josie continued, “besides the Vasquezes, I really am the only one who cares about soccer around here.” A puff of air left her lips, falling quiet for a moment until she sent me a secretive glance. “I was engaged to someone in the MLS once. That’s how Cam and I met.” Her lips pursed with a flash of emotion I didn’t catch. “He witnessed the whole thing go up in flames.”
I turned away slightly, my eyes drifting toward the group again. I wasn’t exactly uncomfortable, but that was a lot of personal information Josie kept volunteering. And I was a complete stranger.
“Oh, don’t worry, honey,” Josie said, misinterpreting my silence. “I’m okay now. It wasn’t my only failed shot at love, either. But that’s a story for another day.”
“I’m glad you’re okay,” I ventured, racking my brain for something sensitive or friendly to say. “I…” God, I was so bad at these types of interactions. “I don’t date in the MLS, either?” I offered, causing Josie’s brows arch. “Most players are more work than they’re worth and, well, last time I got involved with someone remotely related to the world, he—This is TMI. I—”
A blue-and-white ice pack was thrust in front of me, saving me from babbling something I’d regret.
I looked down at the small hands offering it. “Thanks,” I said, snatching the pad from the kid’s grasp and placing it against my forehead. It immediately stung.
“You’re welcome,” a brown-eyed kid said with a toothy smile. “I’m María Vasquez. When is your birthday? I need date, time, and exact place.”
I heard Josie’s snicker. “María, what have we talked about going around asking people’s ages?” She patted the kid on the shoulder. “This is Adalyn, she’s coming from… Miami, right?” I gave her a nod. “And she will be helping with the team.”
“Helping is a simplification,” I countered. “I will—”
“Are you the one who booted Mr. Cam’s ass?”
“María,” Josie warned again.
She rolled her eyes. “Sorry, I meant Mr. Cam’s butt. He called it a bum the other day. He doesn’t speak much but he uses funny words sometimes. I think he’s a Taurus. And I don’t trust Taurus men. What zodiac sign are you, Miss Adalyn?”
“Hmm, Virgo? But—”
“Exciting! Are you our new coach?” She shot a look at me, giving me a once-over. Her eyes found my feet. “Are you going to coach us in those?”
I glanced down at my heels. “I’m not—”
“Oh my God!” she squealed, the ponytails atop her head moving with the three words. “You look like Vanessa Hudgens in The Princess Switch. Are you doing a makeover of the team?” She turned around. “Guys, come here! We have a new coach!”
“I…” My lips bobbed. “What?”
The rest of the kids looked over at us, but none of them seemed anywhere near as excited as María. In fact, even in the distance, a couple of them looked… a little scared of me. One of them even grumbled, “She doesn’t look like a princess.”
“Can’t Coach Cam continue to coach us?” someone else said.
“I’d rather have Grandpa Moe, honestly. He lets us play games most of practice.”
“I also want Coach Cam. Why did she scare him away?”
My jaw fell to the floor at that last comment.