At the end of their mile run, Claire gave him a once-over. “I guess you still have it in you . . . for an old guy.”
“She got ya there, Coach.”
One of the guys put an arm over his shoulders. “Gonna happen to all of us.”
Claire was ear-to-ear smiles.
His heart twisted the way it always did when her eyes sparkled with that smile.
They both looked away at the same time.
Laughter slowly faded as they met up with the rest of the team. Coach Bennett gave them the details for the invitational. The entire team was expected to show up even if they weren’t competing. That included the JV team. They talked everything from uniforms to what they needed to eat for dinner. “And don’t even think of going to a party. I will smell it and your performance will suffer.”
There were a few snickers.
“That party was canceled, Coach. We’re good,” Claire smarted off.
Cooper laughed, placed a hand over his mouth to try and keep it together.
Even Bennett chuckled. “All right. That’s all for today. Report to your coaches when you get here. You have to sign in a half an hour before your event. Late arrivals are scratched.”
Cooper watched the team as they exited the field. His eyes found Claire and lingered only for a few seconds. He huddled with the coaches, talked out a few details. “. . . and, Coach Mitchel, the kids seem to really respond to you. Your call on Claire Porter was spot-on. She has some real potential. Good coaching keeps ’em on track. I hope you’ll consider coming back again next year. The team could use you.”
Guilt bit him in the back of that praise. “I’ll consider it,” he told the man.
He thanked everyone for their time and they broke up.
Bennett walked over and shook Cooper’s hand. “I hope you do.”
“I will.”
Bennett grabbed his duffel bag, tossed it over his shoulder. “You’ll never guess what the track smart-ass did this week.”
“You mean Claire.”
“Yeah.”
“You didn’t pull her off the roster for tomorrow, so I’m guessing it wasn’t that bad.”
“She challenged me to take the final in my class so she can get out of the homework.”
“What? Did you give it to her?”
“I did. She tossed it at me, said the bonus questions were hard.”
Cooper could picture the exact look she’d use saying those words. “And?”
“I looked at the bonus questions first. Damn if she didn’t get them right.”
“That’s a good thing.”
Bennett shook his head. “They were calculus equations. If my students attempt them, I give them credit. I don’t expect anyone to get them right.”
“And the rest of the test?” Cooper asked.
“I graded it Tuesday night. Nearly perfect, but I’m not telling her until after tomorrow.”
Claire had mentioned a couple of times during the week that she was anxious to get moving on the tutor angle.
“Making sure she runs tomorrow?” Cooper asked.
“There’s a lot of energy in these stands. Gives the kids that extra kick and excitement they don’t get during practice. I want her hooked on the sport. I get the feeling she didn’t really want to be here when she first started. Now that seems to have changed.”
“I guess we don’t need to worry about her having an academic probation keeping her off the field,” Cooper said.
“Tomorrow’s a madhouse. If you see her parents, let ’em know I’d like to talk to them at some point. Wait, she lives with her aunt.”
“I think so.”
“Either way. I’d like to talk Claire into going to college. Track coaches will want her. She might have to miss a season until she earns a foreign language credit—”
Cooper covered his sudden laugh, turned it into a cough. “Bug,” he said, swallowing. “If I see her, I’ll let her know you’ll be getting in touch.”
They shook hands. “It’s a long, hot day tomorrow. Bring a hat.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Jax stood at the fence line of the track while the crowd started to fill the stands. Over twenty schools were competing and could be told apart by the different colors on the uniforms. For the first time in a week, Jax saw Claire in person and not in a Zoom meeting.
She waved her over and gave her a hug. “Geez, could those shorts be any shorter?” Jax teased.
“Sasha approved them.”
They both laughed. “I bet she did. Have you seen Elsie?”
“No. But I haven’t seen anyone yet.”
“Who’s coming?”
“Elsie said she’d meet me down here. Ally said she’d be here at nine.”
“And Russell?”
“Not completely sure.” She’d left a note on the car saying that school security was watching like a hawk and she didn’t want to get anyone in trouble.
“I can come up and sit with you between races. But no student cell phones out here.” Claire looked left and right. “The coaches have phones.”
Jax was careful not to say anything about the case. People were everywhere. “I don’t think I expected this big of a crowd.”
“Me either.”
The announcer’s voice boomed over the PA system, welcoming the runners and their families.
Claire looked down the field. “My coach is hot, huh?”
Jax laughed. “A bit old for you.”
“Maybe.” Claire turned back. “Nice necklace.”
Jax played with the camera around her neck. “Thanks. My earrings didn’t match with this outfit.” She tilted her head to show Claire she didn’t have a mic.
“They’re too dressy for this.” She started to bounce. “Okay, I see them calling us over.”
“Do awesome.” Jax put her fist out, bumped Claire’s.
Jax stayed where she was and looked around. Her cell phone rang. “One is behind you, halfway up on the left. Two is photographing on the other side of the field,” Neil said over the line. “Three is in the office.”
She ducked her head. “I told you I was going to a track meet, Dad.” Lars was holding a camera and standing several yards away. Isaac sat in the stands.
“It’s hard to hear you when the announcer is talking. Leave your hat on. Take it off only if there’s trouble.”
Jax adjusted the rim of her ball cap.
“Four is holding back and will initiate contact.”
“Fine, but I don’t know how long this is going to take.”
“We’re clear.”
“Fine,” Jax said to an empty line.
She was about to text Elsie to see where she was when the girl ran up to her. “Hey, hey.”
“I was worried you were going to bail,” Jax told her, giving her a hug.
“No way. We have to see our girl race.”
They made their way up the stands, smack in the middle, and took a seat.
The stands kept filling up.
Cooper was shocked.
Claire stood beside him staring with the same amazement in her eyes. “I would expect this for a football game.”