after Danny again. God, she wanted to tell him about Danny. But she wasn’t going to. There was so much more to it than what Danny had done for her. Implications that could sink Danny, despite the fact she owed him everything.
Cass didn’t even know she knew him, for Christ’s sake.
“Just leave Danny Smith to us,” she snapped. “You learn the damn playbook and play some fucking football and worry about your own ass.” Her outburst was met with stunned silence in the locker room and Cass’s burning, angry glare. Before anyone said a word to her, she turned and stalked off.
She didn’t get far. A hand grabbed her arm and spun her around and she came out swinging. Cass put a hand up and her fist met his palm. He promptly closed his hand around hers, effectively holding her captive.
“What the hell was that about?” he demanded angrily. “That wasn’t just about Danny Smith.”
“Yeah, maybe it was,” she countered. “Maybe I’m sick of my offensive captain trash-talking our newest player acquisition and second-guessing the head office. You’re tanking this team with your attitude, and you know it.”
Cass looked like he’d been sucker punched and Marian felt a stab of regret. She was taking her own guilt out on Cass. She should speak up. She should tell him, and Mike and the rest of the team that she and Danny went way back, back to a time they were both trying to forget. If Cass picked up her phone and scrolled through her contacts he’d find Danny’s name under Favorites. Danny had saved her that awful night and suffered the consequences for it. He’d blamed himself for some stupid reason, and he’d taken on the role of her protector. He always made sure she had all his numbers, texted her if he was going to be out of reach, and generally made a nuisance of himself. She hadn’t actually seen him in six years, though, and he didn’t know she was in Birmingham. He would have warned her against the job. If he knew she was here, she had no doubt he’d be on the next plane. But she didn’t want to take advantage of his misplaced guilt and protective feelings. She had the power to bring him here, and she wasn’t using it for her own selfish reasons, trying to put off the inevitable. She was the one tanking this team, not Cass.
“Look,” she said, starting to apologize, “I’m sorry.”
“No,” Cass interrupted. “I’m sorry.” He released her hand and stepped back. “You’re right. If Smith shows and plays up to his potential, he’s a franchise player. He can make or break us. But if I pit the team against him before he even shows, then that’s on me.” He shook his head, a look of disgust on his face. “I should know better. But I’m too impatient. I know this team has what it takes to make it, and I know Danny Smith can help us get there. I want him here yesterday because I want to start right now. I want to start at the finish. I’ve always been too much like that. Too impatient.”
“Oh, Cass,” she said, putting her hand on his arm. “That’s not true. Well, okay, it is. You are impatient. But I get that. I get that you’re anxious to see this team finally come together and play the way we know they can. But you have to trust me. And Mike. Let us deal with Danny Smith.” She felt sick about her lies, and yanked her hand away from his arm. She felt dirty. The feeling made her grit her teeth and she clenched her fist at her side. She hadn’t felt that way in a very long time and she’d sworn she wouldn’t let herself believe it again. But this was different. This time she was the one in the wrong. And she just couldn’t bring herself to tell him.
“Why are you afraid to come in the locker room?” Cass asked quietly.
She was blindsided by his question and stumbled back a step or two. “What? What are you talking about?”
“You know what I’m talking about,” Cass said with quiet intensity. “Tell me, Marian. What’s going on?”
“I’m having a bad day
Cass didn’t even know she knew him, for Christ’s sake.
“Just leave Danny Smith to us,” she snapped. “You learn the damn playbook and play some fucking football and worry about your own ass.” Her outburst was met with stunned silence in the locker room and Cass’s burning, angry glare. Before anyone said a word to her, she turned and stalked off.
She didn’t get far. A hand grabbed her arm and spun her around and she came out swinging. Cass put a hand up and her fist met his palm. He promptly closed his hand around hers, effectively holding her captive.
“What the hell was that about?” he demanded angrily. “That wasn’t just about Danny Smith.”
“Yeah, maybe it was,” she countered. “Maybe I’m sick of my offensive captain trash-talking our newest player acquisition and second-guessing the head office. You’re tanking this team with your attitude, and you know it.”
Cass looked like he’d been sucker punched and Marian felt a stab of regret. She was taking her own guilt out on Cass. She should speak up. She should tell him, and Mike and the rest of the team that she and Danny went way back, back to a time they were both trying to forget. If Cass picked up her phone and scrolled through her contacts he’d find Danny’s name under Favorites. Danny had saved her that awful night and suffered the consequences for it. He’d blamed himself for some stupid reason, and he’d taken on the role of her protector. He always made sure she had all his numbers, texted her if he was going to be out of reach, and generally made a nuisance of himself. She hadn’t actually seen him in six years, though, and he didn’t know she was in Birmingham. He would have warned her against the job. If he knew she was here, she had no doubt he’d be on the next plane. But she didn’t want to take advantage of his misplaced guilt and protective feelings. She had the power to bring him here, and she wasn’t using it for her own selfish reasons, trying to put off the inevitable. She was the one tanking this team, not Cass.
“Look,” she said, starting to apologize, “I’m sorry.”
“No,” Cass interrupted. “I’m sorry.” He released her hand and stepped back. “You’re right. If Smith shows and plays up to his potential, he’s a franchise player. He can make or break us. But if I pit the team against him before he even shows, then that’s on me.” He shook his head, a look of disgust on his face. “I should know better. But I’m too impatient. I know this team has what it takes to make it, and I know Danny Smith can help us get there. I want him here yesterday because I want to start right now. I want to start at the finish. I’ve always been too much like that. Too impatient.”
“Oh, Cass,” she said, putting her hand on his arm. “That’s not true. Well, okay, it is. You are impatient. But I get that. I get that you’re anxious to see this team finally come together and play the way we know they can. But you have to trust me. And Mike. Let us deal with Danny Smith.” She felt sick about her lies, and yanked her hand away from his arm. She felt dirty. The feeling made her grit her teeth and she clenched her fist at her side. She hadn’t felt that way in a very long time and she’d sworn she wouldn’t let herself believe it again. But this was different. This time she was the one in the wrong. And she just couldn’t bring herself to tell him.
“Why are you afraid to come in the locker room?” Cass asked quietly.
She was blindsided by his question and stumbled back a step or two. “What? What are you talking about?”
“You know what I’m talking about,” Cass said with quiet intensity. “Tell me, Marian. What’s going on?”
“I’m having a bad day
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