finish.”
“I probably won’t have time to read it any time soon. I’m a very busy man, Erik.”
I laughed. He’d been retired for the last twenty years and spent most of his time reading or working out in his garden. “I know. I know. Have you talked to the woman who moved in across the street from you yet?”
“Again, I’m a very busy man.” He chuckled. “Besides, I’m still working up the courage. I can’t just throw myself on the poor woman. I need to think of a good excuse.”
“Ask her if you can borrow a cup of sugar.”
“What? Is that an American thing?”
I smiled. “Maybe.”
“I could ask to borrow an egg. I think she has a chicken coop in her backyard.”
“Are you stalking her, Farfar?”
“Of course not. I see it when I take Ludde on his evening walk.”
I hoped to still be walking my dog around my neighborhood at eighty-four.
“How are things going in Seattle?” he asked. “Have the gymnasts arrived?”
“Yesterday.”
“And?”
I sighed. “And it’s going about as easy as I expected. They’re five elite gymnasts with egos the size of Mount Everest.”
He chuckled. “I’ll never know how your father did it for so long.”
I gripped the phone tighter. He usually waited a little longer into our phone calls before bringing up my father.
“Don’t bother bringing him up. I won’t call him back.”
“He’s worried about you. I’m worried about you. His health isn’t looking good and the longer you go without talking, the worse it will be.”
“His health isn’t my concern.”
He sighed heavily. “Erik, I raised you better than this. I’m afraid it might be too late for your father, but it’s not too late for you. If you become coldhearted at twenty-nine, where will you be at sixty?”
The girls caught my attention through the office window and I knew I should get out there and continue practice.
“I have to go, Farfar.”
He didn’t bother trying to argue; he knew it was a hopeless endeavor.
“Good luck with the team. I’ll call tomorrow.”
I stood and walked around my desk. “Tomorrow,” I confirmed.
After I hung up the phone, I grabbed a leotard from the gym store and walked out of my office.
Coaching gymnastics can be difficult because it’s both a team sport and an individual sport. These girls were set to fly to Rio to compete under their nation’s flag, but they were ultimately competing for themselves. Naturally, it would create some friction considering only two of them would have a chance to compete in the individual all-around competition, and only one would walk away with gold.
As I walked toward their group stretching on the floor, I tried to get a feel for their dynamic. June was stretching a few yards away from the other girls, separating herself as much as she could. Brie walked over to hand her an extra water bottle and June took it with a quiet “thanks”. Her kindness surprised me; out of anyone, she should have been annoyed with June for ratting her out. For all she knew, I wouldn’t have ever known they’d gone out if June hadn’t told me.
“Brie,” I called, drawing her attention away from June. “Come here.”
She turned and walked over, eyes narrowed at the material scrunched up in my hand.
“What’s that?” she asked.
I held it out for her to take. “Go change.”
She blushed. “It was a dare—”
“I don’t care. It’s distracting and you should know better.”
Her bright eyes slid up to mine. “Distracting for who?”
She was testing me.
“Team USA.”
She glanced away with a slight smile playing on her lips. “Should I come to practice with a paper bag over my head tomorrow?”
“I don’t really think you’re in a position to make jokes right now.”
“It’s a leotard with a tail on it. Big deal.” She turned to walk away and then thought better of it. “And about last night? We went out to get to know each other better and we were back home and in bed by midnight.”
I shook my head and leaned forward. “While you’re staying in my house, you’ll follow my rules. No going out. No partying.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Anything else, Coach?”
There it was again, the fire. I could never decide if I wanted to fan the flame or stamp it out. Instead, I brushed past her. “Go change.”
She laughed under her breath. “Right away sir.”
Chapter Eight
Brie
“Well that was a disaster,” I said, reclining on the couch. I’d showered and put on my comfiest pair of pajamas. Practice had kicked my ass and I knew I’d be paying the price tomorrow. Or