Behind the Plate (The Boys of Baseball #2) - J. Sterling Page 0,48

locker and get into the weight room. I was running behind. Having breakfast with her hadn’t been the smartest idea, but when she asked, I couldn’t say no. I didn’t want to. And even though I thought Jared was a complete dick, it was a good thing that he had shown up when he did. I’d needed to leave, and without him ruining the morning, I wasn’t sure I would have. I mean, of course I would have, but I would have been even later than I already was, consequences be damned.

Fall conditioning and workouts six days a week were mandatory. We only had one day off, and today wasn’t it. So, when I stepped into the workout room three minutes after I was supposed to and saw Coach Jackson standing near the exit, I was pissed. Not because Coach was there, but because I was actually late for the first time in my college career, and I had no one to blame but myself. I watched as he looked up at the clock on the wall before walking out without saying a word.

“Dammit,” I mumbled as Mac walked up, a towel around his shoulders.

“He was only in here for five minutes, man,” he said, and I shook my head. “Five minutes. Swear.”

“He’s never here before we are,” I said, still angry at myself because Coach usually showed up in the middle of weights and stayed until the end to make sure none of us skipped out.

“I know,” Mac added. “Wonder why he was. Everyone’s here,” he said, and we both looked around at our team. “Except you.”

Why did he pick today, of all days, to show up before us? And why the hell did I allow myself to be late? I was never late.

“Think he’s pissed?” I asked, honestly wondering how much hell he’d be giving me later.

“Definitely.” Mac shrugged. “By the way, why were you late?”

I considered lying for a second, telling Mac that my test had run over and the professor had given me extra time to finish, but that was just stupid. “I was at breakfast with Danika. Her boyfriend showed up.”

He grinned. “I already knew that.”

“What?” I punched him in the arm. “Why’d you ask me then?”

“Wanted to see if you’d lie or not.” He gave me a look.

“And how the hell did you already know?”

“Snapchat. Instagram. Take your pick.”

Before I could complain or groan, Coach reappeared near the door. “Carter. Now.”

“Fuck,” I mumbled before walking toward the exit, where he was waiting.

Once we were outside of the weight room, he shook his head.

“Don’t come to the field today,” he said with authority.

“What? Coach, I’m sorry I was—” I started to explain, but he cut me off.

“You know the rules, Carter. I expect a full commitment from you. Go home. You’re done for the day,” he said, and there would be no arguing. “If you show up at the field for practice later, everyone on the team will pay for your idiocy.”

“Yes, Coach,” I said before mentally beating myself up.

I couldn’t believe that I’d allowed myself to get carried away this morning. My dad was going to be so mad, and he would have every right to be.

How did I let myself get kicked out of a practice?

Slinging my bag over my shoulder, I walked toward the parking lot, where I’d left my car earlier and debated my options. My gut instincts were to fight, to show up at the field anyway later so Coach knew how serious I was about the team and how sorry I was for being stupid. But I knew that would only backfire. Coach Jackson would send me right back home and tack on the rest of the week as well to make an example out of me. Then, he’d make my boys run until they threw up. All because I’d refused to listen.

I couldn’t do that to my teammates, but sitting at home while they practiced today was going to damn near kill me. It didn’t matter who you were; Coach’s rules were meant to be followed. If you broke them, you paid the price. I’d always admired that about him. It felt good, being part of a team where no one received special treatment. It helped keep egos in check—mine included, apparently.

My phone buzzed as I sat in my Bronco, and I reached for it without looking. A text from Danika, congratulating me on passing my test with a million exclamation points, couldn’t even bring me out of