The Best Mistake - Cookie O'Gorman Page 0,29

and stronger than before. We all had talent as individuals. She was why we were such a great team.

“This is our season, gentlemen. Everyone is gunning for us. Everyone wants to take the Wolves out of contention. But we work hard now. We focus. We practice harder than everybody else, so that no one can defeat us on the field. And if they do, they’re going to have to work like hell for it. We go out there knowing this is ours.” She nodded to herself. “That’s how we’re going to bring another championship home to Southern.”

Coach looked around at the group again, and though no one else probably saw it, I noticed how her eyes lingered on her sons. There was so much pride there. It made me ashamed of how I’d acted earlier in practice. Made me want to do better.

“Now,” she said, clapping her hands, “I’ve got a meeting to get to, but I know you’ll do me proud. Get some water, guys, and then get back out there. Let’s practice like champions.”

Cheers went up, and when we went to our bags, Chase and Dex came over to me.

“What’s up with that?” Dex said.

“Don’t know,” Chase said, “but I’m definitely curious.”

“What do you mean?” I asked, squirting some water into my mouth and over my head. Shoot, it was hot out here.

“Arch,” Chase said, “when’s the last time you remember mom missing two practices in a row?”

I thought back but couldn’t think of one.

“Never,” Dex cut in. “She’s always here, especially this close to the season. Something’s got to be up.”

“Last week, she had a dentist appointment,” I said.

Chase nodded. “Nothing suspicious about that.”

“But this meeting? Who do you think it’s with?”

Nobody had an answer for that.

“I know who Mom’s meeting with,” Baylor said, tossing his water bottle from one hand to the other, looking like the freaking cat that caught the canary. “Got it out of Bear. Took some prodding, but in the end, he told me everything.”

Dex gestured to him to go on. “Well?” he said. “You going to tell us who it is or what?”

“Hmm,” Baylor said, pretending to think about it, “I’m not sure if I should. Arch is already distracted enough as it is.”

“Me?” I started. “What’s this got to do with me?”

“Nothing,” Baylor said. “Just a piece of info you might be interested in. Snider had it coming by the way. He’s got a big mouth, talks way too much trash, which I think says a lot coming from me.”

Chase rolled his eyes. “Just tell us, Bay.”

“Yeah,” Dex said, “cut the crap, and get on with it already.”

“Okay, okay,” he said, “but only since you asked so nicely.”

We waited.

“Mom is meeting…with a reporter at 2:00 pm,” Baylor said. I didn’t understand the grin on his face—Mom met with a lot of reporters—until he added, “She’s actually been to the field once before, works for the school paper.”

My heart pounded in my chest.

“Bear wasn’t a big fan of how much of our captain’s time she took up,” he added.

“No way,” Chase said. “You mean—”

“Mom’s got an interview with Honor”—Baylor checked the time on his phone—”in about 10 minutes. Too bad practice lasts another forty. It’s kind of cool if you think about it, Arch,” he said. “Your almost-girlfriend is about to meet our mother for the first time.”

I shook my head. “She’s not my girlfriend.”

“But you’d like her to be,” Dex said.

Couldn’t argue with that.

“Like Bay said, your concentration was shot before this. Think you can snap out of it?”

Chase crossed his arms. “Bear isn’t going to take any more crap. He’s already breathing down your throat.”

“Hey, no worries,” Baylor said. “She’s just a distraction. Right, Arch?”

“I’ll be fine,” I said, my focus more concentrated than it had been all day.

First, I’d get through practice. Then after rushing through a shower, I’d be on my way to Mom’s office, hopefully, to catch the end of that interview. I was quick, one of the fastest on the team. I could make it.

Knowing Honor was about to meet my mom probably should’ve made me nervous, but it didn’t. Getting to see her again. That’s what drove me through the rest of practice.

Baylor was right. Honor was a distraction.

But she was also my motivation.

I couldn’t wait to be with her again. And as it turned out, my mind loved being distracted by her.

I was out of breath.

And nearly late for my meeting.

Ugh, and I’d wanted to make such a good impression.

Taking a moment—but only one—to