“It is hard.” Sitting back in the chair, I gave her a rueful smile. “A week after Saturday is a long time to wait.”
“You’ll live, you’ve waited since last semester, you can wait another week.”
Could I?
Instead, I nodded. We spent the next hour reviewing everything and checking our notes. Savannah had found a snippet of my blog post, and I was able to show her what I had written before her dad made me take it down. She didn’t say anything in his defense; the only comment she made was that I was lucky there was no trace of it anywhere when Coach Sutherland demanded my laptop.
I had to admit, the fact that her dad hadn’t let them take it was a huge bonus for me. The draft was still in my documents. Another reason why I was sure Mary would have the original draft of her own piece that they didn’t let her publish.
“You know, you said it was the first thing he asked for,” Savannah murmured. “Like he had a right to it.”
“Yeah, the guy’s a prick.”
“Or... he’s done this before and used to getting his way, and this is the first time he’s been told no.” Her fingers pulled through her ponytail. “My dad was brand new to this role when this happened with Mason. He was only finding his feet. He didn’t come here to make friends.”
I watched her closely. “He and the head coach are far from friendly.”
“I wonder if this is why.” She made a face. “Of course, not that he’d tell me.” She gave a little laugh.
“No.” I met her gaze. “But hemighttell me.”
Savannah looked at me in alarm. “Hadley... I don’t think it’s a good idea.”
“I wouldn’t ask him outright.” I thought about it. “He’s put a new social media girl on the team. He’s watching them,” I said with a conviction I was sure was justified. “If I ask him the right questions, he might tell me.”
“I think it’s risky,” she argued. “We also think he’s watching. But my dad is clever. He won’t fall for your brown eyes, gorgeous hair, and flirty smile.”
“Ew. I amnevergoing to flirt with your dad. Ick.” I patted my bun. “But thanks for the compliment.”
“We could run this past Dante first.”
I rolled my eyes. “Why?”
“Because he’s involved in this, and they’re part of it, and you’re sneaky.” She thought about it. “I need someone sneakier than me to stop you from being impulsive.”
“Dante is your answer?” I asked her skeptically as she packed up. “Really?”
Savannah shook her head. “No. Noah.”
She completely blindsided me with that. “Noah Matthews?”
“Yes.” She was on her feet. “You may not put money on Dante to beat Jett Santo. I’d put every penny I had on Noah to take them all on and still be standing at the end of it.”
“Noah?”
Savannah was at the door, and I was hurrying to pack up and follow her when she turned to me. “Yes. Noah. Because when the scary-looking twin looked at Noah, he didn’t glower. Hesmiled. Like recognizes like. Noah is the only one I think who can stop you. So... let’s go talk to him.”
I hadn’t been prepared to outmaneuver Noah today.
How annoying.
Chapter 30
Dustin
I couldn’t stop smiling.
I wasn’t going to overanalyze it. But it was there, and it was real, and I was aware, in the same way that I knew it was going to cost me, like when my mom said, “Take Naya with you,” and I knew I may as well just hand over my wallet. That kind of aware. The kind of happiness I didn’t trust because it didn’t last.