In The Dirt E-Book

Mary E. Thompson

• Herausgeber: BluEyed Press
• Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2021

Beschreibung

Eric owed everything to his older sister. She gave up her future to make sure he had one, and he’d never forget what she did for him. He vowed to make it up to her, including giving up the job he wanted to make sure his sister would get it. Except she wasn’t the one who was hired. 
Jo finally did it. She got the job she always wanted. She’d worked hard, and she’d finally made her dream to coach women’s lacrosse come true. Stepping into a new position wouldn’t be easy, but she was sure the assistant coach, who didn’t apply for the job, would be on her side and help her acclimate to the position with ease. 
Or maybe not. 
Eric makes his opinion of Jo clear off the bat, and she isn’t a big fan of his either. They won’t survive the season together, not if they both want to see the other fail as much as they want each other. But which desire will win? Because only one of them can get what they want. 

Leseprobe

IN THE DIRT

A SMALL TOWN SPORTS ROMANCE

PARADISE PARK

BOOK 5

MARY E THOMPSON

In The Dirt

Paradise Park, book five

Copyright © 2016 Mary E Thompson

Cover Copyright © 2020 Mary E Thompson

Cover Photo (man) from depositphotos, Copyright © jolopes

Cover Photo (lacrosse) from depositphotos, Copyright © lapotnik

Cover Photo (striped background) from depositphotos, Copyright © A-R-T-U-R

Cover Photo (wood background) from depositphotos, Copyright © Alexis84

Published by BluEyed Press, All Rights Reserved

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

This is a work of fiction. All characters, businesses, locations, and events are either products of the author’s creative imagination or are used in a fictitious sense. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Ebook ISBN: 978-1-944090-17-3

Created with Vellum

CONTENTS

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

About the Author

1

“I got it. I actually got it,” Jo Marcinko whispered to herself in the bathroom mirror. Her blue eyes sparkled with excitement as she brushed her long, curly brown hair up into a ponytail. With her hair up her neck was visible, one of her favorite features. Even as she gained weight over the last few years, she’d never developed the double chin she feared. Extra curves weren’t as noticeable when she still had a slim neck.

She’d get back into shape once she started her new job. There was no way she wouldn’t. She just had to find a sports bra that would prevent her from giving herself black eyes.

“You coming back, Jo?” Holly yelled from the hallway outside the bathroom. No doubt she was carrying a tray loaded with plates. It was getting busy out there and Jo needed to help out.

Again.

She stifled the grin that took over her face and unlocked the door to leave the bathroom. A line of three women were in the tiny hallway waiting for her. She flashed them an apologetic grin then rushed back to the bar.

“It’s already getting busy,” Holly said as she slid past Jo. “Hopefully I can earn enough to make my car payment tonight.”

Jo cocked an eyebrow at her favorite bartender. She enjoyed her job, but it was starting to wear on her. She was on her feet constantly and felt too old to be serving drinks behind a bar at 27. Sure, she was the manager, but she was done with her master’s degree and could move on and do what she loved.

And she’d just gotten her dream job.

“With that shirt,” Jo said with a nod to Holly’s cleavage peeking out of her tight black t-shirt, “I think you’ll cover your car payment in two hours.”

Holly winked then walked over to a pair of guys that looked only a couple years out of college. Jo shook her head but was secretly grateful she didn’t have to deal with them. As manager she was required to wear a black dress or skirt and black shirt, but when she worked behind the bar, she dressed like the others in jeans and a black top. She’d been ogled far too many times and was getting sick of the leers of men out for a night, likely trying to pick up whoever they could while their wives and girlfriends weren’t around.

Jo walked over to a guy sitting by himself. He was cute with chin-length dark hair brushed back behind his ears, a wide chest, and arms that threatened the sleeves of his t-shirt. Oh, to be that t-shirt, Jo thought.

“What can I get you?” she asked him.

He pulled his eyes away from the TV at the end of the bar and made a quick sweep of her body. Her temperature spiked when he met her eyes with a grin and a look that said he wanted to answer ‘you.’

“How about a beer? What’s on tap?” he asked, his deep voice skittering up her spine above the noise.

Jo had been working at Hank’s for six years. She started as soon as she turned 21 and became manager shortly after she graduated with her bachelor’s degree in Sports and Entertainment Management. As much as she loved the place, the noise got to her at times. Being surrounded by sports constantly was nice though. So was the eye candy.

“We’ve got Labatt Blue, Blue Light, Molson, Bud Light, and Yuengling. In the bottle we’ve got a list right here,” Jo said, pulling one of their laminated sheets out from under the counter.

The guy took the menu and left Jo to stare at him. His eyes were dark blue, almost the same navy as his t-shirt. His hair had blonde highlights like he spent a lot of time in the sun. His shoulders were set tight like he was tense, or anxious. One long finger tapped the beer menu in his hand, further convincing Jo he was anxious.

Other customers were lined up around the bar, but Jo waited for the sexy guy in front of her. Something about him made her want to stay put, maybe talk to him. The idea shocked the hell out of her because as a general rule, she never flirted with the customers. On top of that, she learned many years ago that most men were cheating jerks, and Jo wanted no part of that. Either as they one they cheated on or the one they cheated with.

“I’ll take a Yuengling. On tap,” he said, breaking into her thoughts and catching her still ogling him. A grin slid over his face, his eyes catching the light from the bar and twinkling. When the corner of his mouth tipped up, Jo caught the hint of a dimple. She nearly groaned. If only she could see a full grin. She knew that dimple would come out to play.

Jo was a sucker for dimples.

“Definitely,” Jo said, turning from him before her cheeks betrayed her secret desire. She could feel the heat climbing up from her neck and had to get away from him. Ignoring the closer taps to her left, she went to the right to fill his glass. Years of practice taught Jo to hold the glass at just the right angle to maximize beer and minimize head in the glass.

Out of the glass, Jo had no problem with head.

“Phew,” she breathed, her cheeks heating all over again. If she could have fanned herself, she would have.

“He’s cute,” Holly said beside her, brown eyes lighting with mischief as she filled a glass with Bud Light. “I should have waited on him.”

Jo shook her head and rolled her eyes at her friend. “You’re boy crazy.”

Holly laughed. “Oh, no. He is all man.”

Jo glanced at him and had to agree. There wasn’t a boyish thing about the man waiting for her to return with his beer. He turned to watch her as she approached, smiling once again. Dimples appeared on both his cheeks and Jo nearly lost it. Damn.

“Here you go,” she said as she set the glass down in front of him. “Are you going to open a tab or are you waiting for a table?”

He sipped the beer then dug out his wallet. “Tab, please. I can order food here, right?”

Jo nodded. “Of course. Do you need a menu?”

He shook his head. “In a little bit. Anything you’d recommend?”

Jo wanted to offer herself up for his buffet. He was getting to her. Her good news was messing with her head. That had to be it. She’d been so focused for years on getting her master’s and finding a great job. With all that behind her, she was all over the place.

“The burgers here are great. Most of our appetizers are good too, but kind of big. They’re better for sharing.”

“I don’t suppose you have a break coming up?”

Jo shook her head.

“Too bad. I was going to ask you to share with me.”

Jo couldn’t fight the grin on her face. She didn’t want to be charmed by him, but dammit she was. He was cute, he was nice, and she deserved to celebrate. “Well, maybe another time.”

His eyebrows shot up into his hairline like he didn’t expect her to say that. Hell, she didn’t expect to say it either, but she meant it. Even if she didn’t usually trust men, she enjoyed the hell out of them. He looked like a man who knew his way around a woman’s body and could turn her private celebration into a very fun two-for-one celebration.

“I’m going to hold you to that,” he glanced at her nametag, “Jo. But since you can’t join me, I guess I’ll wait on ordering for now. Prolong the time I get to spend talking to you.”

Jo grinned and ducked her chin. She had no idea what to make of him. Men usually hit on her, but rarely did they pursue her once they realized she wasn’t an easy lay. Of course, she was at times, but not ever at Hank’s. She didn’t feel right picking up men at her job. Something about not shitting where you work.

“Well, hold that thought,” Jo told him. “I’ve got to grab a few other drinks. You think about what you want.”

The look in his eyes told her exactly what he wanted. When he reached below the bar and shifted in his seat, Jo knew their banter was having the same effect on him as it was on her. Would bathroom sex be hot or gross? Jo wondered, then mentally slapped herself for the thought.

She turned from him, finally, and busied herself with other customers. When she and Holly had served everyone that was waiting for drinks at the bar, and handed over drinks to the waiters and waitresses that needed them, Jo returned to the broad shouldered hottie.

His beer glass was empty. It was perfectly logical.

“Another?”

He glanced at the glass then up at her and appeared to be considering his options. She respected that. It was hard to cut someone off, but as the bar manager, or bartender, it was something she wasn’t afraid to do. Watching someone stumble out the door because she’d served them one too many drinks was not something Jo ever wanted to witness.

“I think I’ll hold off until I order.”

Jo nodded. “Anything else I can get you for now?”

“Your schedule?”

Jo narrowed her eyes. “Excuse me?”

He shrugged as if it was an obvious question. “Since you’re working now, I figured if I knew when you were off I could ask you out when you aren’t working and you wouldn’t have an excuse.”

Jo tried not to smile at him but failed miserably. He was sweet and persistent and funny and clever. It had been a while since she she went out with a guy. Especially one that got her going with a look and a few words.

“I’m off tomorrow,” Jo said over her shoulder as she walked away to take care of her other customers. She knew she was taking a risk, but she wanted to celebrate. It didn’t matter if he had no idea she was celebrating, or why, she wanted to have a little fun.

As Jo set a beer down in front of one of her regulars she glanced up and saw another regular walking in. It was rare that they had women who hung out there often, but Jo liked the blonde. She felt badly for her, hearing stories about her boyfriend with wandering eyes. Jo secretly wondered if he stopped with wandering eyes or if his hands, and other parts of him, followed his eyes.

Jo smiled at the guy she gave the beer to then turned back to the guy she’d been flirting with just in time to see his eyes light up. He stood and pulled the blonde in for a hug and kissed her cheek, then let her have his seat in the crowded bar.

The grin fell from her face. The guy she’d been flirting with was the blonde’s cheating boyfriend. There was no doubt that he was cheating if he was flirting with her the way he was. Jo shook her head and cursed herself. They were all the same. If they hadn’t cheated yet, they would eventually.

Approaching the happy couple, Jo pasted on a smile. She ignored the guy’s eyes and focused on his poor girlfriend. She was beautiful. Shoulder length blonde hair with a touch of wave, blue eyes so light they almost appeared see-through, and a smile that said she loved the guy made Jo insanely jealous. She was curvy like Jo, but she carried herself with a confidence that Jo rarely felt.

“What can I get you?”

“Hey,” the blonde said with a grin. “I’ll have a peach sangria, please.”

Jo smiled at her. “Of course.”

Jo turned away from them to fix the drink. She splashed moscato wine, peach schnapps, and seltzer water into a tumbler glass. She topped it with a peach slice and ripped the bottom off a straw and stuck it in the glass. The blonde pulled the top off the straw when she set it down. “On his tab?” Jo asked, not looking at the boyfriend. It really wasn’t fair that Jo felt guilty for him being a cheating asshole.

The blonde laughed and agreed. “Yeah, he can buy me a drink.” She turned to him. “Did you order anything?”

He shook his head and Jo slinked away, close enough that she could hear them, but far enough that she didn’t feel like she was eavesdropping on their conversation.

“I was waiting for you before I ordered,” Boyfriend said.

“That was sweet. What are you thinking?” Blonde said.

Jo busied herself with collecting payment from another customer, grabbing drinks for three more, and wiping down the bar. She didn’t want to hang around and hear the cheater talking to his girlfriend. Probably trying to convince her that he wasn’t hitting on the bartender.

Jo rolled her eyes at herself. She knew better. Men always cheated and lied. Always.

She was just glad she’d never seen her friends’ boyfriends on the prowl. They were smart enough to not do it where she worked. She wanted to hope they wouldn’t cheat, but Jo didn’t have much confidence in men.

Boyfriend was just another example.

“I think we’ll order, if that’s okay,” he said, drawing her attention again.

Jo gave him a tight lipped smile and walked over to get their order. Boyfriend wanted a burger, and Blonde ordered a grilled chicken Asian salad. Jo asked if they wanted anything else to drink once she sent their orders to the kitchen. “I’ll take another beer,” Boyfriend said. Jo flashed him a dirty look with an eye roll for good measure then poured his beer. When she set it in front of them, Jo resisted the urge to dump it over his head on behalf of his sweet girlfriend.

Jo made sure she was busy for the next few minutes, talking to the other customers and pouring her fair share of drinks. Holly sidled up next to her at one point. “Girlfriend, huh?”

Jo nodded. “Yep. She’s been in before complaining about her boyfriend. Guess now I know why.”

“That sucks,” Holly commiserated. “The cute ones are always jerks.”

Jo snorted. “They’re all jerks. Just some more than others.”

Holly grinned and shook her head. She knew how Jo felt about men, but Holly didn’t agree. Holly was more than happy to meet a new man every night of the week. “I prefer to do the jerking, if you know what I mean,” Holly teased.

Jo rolled her eyes but smiled for the first time since Blonde walked in.

When Blonde and Boyfriend’s food came out of the kitchen, Jo checked with them to make sure they were happy with everything. When Blonde said everything was good, Jo excused herself again. She stayed busy while they ate then handed over their check.

“I hope everything was good tonight. Come back and see us soon,” she said, hoping Boyfriend wouldn’t take her up on it. Blonde slipped her arm through Boyfriend’s on their way out the door and Jo finally breathed again.

“Another one bites the dust,” she muttered to herself, still berating her body for its reaction to him. So much for her celebration.

2

Eric Brown stormed into the Athletic Director’s office three days later. He was pissed. No. Pissed didn’t even begin to cover how he felt.

“What the fuck, Jeff? I thought Emma was a shoe-in for the job. She told me she didn’t get it.”

Jeff Kelley took his sweet ass time responding. The man was still in good shape from his years playing college basketball. His broad chest and rounded shoulders made all the students drool, but Eric knew he wasn’t a slouch either. He certainly wasn’t jealous of the man’s clean-cut look or constant five o’clock shadow that gave him a little edge. His glasses, the very thing that made competitive basketball a challenge for the man who was seven years older than Eric’s 28, and also his boss, were just one more thing Emma constantly said made Jeff attractive.

“First of all, Mr. Brown, I never said your sister was a slam dunk. I said she was a great candidate, but there was a better one out there, especially given the time frame we were working with. I have to do what’s best for this school and this program.”

Eric seethed silently. He wanted to throttle the man. Jeff had brought Paradise Park University into the limelight recently and gotten better recruits for all their programs, but Eric was angry that he was trying to throw his job in Eric’s face. “How in the hell is Emma not right for the job? She’s perfect, and you know it.”

Something flashed across Jeff’s face, but Eric didn’t know what it was. Probably guilt for not hiring her when she really was the best out there. “Listen, Eric, Emma is very talented. I will not deny that. She’s turned our women’s basketball team into a championship team. I have no doubt she could have done the same for the lacrosse team-“

“Then why did she tell me this morning that you called and told her she didn’t get the job?”

Eric stalked the length of the large office. A corner one. Two walls of glass overlooked the athletic complex, making Jeff appear to be over the coaches and players he ruled. He was still seated behind his monstrous desk, a file cabinet on his right visible through the thick glass top. A bookcase that nearly touched the ceiling held school awards and plenty of personal ones. Jeff had a successful career, and he knew his shit, but Eric knew he was wrong this time.

“Another candidate applied for the job. She played lacrosse here as a student and she was on our first championship team. She had a bachelor’s degree in Sports and Entertainment Management and just finished her Master’s in Teaching with a focus in Physical Education.”

“What’s her coaching experience?” Eric asked, hating that he was impressed by the unknown woman’s credentials.

“She has none.”

“What?” Eric blew up. “How the hell do you hire someone for a team of this caliber when she has zero coaching experience? You wouldn’t even give me that job without years of assistant coaching first. You told me that when I got here.”

Jeff nodded. He was infuriatingly calm. His relaxed posture and even voice made Eric that much angrier. He wanted the man to stand up for what he did, not sit back and take the argument like he didn’t trust what he’d done.

“I know exactly what I told you, Eric. The difference is this woman has an extra degree. When I interviewed her she was very enthusiastic and I believe she will do very well.” Eric snorted. “That said… The job is conditional. She’s aware of this. Since she doesn’t have experience, she has to prove herself. She gets one season to show that she can manage a team like this. If she can’t handle it, she’s gone.”

Eric liked that a little more. His temper chilled ever so slightly knowing he would only have to deal with one season, two months, with this woman. “How do you determine if she can handle it?”

Jeff took a deep breath. “Her record will be part of it. And how well she gets along with her team.”

“What about me? What if I can’t handle her? Are you willing to lose me to keep her?”

“What are you saying, Eric? Are you telling me you’ll quit if I decide to keep our new coach and you don’t like her?”

Eric held his breath. He’d thrown down the damn gauntlet. He couldn’t back out of that one. “Yes. If she’s not good for the team, and you choose to keep her regardless, I will quit.”

Jeff stared at him for a long minute. Eric wanted to squirm under his boss’s eyes, but he held firm, his feet planted on the ground. He waited, as patiently as he could, for Jeff to tell him something, anything. Would Jeff call his bluff? Or would he give him something?

“Fine. You can make the call. As the assistant coach, you’ll have to work closely with her. The team, especially the captains, will get to weigh in, and the record the team has at the end of the year will count, but ultimately, your vote will have the biggest weight. If you really think she’s that bad for the team, I’ll cut her loose. As long as you understand that letting her go will not guarantee your sister will get the job next.”

“Understood,” Eric growled.

* * *

“Lucy will be here soon. We’re taking you out to celebrate,” Kristina Thomas called down the hall. Jo was in her room, changing out of her clothes from work. She wanted to curl up on the couch and watch something where the man gets his ass kicked, like a boxing movie or something, but she knew there was no talking her best friends out of something they already planned.

“Can’t we stay in?” Jo cracked the door and yelled down the hall.

“NO! This is huge. You’re not getting out of celebrating any longer. Wear something cute.”

Jo groaned. Something cute meant they were going dancing. She was sick of cute clothes. She couldn’t wait to pull her workout clothes back out of the depths of her drawers. It had been too long since she’d used them. “Damn,” she muttered to herself. She needed to try everything on before her first practice the next day. If she didn’t have anything that fit her she’d have to get up early to grab some clothes she could run in. And that mystery sports bra that would actually support the girls.

Kristina burst into Jo’s room, catching her in her black cotton bra and matching panties. Jo just shook her head. After living together for seven years, she no longer thought twice about Kristina seeing her naked, or catching Kristina the same. “What?”

Kristina grinned. “I just wanted to make sure you’re not going to try to wear something frumpy.”

Jo took in her friend’s bedazzled black tank top, short hot pink skirt, and sandals that laced up her ankles. She really wanted to hate Kristina and how effortlessly cute she always was. If Jo could pull off a look like that, she would, but she didn’t have Kristina’s long, thin legs or a waist that dipped in just right to show off an hourglass figure. Of the three of them, Kristina was always the smallest, and the difference had only grown since college. Jo and Lucy had both gained some weight, but Kristina was irritatingly tiny by comparison.

“It’s not fair. I’m not as skinny and cute as you are.”

Kristina rolled her brown eyes. “Blah blah blah. You have men drooling over you every night of the week. You and I both know that as long as you look like you don’t care about them, they’ll be beating down your door to get to you.”

Jo shook her head. She knew it was true, but it didn’t matter to her. She was still annoyed she’d been tricked by the guy the other night at Hank’s. He was so sweet and she really enjoyed flirting with him. She wished men had to wear a sign when they were involved. Then again, the wedding ring didn’t stop the married ones so why would anything stop the ones who hadn’t taken that step.

“I’ll find something that won’t embarrass you. I’ll be ready soon.”

Kristina raised an eyebrow at her but left without another word. Jo searched through her closet for something that would work, even if she wasn’t feeling up to it. The only good thing was both her friends were involved. Kristina had Cole and Lucy had Chris. With them happily dating, their night wasn’t likely to get overly wild.

Finally dressed in a pair of black jeans and a tank top that looked like the ocean dyed it, Jo felt ready to go. She walked out to find Lucy and Kristina sitting on the couch talking. Lucy was wearing a cute red dress that hugged her chest and flared out at her waist. It offset her green eyes and her olive skin and looked stunning.

“Jo, you have to see this!” Kristina nearly shouted when she saw Jo. She thrust Lucy’s hand in Jo’s direction and Jo immediately saw what Kristina was so excited about.

Jo stepped closer and took her friend’s left hand. The ring was stunning. A large emerald cut diamond was in the center. On one side was a small ruby and the other side had an emerald. “The Italian flag?” Jo guessed.

Lucy nodded, breaming. “Chris said it worked since his birthday is May and mine is July.” Lucy shrugged. “It’s like it’s part of both of us.”

“With a huge diamond in the middle,” Kristina added. “Isn’t it beautiful?”

Jo nodded. “It is. Congratulations, Luce.”

“Hey, we have two things to celebrate now! Jo got her dream job and Lucy got her dream guy. How perfect!”

That was one of the things Jo loved about Kristina. She was always insanely happy for her friends. She wasn’t afraid to call them on their shit, but she was thrilled for them when they were happy. Jo was happy for Lucy, but she was still a little on edge about Chris. She’d known him from Hank’s and had seen him leave with his fair share of women before he met Lucy. Jo didn’t ever want to see Chris leave with another woman. She hated that she’d have to tell her friend that he was a cheating ass.

“We do. You have to tell us all about the job,” Lucy gushed. “When do you start?”

Jo grabbed her purse and jacket and led them out the door. She always volunteered to be the designated driver so everyone automatically went to her car. She turned the key and waited, hoping her old Jeep would actually start. It tried to turn over, but really didn’t want to. Jo needed to get it in to be checked out, but she hated the idea of having to get a new car. She loved her old Jeep, just wished it would start every time she cranked it instead of about 75% of the time.

When the car finally turned over, she turned the radio down and answered Lucy’s question. “My first practice is tomorrow, but the team has been at it for about a month already. The first game is Saturday.”

“Are you excited?” Kristina asked.

Jo nodded. “I am. Ever since we graduated I wanted this job. I’m sad to see Coach Jack go, especially like this, but the Athletic Director told me the assistant coach is really good.”

Jo was shocked when she learned her old coach quit at the beginning of the season. His wife had a stroke and he decided he needed to be home with her. Jo understood, and loved that he put his family above his career, but a part of her thought he’d be there until he died.

“Hopefully she isn’t pissed that you got the job and she didn’t,” Lucy said.

Jo shook her head. “No, Jeff, the Athletic Director, said the assistant coach didn’t apply for the job.”

“Did he give you any idea of what she’s like? She’s new, right? The one you had when we were at PPU left after our senior year.”

“Yeah, it’s a new assistant. The only thing I know is she’s not a she. It’s a guy.”

“Ooh,” Kristina teased. “Even better. A little locker room hook-up.”

Jo laughed and shook her head. “Not gonna happen. You know I don’t fool around at work.”

Kristina screwed up her face into a grimace. “You’re no fun.”

“As I’m driving us to a bar so we can drink and dance.”

Kristina grinned at her. “Well, we are celebrating.”

Jo pulled into the lot at The Tipsy Turtle. It was one of their favorite places to go. She liked their signature drink, a Tipsy Turtle, of course. Melon liqueur, vodka, and Sprite mixed together to make a tasty green drink that Jo could easily have too many of. Instead she limited herself to one.

The bar was busy for a Monday night. It was country night so they had someone giving line dancing lessons and played country music. Since all three of them loved country, they had fun on Mondays. “I’ll get drinks,” Lucy said. “You ladies get a table near the dance floor.”

Lucy walked away and Jo followed Kristina toward the floor. High top tables lined the back wall with booths along the sides. The bar was on the other side of the dance floor for easy access when people were drinking. Kristina headed straight toward an empty table and reached it just before another woman did. The woman turned and nearly ran right into Jo.

“Hey!” the blonde from the other night said brightly. She looked genuinely happy to see Jo.

“Hi,” Jo answered cautiously. There was no way the woman had figured out her boyfriend was hitting on Jo. “How are you?”

“Great! Hanging out with my friends. It’s good to see you.”

Jo nodded. “You too.”

She finally breathed when Blonde walked away with her friends. “Who was that?” Lucy asked as she set drinks down on their table.

Jo shook her head. “Just someone who comes into Hank’s sometimes.”

Neither of them missed the tension in Jo’s voice, tension even she heard. “There’s more than that. What’s going on?”

Jo sighed. She’d hoped to not ever relive the night, but she wasn’t so lucky. “She’s come in a few times. Enough that she’s a regular. I’ve talked to her a few times and she’s complained about her boyfriend who likes to look at other women.”

“Are you sure all he does is look?”

Jo paused and shook her head. “He was there Friday night before her. He was cute and nice and I’d just found out about the job. He flirted with me and I flirted back. Until she walked in and I realized who he was.”

Lucy and Kristina looked at Blonde with pity then focused back on Jo. “You didn’t know.”

“I should have,” Jo whined. “Every man I’ve ever known has cheated.”

“Not Cole,” Kristina argued the same time Lucy said, “Not Chris.”

Jo forced a smile for her best friends. “I know. And I truly hope they never do, but you both know as well as I do that my relationship history involves one cheater after another. I can’t trust a guy, or maybe I can’t pick a guy who can be trusted. This one was just another example of my shitty talent at picking guys who are not worth my time.”

“Maybe there was some other reason. Maybe he’s not really her boyfriend.”

Jo shook her head. “Not possible. He kissed her when she walked in. Besides, she’s been telling me about her boyfriend. She wouldn’t complain about him if she was cheating on him with someone else. He had to be the guy she bitches about.”

Lucy glanced over at Blonde. “I feel bad for her. Being with someone who doesn’t really want you sucks.”

Jo nodded. She knew all too well what it felt like to be cheated on. Lucy’s boyfriend before Chris had cheated too, although she didn’t find out for sure until they were done. Still, Jo had enough experience with cheaters to fill a manual on how to handle them. Too bad she couldn’t write the book on how to spot them before you got involved. That was a book she clearly needed to read.

“Hopefully she’ll ditch him one of these days and find someone who’s better for her. Then you can have him.”

Jo shook her head. “Not a chance. Once a cheater, always a cheater.”

3

“Breathe, Jo, just breathe,” she said to herself. She forced a deep breath and held it. She exhaled slowly, refocusing her mind. “You can do this. You know your shit. Now get out there and show them who’s boss.”

Jo opened the door to her Jeep, patting it on the hood as thanks for getting her there. She grabbed her bags from the back and headed to the field, pulling her jacket tighter around her to fend off the icy air of early March. Paradise Park University was still familiar to her even though it’d been a while since she’d stepped foot on the lacrosse fields. When she talked to Jeff, the Athletic Director, that morning, he mentioned her assistant coach was less than thrilled with her being appointed to the position. She was already anxious about being given the job on a temporary basis, but having an assistant who didn’t want her there was going to make life that much tougher.

“You don’t answer to him, Jo,” she whispered to herself as she made her way across the field. “He’s not your boss.”

Jo held her head high as she walked toward the man standing on the opposite sideline. The team wasn’t there yet, but her assistant coach was. She was glad she would get the chance to meet him without witnesses, especially since their meeting was not likely to go well.

He was pacing next to the bench. From the distance, she couldn’t tell what he looked like. There was something vaguely familiar about him. The sun glinted off his hair, long, almost to his shoulders. He wore sunglasses over his eyes, but she could tell he was watching her approach. He crossed his arms over a bulky chest that under any other circumstances Jo would drool over. His biceps jumped with his obvious tension, further evident by his wide set stance.

Shit, did he have nice legs.

As Jo got closer she said hi, to which he only nodded. She shook her head internally and shrugged off his attitude. He didn’t know her and had no reason to dislike her.

Then she got closer.

“You,” she half-snarled. He was Boyfriend. As in the guy who was hitting on her until his girlfriend, aka Blonde, showed up.

He shook his head. “Son of a bitch. Tell me you’re not the new coach.”

She pasted on her most professional smile and extended her hand. “Sorry to disappoint you, but I am. Jo Marcinko. Since we haven’t been officially introduced.”