I’d learned in my time at Teagan that Coach didn’t like to be hurried. He’d get to his point, but often, we had to wait for him to lead up to it. I resisted the urge to fidget, forcing my tense shoulders to relax. Coach stacked some papers on his desk, then stood to drop them on top of his filing cabinet.

He circled the desk to perch on the edge and crossed his arms. “I’m worried about you, Derrick.”

My heart plummeted at the use of my full name, and I reminded myself not to rush to an apology. “Why?”

“You’re missing looks, distracted at practice, and throwing like a sophomore. You need to be at the top of your game right now, dedicating all your time and energy to the team. Instead, you’re messing around with some co-ed.”

My brows shot up at his description. I’d been solid in our games—good enough to put us firmly in the running for the championship again. Yes, I’d been distracted, but I considered it growing pains rather than a downward spiral. I wanted to learn how to balance a real life along with a football career, and my dedication to the team had never wavered.

“Respectfully, I disagree.” I met his gaze, surprised to find his eyes cold and calculating. It was a side of Coach I hadn’t been exposed to before. “Nadia knows how much time I need to dedicate to football, and she supports me all the way. My issues on the field are mine alone, and I’m working hard to move past them.”

He cocked his head. “Don’t you find the timing coincidental? You’re practically guaranteed to go in the first round of the draft, and she’s suddenly latched on to you.”

“It wasn’t like that. I pursued her.”

“Well now, that makes me question your judgement. You’re not making the right decisions for yourself, and if I can’t trust you to make the right decisions for the team, I’m not sure I can have you out there under center. Parker has been showing a lot of improvement, and he could use some play time.”

What the fuck? Surely, he hadn’t just threatened my starting position because I was dating Nadia. I forced a sense of calm I didn’t feel. “I’m sorry, sir. I don’t understand.”

“You’ve been distracted all season, depending on the team to make up for your weak play. Can you give me a good reason why I should start you instead of Parker when you’d choose to waste your talents on a piece of ass?”