“Of course.”

I nodded, pushing up out of my chair, biting back the anger welling in my chest.

“They want to see you.”

I dropped back in the seat, pushing it back a few inches and sending a sharp squeal through the jam-packed office. “Me?”

“You. Did you think I wasn’t still trying to get you your spot?”

“It…I didn’t know.” The hope I’d been clinging to had been something I thought was only a pipe dream to keep me together, at least through graduation. Most of the guys who’d already signed letters had involved parents who came to the games and rode the coach to make sure their kid had a place in the spotlight. Knox’s parents seemed to have monthly meetings, which turned into weekly meetings, on what would be best for him once our season started. Even a few guys had been picked up right after the championship win, but nothing for me.

“I’m giving it to you straight. No one is knocking down my door to grab you, after last season. Even after Ohio State rescinded their offer, there were others interested, but then the fight last year made the paper. Anyone searching for you would pull that up.”

The coals I’d long thought were dead were stoked higher by Coach bringing up the fight where I’d narrowly avoided getting arrested last season. I wanted to kick the guy’s ass all over again.

“A cheap shot against one of my teammates isn’t something I can let slide.” I shot forward in my seat.

“And you got his number during the game. That kid was probably crapping turf for a week with how you slammed him to the ground in the next play. And that should’ve been the end of it. Put it to bed on the field, but you went after him later that night.”

“Archer had broken his radius in three places after the illegal hit and they’d only gotten a 15-yard penalty. We lost him for the whole season. That guy could’ve ended Archer’s entire high school career and he laughed.”

I’d wiped the punk-ass smile off his face with my fists at their loser celebration the night of the game. Knox backed me up. Well, more like went along to make sure I didn’t get myself into too much trouble. If he hadn’t been there, I’m not sure I’d have stopped at only a busted nose and lost tooth.

Coach sighed, shaking his head. “I know. It wasn’t right, but you can’t screw up your life worrying about something like that bonehead. Archer healed up and was ready to play this season.”

“He might not’ve been.”

“But he was. This is why you’ve only got one chance left.” He held up a lone finger. “You’ve got to reign in that temper.”

My expression hardened. I wasn’t apologizing for taking someone down who deserved it.

“We have one team who’s expressed interest. It’ll come down to what they see in the seven-on-seven in six weeks.” He held up six fingers.