"Aww, Coach," Nicky complained as Abigail turned. "Why do you always have to pick on me? You already started it. Can't you finish?"

"Shut your face and get to work."

"Can't you two behave when we've got a guest?" Abigail asked, setting aside her spoon and coming to greet them.

Wymack raked the group with a look. "I don't see any guests. Neil's a Fox. He's not going to get any special treatment just because it's his first day. Don't want him thinking this team is anything but dysfunctional or June will be a rude wake-up call."

"David? Shut up and make sure the vegetables aren't boiling over. Kevin, check the bread. It's in the oven. Nicky, table. Aaron, help him. Andrew Joseph Minyard, that had better not be what I think it is." She made a grab at the whiskey, but Andrew laughed and ducked out of the doorway. Abigail looked like she wanted to go after him down the hall, but Neil was in her way. He stepped neatly to one side to let her through, but she settled for flicking Nicky a murderous look.

"What was I supposed to do?" Nicky asked, avoiding her eyes as the three split up to their various chores. "Take it from him? No way in hell."

Abigail ignored him in favor of facing Neil. "You'd be Neil, then. I'm Abby. I'm nurse for the team and temporary landlord to this lot. They're not harassing you too much, are they?"

"No worries," Andrew called from out of sight. "He'll actually take work to break, I think. Give me until August, maybe."

"If you dare give us a repeat of last year—"

"Then Bee will be here to pick the pieces up," Andrew interrupted, reappearing in the doorway at Neil's side. He'd lost the whiskey along the way and he splayed his empty hands at her in a calming gesture. "She did so well with Matt, didn't she? Neil won't even be a blink on her radar. You did invite her over, didn't you?"

"I invited her, but she declined. She thought it would make things awkward."

"Things aren't anything but awkward when Andrew and Nicky are around," Coach said.

Andrew didn't even try to defend his honor but looked at Neil. "Bee's a shrink. Used to work in the juvie system, but now she's here. She deals with the really serious cases on campus: suicide watch, budding psychopaths, that sort of thing. That makes her our designated handler. You'll meet her in August."

"Do I have to?" Neil asked.

"It's mandatory once a semester for athletes," Abby confirmed. "The first time is a casual meet-and-greet so you get to know her and find out where her office is. The second session is in spring. Of course, you're free to visit her any time you like, and she'll talk to you more about scheduling while you're there. Counseling services are included in your tuition, so you might as well make use of it."