Total pages in book: 70
Estimated words: 69794 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 349(@200wpm)___ 279(@250wpm)___ 233(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69794 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 349(@200wpm)___ 279(@250wpm)___ 233(@300wpm)
We had to win this one with a shut out to advance into the semi-finals.
“There’s no way around this,” Court found himself saying. “Everyone knows this looks suspicious. There’s no way that they’ll be able to hide a call like this two games in a row.”
“Agreed,” I grumbled.
Exactly what I said would happen happened. They went to review the play, and the lead ref on the field got a call from the head ref in the box.
After a very quick discussion, and an even shorter look at the play, it was determined that the line ref was off.
“Guy’s fired,” Court said. “I won’t let this one slide.”
“You shouldn’t,” I agreed with him. “Plus, coming from you, this is going to be even better seeing as you’re an international soccer phenomenon.”
He snorted. “Some international phenomenon who was sent to jail for a crime that I do admit I committed, even unintentionally, that they then wrote me off indefinitely for. This’ll probably be ten times harder to deal with based solely on who I am.”
“Some part of you wants it,” I said. “Not even Charleigh could’ve gotten you to agree if you didn’t feel like it was right in your heart.”
He grunted.
The lead ref walked out onto the field and announced it’d be a drop ball right in front of the goal.
Nettie gestured for Magnolia to take it, who immediately shook her head.
The two had a discussion, then Magnolia was reluctantly walking up to the line and waited for the ball to be dropped.
It was a shit call, and an even shittier situation.
The ball was dropped, and like we fucking knew it would, the ball went to the keeper.
The keeper picked it up and booted it.
“Goddammit.”
Except, Nettie was there to receive the ball in Magnolia’s spot.
See, what Nettie knew was that this exact thing would happen, and she was the fastest player on the field.
Magnolia dropped back to an onside position and waited.
Nettie out-dribbled every player on the field, and she and Magnolia worked in tandem in the next two moves, one-touching it back and forth until there were the two of them standing in front of a wide-open goal.
Magnolia shot and it bounced off the keeper straight back to her feet.
The keeper dove for the ball, but Magnolia kicked it up over the keeper, did a flick of her foot, and the ball rolled into the goal.
The stadium went wild.
All I could do was smile.
“I like her,” Court said. “She has a cool head on her shoulders.”
“Wonder if that ref will be fired,” I mused.
“Yes,” Iris added in her two cents.
I grinned.
She had the cutest voice.
I also loved that she was so adamant.
That ref did deserve to lose his job. Especially after that call. And if a four-year-old could see it…
I hoped my sister’s money would get him some schooling, because he wasn’t going to be working as a ref ever again. Not if I had anything to say about it.
Also, based on how pissed Court looked, the man was literally fucked.
Magnolia finally made her way back to the center back and had a laughing word with the goalie before doing a squeal of excitement with her.
“Mama’s loud,” Iris called out.
I looked down at her. “Aren’t you Ms. Talkative today?” I teased.
She nodded but didn’t comment.
I loved hearing her speak.
It was so rare, I felt like I was given a huge gift.
I returned my gaze back to the game, my focus solely on number thirty-three in the back.
Boone, who’d been pretty quiet up until now, said, “They’re going to win.”
I looked over at him. “We still have twenty-five minutes.”
“We’re going to win,” he repeated.
And we did.
We won 1-0, and the home team booed us.
I had a grin on my face when I bent down to focus on Iris. “I need to carry you through this crowd. Is that okay?”
She held out her hands for me. “Yes.”
I picked her up so that she wouldn’t be trampled, especially after yesterday, and made my way downstairs to the locker room.
We didn’t go inside, though.
Court, Boone, Iris, and I waited outside until they came out after getting dressed.
Nettie was the first one to come out, followed by Eddie.
She frowned as she looked around. “Where’s Weaver? And Margie?”
“Margie had a blowout.” Boone winced. “Weaver took her back to the hotel so I didn’t miss the game.”
Eddie blinked. “I’m sorry, did you just say that Weaver willingly took care of a dirty diaper?”
“No,” Boone scoffed. “I took care of it. She was just naked afterward, so he took her back.”
Eddie snickered.
Nettie looked embarrassed. “That kid has an ass like her daddy.”
“Hey, I’ll have you know I haven’t had a blowout in years.”
“Bullshit,” Eddie called back. “Didn’t I just hear that you shit yourself in the middle of Dick’s last month?”
Boone turned an accusing glare toward his wife. “I swear to God, is nothing sacred?”