Dogwood Hill. Sherryl Woods

      “Beer if you want it. I only have tea and diet soda in the house, but I’m good with that.”

      “Either one suits me, too,” Aidan said. “I may not be in training, but I mostly steer clear of alcohol except at a summer barbecue or on the occasional night hanging out with the guys.”

      Liz thought of Shanna’s remark to Henry about good player nutrition. “That reminds me. Do you plan on getting into the whole diet and exercise thing with the players?”

      “Of course. Why?”

      “Henry mentioned something about needing to get stronger. Shanna’s apparently a little freaked that he might turn to steroids, even though Henry says he’s gotten the message about how bad those are.”

      “My players won’t go near steroids,” Aidan said flatly. “I’ll make sure of that. Tell Shanna she doesn’t have anything to worry about. I’ll start hammering that message home first thing at Tuesday’s practice. I hope to work with each player next week and come up with an individualized training plan for the summer. And just because school’s out doesn’t mean I won’t be following up to make sure they stay on track.”

      Liz regarded him with approval. “I was right,” she said with satisfaction.

      “About what?”

      “The kind of coach you’re going to be. It’s great that you care so much. The high school is very lucky to have you.”

      “We’ll see if the players agree once I start getting serious about their workouts,” he said.

      “I think they’re going to take to it like ducks to water,” she said at once. “Those boys want so badly to prove themselves and start winning. Nothing against Coach Gentry. He’s a great guy, but he didn’t have what it took to motivate them or to teach them what it would take to improve.”

      “And you think I do?”

      “I know it,” she said with confidence.

      She also thought he had what it took to heal her heart, if only she weren’t so terrified that he could just as easily break it.

       6

      Aidan was halfway up the walkway to Liz’s when she opened the front door. Archie bounded out with an ecstatic bark, paused to pick up a tennis ball, then almost knocked Aidan to the ground in his exuberance.

      “Is it me or the pizza he’s excited about?” he called out to Liz, who stood where she was, laughing and leaving him to extricate himself from the situation.

      “Let’s just say I’ve never seen him get that worked up over pizza before, and it’s a staple around here,” she said. “Archie, behave! Get back here.”

      Instead of obeying, Archie sat down in the middle of the sidewalk blocking Aidan’s way, dropped a tennis ball at his feet and looked up at him with adoring eyes. Despite himself, Aidan couldn’t help chuckling.

      “If you want me to play with you, you have to let me inside so I can put dinner down,” he scolded.

      The dog’s response was to pick up the ball, then drop it again in an attempt to get his own message across.

      Aidan cast a helpless look in Liz’s direction. “I think we’re at a stalemate. Can you grab this pizza?”

      She came out wearing shorts and a tank top that almost caused him to swallow his tongue. With her feet bare, he couldn’t help noticing that her toenails were painted a pale pink that reminded him of seashells. Though her hair had been pulled back neatly all day, tonight she’d swept it up on her head in a careless knot that left damp blond tendrils framing her face. She looked as if the weight of the day had been washed away by a quick shower.

      “You look...” Words failed him.

      “Clean?” she suggested.

      He laughed. “Way better than that.”

      “I needed to get out of those clothes and into something comfortable,” she said. “A shower helped, too. I was feeling pretty grungy.”

      “You looked great before, but you look even better now. Being relaxed suits you.”

      “Doesn’t it suit everyone?” she replied, reaching for the pizza. “You have five minutes with Archie or I can’t promise there will be any of this left by the time you get inside.”