Bluegrass Undercover (Bluegrass Brothers)

Austin, he chanted in his mind.
    “You’re busting my rhythm, Coach. Let me do my own damn thing.” Austin yanked off his helmet and glared.
    “I’m going to say this once Austin. Once. So help me, if you do not do what I tell you, I will run you to the ground at practice and then make you run more.”
    “Yeah, right. I am the best player on this team. I don’t have to do nuttin'.”
    “Try me,” Cade barely whispered as he hardened his gaze. Austin rolled his eyes and put his helmet back on. “Slant route to Hall. Got it?”
    The team lined up and the ball was placed on the line. Cade heard no noise but the whistle of the referee starting the clock. The ball was snapped. Hall took off. With a quick stutter step he lost his guard and was headed for the end zone. Austin raised his arm back and threw the ball. It spiraled through the air and bounced off the ground on the opposite end of the end zone from a wide open Ryan Hall.
    The crowd groaned as the band picked up. A loss that should have been a win. Cade was livid. The team gathered around him for the post game prayer, all except Austin who headed straight for the tall Devon Ross in his Cincinnati Bengals warm-ups and gold chains. Cade looked into the emptying stands and immediately focused in on Annie. She saw it too.
    “Amen,” Parks said. The team broke and headed for the locker room.
    Cade watched as Trey Everett headed straight for Austin. Devon nodded at him, and Trey sent him a look that could freeze Hell. Austin turned to Trey, and Trey grabbed his jersey at the neck and dragged him by his pads away from Devon. Cade watched as Trey yelled at Austin until something hit home, and Austin reached out and shoved Trey. Trey took a step back and then shoved Austin hard. Austin went flying and landed on his butt on the field.
    A couple of people in the stands clapped, and Austin hurried to stand up and stormed off the field in a huff. Devon came over to Trey and Cade figured it was time he got involved. He headed over toward them, but before he got there, Trey shot Devon the finger and walked to the locker room.
    Cade looked back to Annie and their eyes locked. They both understood what had happened. Austin was on S2 and Trey knew about it and didn’t like it. She had found her weak link, and he would bet Trey would be in her office first thing Monday morning.
    “Tough loss Coach.” Stephanie saddled up next to him and slipped her hand through his arm. “It’ll be okay though.”
    “No, no it won’t. I’ m watching my team implode.”
    “But they were great! It was just one bad play.”
    “I wish. They’re aggressive and not listening to us. Instead they are fighting with each other and not using their heads. They have talent, but they just need to get out of their own way.”
     
    Forty-five minutes later Cade hurried out of the locker room. Tonight settled it. He needed to see Annie and tell her they needed to work on this together. He was hopeful they could work together closely . They had been talking and getting to know each other more over the last couple of months, and what he discovered was that he liked her. They worked well together and he knew it. He looked out over the parking lot to where kids were getting in their cars, parents were chatting and tires were squealing. Squealing? Cade watched as a black Escalade turned down a row of cars and headed straight for him.
    They slammed on the brakes, and the steroidasaurus triplets from his last visit to the gym jumped out with bats. Great, just what he needed. At least it wasn’t Larry, Moe and Curly. “Our boss said you were wavering on the deal we have. You better get out of the way of your boys. Boss is turning them into champs,” one of them said. Honestly, with their tight white t-shirts and shaved heads they all looked the same.
    “No, your boss is turning them into aggressive, egotistical teenagers who think they know everything. Look what it got us. A loss. Tell your boss he’s making the team implode.” Cade was so angry he had to talk himself out of beating them up then and there, staring parents be damned.
    “This is just to remind you to keep your mouth shut.” Bats were swung, headlights were smashed, windows were shattered, and the hood was dented as they busted the SUV up. Cade rocked back on his heels and tried not to laugh. They had done it again.
    “Hey! What are you doing to my car?!” Coach Parks yelled as he sprinted towards them from the field house. The