The Shadow of Mudflap (A Foxtrot Team Novel #1) by Christi Snow, M.F. Smith

halt, before taking off again at a gallop. “Mudflap? Is he okay?”
    She saw Seth’s eyes narrow, but turned away from him so he wouldn’t distract her.
    “Not Mudflap. His partner, Grant Simpson, the one who was hurt in the fire.”
    Her knees gave way and she slumped against the counter. She couldn’t examine why the relief was so incredibly overwhelming right now.
    “I need you in here as soon as possible, Shadowfox.”
    “Yes, sir. I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.” As she turned off her cell phone, she ignored Seth’s direct, hardened gaze. “I need you to leave. I have to go to work.”
    He crossed his arms, which he knew emphasized his bulk and muscles. It felt like a threat to her especially when combined with the mutinous glare in his eye. She lost her patience. Her heartbeat was still too erratic from the scare of thinking that Mudflap was hurt or worse.
    “Get out, Seth!” She glanced down to her empty hand. The knife she had before had been put down when she answered her phone. Instead, she pulled the switchblade out of the drawer in front of her. She flipped it open which locked the blade into place. It was a deadly, wicked looking 9” blade and she wouldn’t think twice about using it.
    Seth knew enough about her knife play to know that she could nail him in the balls from where she stood. “I’m not playing your games anymore. I thought we could be friends, but obviously I was wrong. I don’t want to see you anymore and if I find out you’re watching me again, I will cut off your balls.”
    He raised his hands in surrender as he began to slowly back out of the room toward the front door. “Okay, calm down, Shanae. I’ll go for right now, but we aren’t through here.” He closed the door behind him.
    She thunked her head on the countertop. Damn, it was seriously going to be one of those days.
     
    Game 3 Results:
    Texas Tech (19): 44
    vs.
    University of Arkansas: 28
     
     

Week 4: Sometimes a Substitution is Needed
    Mudflap
    Mudflap opened his front door, puzzled to find his brother, TC, standing there in the hazy morning light just starting to filter over the horizon.
    “Surprise!” TC grinned as he shouldered past Mudflap who stood shocked in the doorway. “Guess who your new roommate is.”
    “Um, what?” Mudflap shut the door and frowned at the duffle bag that TC carried. “No.”
    Derek stumbled into the living room rubbing his sleep-worn face. He looked confused and sleepy as he dropped onto the couch, watching them warily.
    Mudflap gestured toward Derek. “That’s my roommate and besides, don’t you have a job, you know, with the Kansas City Chiefs?”
    TC gave him a shit-eating grin. “That was my former job. I resigned yesterday after the game.”
    “What?” Mudflap exclaimed.
    TC just kept grinning. “As of last night, my new job is head coach of the Texas Tech football team.”
    That little statement even woke Derek out of his stupor as his eyes widened.
    “No way.” Disbelief stuttered through Mudflap. This was shocking and in a much bigger way than having his brother as head coach. In Lubbock, the football personnel were considered family. To have the current coach suddenly leave was a serious blow for the entire town. “What happened to Coach Porter?”
    TC’s grin finally faded a bit. “I’m not really sure. The only thing I know is that he resigned because of personal issues, but I have no idea what that really means. So, where would you like me to throw my stuff?” He began walking down the hall, toward the bedrooms.
    Mudflap stopped mid-stride. “Wait. What?”
    “Mudflap.” TC sounded exasperated, but from where Mudflap sat, he couldn’t see why TC thought he could just move in. “Listen, you know where the Tech football program is this year. They have a good shot at going all the way to the National Championship. I can’t come in here and screw that up. I need to be able to concentrate on football and only football. It’s just for a couple