Paint Valley is a very scrappy team. We tried to dig up their hard hits, but they threw some off-speed stuff at us and kept us in our tracks. Our team is improving, but we need to transition a lot better on defense.

The girls are communicating much better than they have been. Now, we just need to continue to be aggressive at the net.

We had opportunities. I've asked the girls to do a lot of things they have never done, and they have come so far. We know we have a long way to go, but there have been a lot of bright things happen this year.

I don't need the water to be inspired. My stories inspire me, not the location of where I'm parked. And good thing, since I've had to finish books in airports, in the RV we used to have, the lake house, while on vacation, at home, in the kitchen when my office PC was on the fritz.

I prefer to like the people I invest in, but it's not an absolute necessity, as long as they have a good mind and I know they'll do whatever it takes to be successful.

I'm telling you now. Without knowing for sure if you sent them, or why, I was left to my own discretion. If you want me to bother you with every little detail that comes up, just say so." He shrugged. "But I was under the impression that you wanted me to handle shit."

Murray's face reddened with bluster. "I do, damn it."

"They were shit," Trace explained. "They've been handled.