Playing Mr. Perfect (The Bradens at Ridgeport #1)

Pepper

The warm Vegas air crackles with intensity at the Charity Bowl. There are seventeen seconds left in the fourth quarter, and Clay’s team is down by three points. I’ve been on the edge of my front-row bleacher seat the whole game. I want this win so badly for Clay. It’s been three weeks since he laid himself bare on his family’s front lawn. The sensory glove has helped him find a new release point, but his shoulder is still iffy. Even so, he decided to play for another season, because my competitive, loyal man doesn’t want to let his fans, or himself, down. He’s announcing it after the game this afternoon, and his fans are waiting with bated breath to see if their Mr. Perfect will sign or walk away. This was a torturous decision for Clay, and I couldn’t be prouder of him for following his heart.

As Clay’s team gets into position, the opposing team calls a time-out. I turn to Sable, Kane, and Seth, who came out to support Clay. “I never knew football could be so nerve-racking. I don’t know how the players deal with this.”

“I think they get used to it,” Seth says.