Chapter 21
TWENTY-ONE
ELI
The next day, I’d gone home to shower and pack for our trip to Texas for the Sunshine Bowl. I was so happy for Wren. It seemed the pieces of our shared future were merging.
As I stuffed my team t-shirt into my bag, resting at the foot of my bed, my phone buzzed on the dresser. I strode to it and picked it up. There was a number I didn’t recognize. “Hello?”
“Hello, is this Eli Dawson?” A man’s voice asked.
“This is he.” I peeked at myself in the mirror over my dresser. I had a good scruff growing across my jawline. I scratched it.
“This is Dennis Brenner, an agent for the NFL. I’ll be signing Casey Carter once this bowl game is over, and he referred me to you.”
“Oh yes, we spoke about that.” Damn Casey came through for me. But I knew he would. “Do you have someone who might be interested in me?” I paced to my bag and threw a pair of joggers into it.
“I do.” He chuckled. “Me.”
“You?” I halted with my rolled-up briefs in my hand. “Y-you’re interested in signing me?” These guys signed all positions, so it wasn’t surprising.
“Yes, I’ve watched plenty of ASU footage while evaluating Casey, and you stood out to me as well. I think you’ll do great in this year’s draft. Your stats are in the top five.”
I knew that, but… “Awesome, I’m on board. If you’re good enough for Casey, you’re good enough for me.” I freed a short laugh. Why wade through other agents when I knew Casey and his high-powered lawyer father would have already vetted this guy?
“Okay, then I’ll forward you a contract to review and eSign after the game tomorrow.”
“Sounds good.” I stuffed the underwear into the corner of my bag. One less thing to deal with. “Talk to you soon.”
“Yes, and good luck out there. Bye now.” The call ended.
“Hell yes.” I dropped my phone on my bed and finished packing.
We were under the two-minutes in the bowl game against Duke, and they’d driven the ball to the twenty-yard line with two downs left to go. We were ahead by three, so they could tie the game with a field goal or win with a touchdown.
I took my position on the field. Our defensive coordinator had called for a blitz. I had to retrieve that fucking ball. This game needed to end with our winning and not go into overtime.
I glanced at the sideline. Wren glued his gaze to me.
The Duke quarterback made his calls, and the center snapped the ball. He drew back, his head swiveling.
I jumped toward him, tossing the offensive linemen from me, growling with each one. This was my last college game, and I’d make it the best one yet.
Slipping the ball to the Duke running back, the quarterback went down as Penny nabbed him.
“Fuck.” I pivoted, racing toward the running back, whose head was down as he barreled down the field.
Coming at him from the side, I lowered and slammed my shoulder against his waist.
“Damn it!” He fell sideways, the ball freeing from under his arm and flying into the air.
With my eyes widening, I nabbed it, tucked, took a few steps and rolled to the ground. “Holy fuck, holy fuck, holy fuck,” I muttered as I lay in the grass, my gaze catching the afternoon sunlight and clear-blue sky. I’d intercepted. The game would be over once Carter possessed the ball.
The stadium erupted in cheers, and over the loudspeakers, the announcer said, “Interception, ASU.”
Our defensive line swarmed me with Penny stretching his hand down. “You okay? Damn good catch, Dawson.”
“I’m great.” Snatching his hand, I rose from the field while everyone patted me on the back and slapped my ass. After handing the ball to a ref, I jogged toward Wren and blew him a kiss.
His face lit, and a broad smile swept his mouth. “Love you!” he shouted while all the cheerleaders shook their pom-poms and started a routine.
A few months later, the combine was over, and we held a draft party for me.
Casey had gone to Ryker’s house to watch the draft with Ryker’s family.
After this, only two of us would remain at ASU—Malik and Tex.
I’d had two teams interested in me, San Francisco and Seattle.
If I got to play in Seattle, I’d be playing with my old buddy Cooper.
If not, then Wren could be close to his father, and we’d move to the Bay Area.
I sat on the couch next to Wren with a bowl of popcorn while Tex and Malik grabbed a round of beers for everyone. “Babe, when is your dad supposed to be here?” Their therapy sessions were progressing well, and that Darren would soon arrive to watch the draft with us was nothing short of a miracle.
“Any minute.” He drank from a water bottle.
The doorbell chimed.
“That’s him.” Wren jumped from the couch and bounded to the door. After swinging it open, he said, “Dad, come on in.”
“Thanks.” His father stepped inside, gave Wren a quick, one-armed hug and held up a twelve-pack of Fort Point Beer.
“Anyone in the mood for a great San Francisco beer?” With a chuckle, he strolled into the kitchen.
“I hoped that if we all drank a San Fran beer, it would swing the tables of fate for Eli to be signed by the Niners.”
“Oh, hell yes.” Tex stuffed the beers he’d taken out back into the refrigerator and grabbed one of Darren’s beers.
“I’ll drink to that.” Wren snatched two beers and headed toward me. “Hurry, Dad, Las Vegas has already picked Casey.”
“Oh, my old Raiders?” Darren snicked a beer can open and slurped it as he strolled toward the couch.
He’d been a Raiders fan? My knowledge of Wren’s father was so limited. “Yep. Casey will be happy there. I think he’s planning on living part time in Arizona still, for Ryker’s family.”
As Wren plopped down next to me, he handed me a beer can. “Here you go, babe.”
Wren was a different man now. It had been amazing to watch him navigate his way back to his father and to hear about them working together on their future. “Thanks, babe.” I opened my beer and drank some.
Tex and Malik sat on the opposite side of the sectional while Wren’s father dropped in by us, saying, “Wren, I hope we all end up close to each other, but if not, I want you to know it won’t be like before.” His gaze locked on Wren.
“I know, Dad.” He flashed a smile at his father. “What did you decide about the house here?”
“I’m transferring the title to Karen. I know Stuart’s not mine, but I can’t leave him with nothing.” He twisted his beer in his lap.
“That’s the right thing to do.” Wren patted his father’s knee.
“How’s the divorce coming along?” I peeked at Darren. There’d been a stark change in him too. He still drank, but not every day like before.
“I think we’ve gotten most of it settled. We had a meeting with a moderator last week and agreed on the details. We should file our final paperwork soon.” He sipped his beer as his gaze swept toward the television. “Hey, Seattle’s up next.”
My heart thumped in my ears. “Oh.” I stared at my phone. I’d get a call any minute if they were picking me. As I gulped hard, my gaze swung to Darren. If the Niners picked me, it would be so much better for Wren.
“Dude, relax.” Tex chuckled. “You look like you’re about to pass out.”
Seizing my hand, Wren kissed the back of it and said, “Wherever we go, it’s okay.”
“Yeah.” I drank more beer, flinching as a name was called. It wasn’t mine. “Um…”
“That only leaves the Niners, Eli. Guess what?” Malik held up his beer.
My phone buzzed, jumping across the table with a number I didn’t recognize. “Oh my God, everyone be quiet.” Setting my beer on the table, I snatched my phone and stood, my pulse skyrocketing. “H-hello?”
“Eli Dawson? This is Steve Yerman with the San Francisco Forty-Niners. We spoke at the combine.”
“Y-yes, I remember.” I swallowed as my throat tightened, time slowing to a trickle while Malik muted the television.
“We'd like to sign you this year. Will you accept?”
“Oh, hell yes, I will. I’d be happy to play for your organization…uh, sir.” Damn it, I needed to control myself.
“Great news, we’ll start negotiations with your agent,” he said. “Eli, welcome to the team and speak with you soon.”
“Thank you.” As the call ended, Malik unmuted the television, and my name was called for the Niners. I turned to Wren, now standing beside me. “We did it, babe.”
As Darren hopped up, he wrapped his arms around us both. “My beer worked!” He slapped our backs. “It fucking worked!”
“Yes, it did, Dad.” With a laugh, Wren grabbed my cheeks, stood on his tippy toes and planted a kiss on my mouth.
Everyone cheered and tapped their beer cans together, saying, “To the Niners!”