Chapter 15
MATEO
Icould still taste Emmie on my lips. Which sounded crazy because five days had passed since I kissed her. We’d been so busy that all interactions were in the form of phone calls and text messages.
I FaceTimed her last night, and while it was nice seeing her, it wasn’t the same as being in person. The same as feeling her lips on mine.
Kissing Emmie was… There were no words to describe it. The amount of control it took not to take her back to my apartment and do unspeakable things to her. I really should be applauded for being a gentleman and driving her home afterward.
I always heard women talking about sparks when kissing someone—even in romcoms they talked about the infamous foot pop—but damn it to hell, I felt them.
I knew for a fact Emmie felt the same. The way her breath hitched when our lips met, her hands gripping my shirt with tight fists. When I pulled away, she was breathing just as hard as I was.
God, how I wanted to kiss her right now.
Shifting in my chair, I stifled a groan. Now was not the time to be letting my thoughts wander in that direction. Getting a hard-on right before a game was a no-go. We were literally minutes away from hitting the field, and I didn’t need the front of my pants to be tented.
I brought my attention back to my phone, urging my dick to calm the fuck down. An onslaught of messages greeted me. Texts from my college buddies wishing me good luck even though it was only a preseason game.
Separate messages, as well as ones in the huge group chat I had with my brothers and the girls, were all along the same lines. My mom sent me football emojis followed by a you got this GIF.
Mila, Bryton, Trevor, and Tasha sent their own versions of good luck and go kill it messages in the group chat. But the sight of a video from Josie had me grinning. I turned the sound up as the faces of my nieces and nephew popped up.
“Good wuck, Uncle Maty.” Jayden grinned at the camera, his little teeth flashing.
“Kick butt!” Wrenley yelled, dancing across the screen, her lighter blonde hair pulled into two pigtails.
“WIN!” Kai screamed, her face inches from the phone. When it panned back, all three kids were dressed in the same charcoal gray and silver Titan jerseys I got them a few months ago for their birthdays.
At the sight, my chest pinched. I missed them so much.
Josie’s face appeared. “Good luck, Maty. Can’t wait to see you in a few weeks for the first real game of the season. You’ve got this!”
Over her shoulder, everyone—Mila, Bryton, Trevor, Tasha, Lydia, and my two brothers—huddled around the living room, the TV showing the announcers and sports casters talking.
“Good luck!” everyone yelled at the camera before the video stopped.
I took a shuddering breath. Being away from my family was hard.
Harder than I anticipated when I first moved here.
During football season, it wasn’t too bad because I was busy with games, but the ache of not seeing them never dissipated.
They weren’t that far away, but with everyone's schedules, it made it hard to see each other as much as we used to.
I sent a thank you to the chat and then couldn’t help but send another one.
Me: If I win today, I expect a date and a kiss with all my girls.
I chuckled under my breath at myself. Even miles away, I couldn’t help but poke and prod my brothers a bit.
Just like I predicted, the chat got bombarded with fuck no’s from Wyatt, Landon, Trevor, and Bryton.
With the noise of the locker room growing, it was time for us to head to the field. Just as I was about to put my phone on the top shelf of my cubby, it buzzed, Emmie’s name flashing on top of the screen. I’ve never clicked on a message faster in my life.
Emmie: My coach has this saying before every competition, and I thought you could use it today. Walk out and own it. Show them how Titans do it.
I grinned at my phone, repeating the saying in my head.
Emmie: If you can…find me in the stands.
Every part of my body paused at the second message. She was here? I didn’t have time to reply as Coach called out, telling us to crowd together in the middle of the room.
I put my phone away, grabbed my helmet, and made my way toward the huddle. Hands reached out and smacked my shoulders and back in support as I moved forward.
Needing to focus on the game, I pushed the thoughts of Emmie to the back of my mind. Going into a game distracted was a recipe for disaster.
“Gentleman.” Coach Reggie’s voice boomed through the locker room. “This is our first preseason game of the year, and while it may be just that, we’re still going to play our best. We don’t half-ass things here, do we?”
As one, the team shouted out, “No!”
“You put in the work the last few weeks, and it’s time to show them, as reigning champions, we aren’t here to play. That we’re NOT giving up our title that easily.”
One thing about Coach was that he could give a mean speech before a game.
“Remember,” his eyes scanned each of us, “while I do want you all to play your best, do not overexert yourself to the point that you’re injuring yourself. As a team, we have a long road ahead to get back to The Legacy Championship, so we need to play smart, hard, and safe.”
Coach’s gaze landed on me, meaning it was my turn as captain to speak.
“Titans.” I raised my voice to be heard. Their focus shifted to me as they waited for me to bring the team together before getting on the field. My gaze met Jake and Perry’s. Their faces were pinched in concentration and focus.
“They doubt US. They fear US. They don’t survive US.” My fist struck my chest with each word, each beat deliberate. My voice rang out clear, unshaken as I said the same chant I always did before each and every game. The team echoed the beat to their own chests.
“We are the Titans, and this field belongs to US.”
The yells that came from everyone were deafening, echoing and shaking the walls around us.
“Titans on three.” I put my hand out. One by one, each player stuck their hand out, even those that couldn’t reach the middle.
“ONE, TWO, THREE…TITANS!”
Anticipation and excitement ran through my veins as the team walked out of the locker room to the tunnel that led to the field. Each tap to my shoulders and back added fuel to the fire burning in my belly.
The same fire that grew every time I stepped through the tunnel. The same fire that drove me to this sport years ago when I started playing as a kid. There wasn’t a feeling like it. It was an addiction I craved before each game.
The sound of the roaring crowd met my ears as we waited to go on the field. I stood at the back of the team, bouncing lightly on my toes. My fingertips tingled, white tape wrapped around my right fingers.
Coach stepped up next to me and tapped my shoulder pads. The firm nod he gave when I glanced over at him was familiar and welcomed.
I blocked everything out, noises seizing to exist, and focused on clearing my mind. I wanted to feel this moment and nothing else.
My teammates moving in front of me was the only notice I got that we were heading onto the field. Taking a deep breath, I grabbed my helmet and slipped it on my head.
Walk out and own it.
With Emmie’s words in my head, I jogged forward.
My focus tunneled to the game in front of me, and the first quarter flew by. People always wondered if the competitiveness applied to preseason too, and yes, it did.
For a lot of players, preseason was a make or break for their career, especially rookies.
This was their chance to prove they belonged on the team.
That they could handle the big leagues. If they couldn’t, then they got cut, and maybe, if they were lucky, they’d get a chance to play for another team.
So, while this game didn’t count toward the season's records, we didn’t half-ass it.
I didn’t know what it was like to not give it my all every time I stepped onto the field.
My brothers, especially Wyatt, who’s been captain of The Toronto Knights hockey team for years, taught me that you only got one chance.
One chance to do what you loved, so you needed to do it well.
Do it to the best of your ability every single time.
While having a successful brother motivated me to be the best, it also came with the constant fear of not measuring up.
The fear that I would never be as good as him.
We played in different sports, but I also had the same last name.
In the sports world, that came with a lot of expectations. A lot of comparisons.
If I had decided to become a doctor or build houses, my brothers and mom would have stood by me. To them, it didn’t matter what I did, just as long as I enjoyed it.
I tried my best to not let the outside voices get in my head about certain things like that. It’s why I always put everything I had on the field every time I stepped onto it, even if we didn’t win a game, I’d know I did what I could with no regrets.
Another lesson my brothers taught me growing up.
“Keep the line tight,” Coach instructed in the huddle on the sidelines. I wasn’t playing anymore, but I still listened and gave my input. Something Jennings despised with every glare he sent my direction.
I paid him little attention. I already got us fifteen points in the first quarter. He could squander it if he wanted but it wasn’t my problem since I wasn’t playing.
Whistles blew as the offense ran back onto the field, Jennings with them. I paced down the sidelines, eyes on the field as fans' screams filled my ears. I told myself to focus on the game and not look into the crowd for Emmie, but it was a losing battle.
Just knowing she was here gave me a little boost while playing. Sue me for wanting to show off a little for the girl I liked.
I turned my back to the field as my eyes scanned the crowd above. It was a sea of gray and silver. Our fans always showed up, no matter the game or the weather.