Chapter 28
Who knew touchdowns come with heart palpitations?
Addy
“P enelope, we need to go.”
She frowns at me. “I don’t understand why I need to go.”
“Because this is a family activity,” Mom says.
I smile at Mom. She actually took the day off work to attend Gage’s game with us. It’s only a training game or joint practice or whatever it is, but it’s the first time I’m watching him play. It’s a big deal to me. She recognizes this and is coming.
I motion to Penelope’s book. “You can bring your book.”
“Book? Penelope is such a nerd.” Mila whirls around in a circle with her arms thrown wide. Otis catches her before she crashes into the television. It wouldn’t be the first time she broke the TV. There’s a reason I’m convinced she’s going to destroy the world after all.
“You guys are going to embarrass me,” Otis whines.
Mila jumps up and down in front of him. “I don’t embarrass anyone.”
He sighs. “Mom. ”
Mom wraps an arm around his shoulders. “It’s a family activity, dear.”
“Fine.” He grunts. “I’ll wait in the car.”
I check the time. “Load up! We need to leave. I don’t want to be late.”
“You can’t wait to see your boyfriend. Addy and Gage sitting in a tree.” Mila hurries out of the house while continuing to sing.
Penelope slams her book shut and stands. “I don’t want to sit next to her.”
“Are you certain they’re your kids?” I ask Mom as we lock up and walk to our car. We share one since there isn’t much reason to own a car on a small island; you can bike from one end to the other in thirty minutes.
“Sorry, kid. You’re the one I think could have been switched at birth.”
“Except we could be twins.” We have the same red hair and light brown eyes.
She smirks. “On the outside. The inside? No idea where all your talent and level-headedness comes from.”
Maybe from my dad? I think but don’t say. We never discuss him. He’s been a forbidden topic since I was old enough to ask why other kids have dads and I don’t.
We settle in the car for the drive across the bridge to the Mainland. The training camp for the Steel City Seals is at Coastal State University. Today, there’s a joint practice training game against the Tigers .
We reach the parking lot for the stadium at the university. “I didn’t expect this many people.”
“Two NFL teams are playing each other. Of course, it’s packed.” I don’t need to glance at the backseat to know Otis is rolling his eyes at me.
Mom finds a parking spot and we begin the trek to the stadium. There’s a long line of people waiting to buy tickets. I bypass it for the rollcall window.
“Hi.” I greet the attendant.
Mila grasps the ledge and jumps up. “We’re here to see Gage!”
The attendant sighs. “You can buy tickets at the other window.”
“There should be a set of tickets for songbird.”
“Oh, sorry.” She rifles through a drawer. “Five tickets?”
“Yes.”
She points to the VIP entrance. “You can enter there.”
“Thank you.”
I grab Mila’s hand and motion for Mom and the rest to follow me.
“We’re VIPs because my sister is Gage’s boyfriend,” Mila tells everyone we pass.
By the time we reach the entrance, my face is bright red. I force a smile on my face and hand the tickets to the security guard.
“Your seats are through there and up.”
We pass a concession stand. “I want a soda!” Mila screams .
The concession stand is merely our first stop. We’re loaded down with drinks, food, and Seals flags when we arrive at our seats.
“Holy cow,” Otis mutters as we sit down. “We’re right behind the Seals’ team area.”
“Because Gage is Addy’s boyfriend.”
I drop my face in my hands. Mila could not have shouted those words louder.
Mom giggles. “You might as well get used to it.”
“Shush. The team is arriving.” Otis springs to his feet. “Gage! Gage! Over here.”
I stand and join him. I wave the Seals flag I bought at the merchandise stand while the kids got their drinks and hot dogs.
Gage waves to me. I’ve never seen him in his football gear before. It shows off his strong thighs. When he passes us, I notice it also shows off his ass. Guessing by the sighs in the stands, other women noticed as well.
The game starts and I lean forward with my hands propped on my knees to watch. It’s a practice game but I know how important it is for Gage to play well. I hope they win.
After the kickoff, Gage jogs onto the field with the rest of the offensive team. I recognize Nolan, Tanner, Brock, and Corbin.
They line up, and as soon as the ball is hiked, Nolan hands it to Gage. He bursts through the defensive line and races toward the endzone. I spring to my feet.
“Run, Gage! Run!”
Holy mermaids! He wasn’t kidding about being the yard-getter. He easily outruns the defensive team .
“Touchdown!” Otis shouts.
I jump up and down while waving my flag and screaming. Gage flips the ball to the ref before searching the crowd. His eyes lock with mine.
My heart batters against my chest. I love this man. I want to be front and center at every single one of his games. I want to say yes and move in with him.
“He rocks!” Otis shouts. And I remember why I can’t go live with Gage. Why there’s no happy ending for me.
The play restarts, and I sink into my seat. I’m not going to worry about the future. Not today. I’m going to enjoy time with my family watching Gage.
When the game ends sometime later, the Seals are up by seven points. The final score is Seals twenty-one, Tigers fourteen. The ref blows his whistle and I jump to my feet.
Gage jogs off the field to the fence in front of the bleachers. He motions for us to come down.
Otis shoves me. “Come on. Gage wants us on the field.”
“We can’t go on the field.” I’m not courting the wrath of Brock.
“Don’t be a sissy.”
“Let’s go.” To my surprise, Mom leads the way down the bleachers, through the tunnel, and out onto the field.
We’re not the only ones on the field. There are families gathering around the players, and women angling for attention from them .
Otis leads us toward Gage but he’s surrounded by a bunch of women. I slow. Witnessing the man I love flirting with other women is not on my agenda for the day.
Gage glances up and notices me. He shoves his way through the throng of women without paying them any attention.
“Songbird.” He smiles and his dimple pops out. A dimple I’ve traced with my tongue numerous times. He kisses my forehead before grasping my hand.
“You remember my mom.”
“Nora.” He kisses her cheek. “Lovely to see you.”
She giggles. “Such a charmer.”
“Hold up.” He whistles and motions for his friends to join us. “Tanner, Nolan, Brock, Corbin. Meet Addy’s family.”
Tanner bows to Mom. “Ms. Price. Are you certain you aren’t Addy’s sister?”
“You must be the troublemaker of the bunch.”
“You are not kidding,” Nolan mutters before extending his hand.
Otis gasps. “You’re Nolan Allen, Brock Porter, Tanner Long, and Corbin Cox.”
Nolan slaps his back. “A football fan, eh?”
“Otis is actually a player himself. He’s good.”
Otis’s chest puffs out at Gage’s praise.
“What position do you play?” Tanner asks.
“Running back.”
Tanner rolls his eyes. “I was hoping you’d say wide receiver. It is the best position after all. ”
“You’re about my son’s age,” Brock says. “He’s here if you want to meet him.”
“Cool!” Otis clears his throat. “I mean sure, okay.”
“We’ll be right back, Addy,” Brock says before ambling off with Otis.
Mom stares after him. “I don’t know about this. Football is violent. I was hoping Otis would stop playing when he goes to college.”
“We use precautions to keep safe, Ms. Price,” Corbin says.
“Nora, please. My mom was Ms. Price. Not me.”
“There are cheerleaders!” Mila scampers off.
Penelope sighs. “I’ll go with her.”
“We should probably hit the showers. It was nice meeting you.” Nolan grins before motioning for Corbin and Tanner to follow him.
When Gage doesn’t join them, I urge him forward. “Go. Shower. I’ll see you later.”
“Are you saying I stink?”
I wrinkle my nose. “I wasn’t going to say anything.”
“Be right back,” he says to Mom before grasping my hand and pulling me away. He wraps his arms around me. “So, our families have met.”
“You already met my family.”
“And now they’ve met mine. Things are getting serious. Pretty soon you’ll be living with me in bliss.”
“In bliss?” I snort. “Awful full of yourself.”
“I do enjoy scoring touchdowns.” He winks .
I nudge him forward. “Go. Shower. I need to rescue those poor women who are definitely not cheerleaders from Mila.”
His lips touch mine in an entirely too brief a kiss. “I’ll see you later, songbird.”
As I watch him leave, Mom joins me.
“I like him.”
Me too. Entirely too much.