Chapter 13
Fin
“If I’m still injured—”
“You are injured,” Vee said. “You’re not seriously injured. There’s a seat for you on the plane. Same with other players who aren’t listed to play.”
Hearing her words was a relief. Not all teams followed the same protocol regarding injured players at away games.
“Seriously, Fin,” she went on, “Pratt has seen the bond you and Troy created. If for no other reason than for Troy’s state of mind, you will be in Tennessee.”
Quirking my grin, I asked, “If I’m not listed to play, I can ignore the eleven o’clock curfew. Right?”
“Wrong.”
I caught sight of Zane out on the field in his No. 53 jersey. “There he is.”
We both stood and Vee clapped her hands. The sound was muffled by the mittens.
Fans filled the seats all around us as well as high above.
A bloom of orange and dark blue erupted where empty seats had been.
While the majority of fans were decked out in the Chicago Bears’ attire, there were a few purple and gold Vikings fans scattered about the stadium.
The Vikings had an indoor stadium; there was no doubt that the cooler temperatures would affect them.
However, late October in Chicago wasn’t bad.
Wait until it’s January in Foxborough or Denver and snow was falling.
By halftime, the Bears were up by nine points. The Vikings managed to score a touchdown and a field goal. Their offense looked better than I’d seen this season. Like the Coopers, the Vikings’ starting quarterback had been injured and was now back.
That would be the Coopers next week.
Vee and I made our way out of the wind and into the crowded darker stadium hallways. “Another hot chocolate?” I asked.
“Yes,” she said eagerly.
We scored a high-top table and stood sipping our warm drinks and talking about the game.
As we drank and spoke, I had a flashback of us at University of Kentucky.
Vee Hubbard had been the first girl who could really talk about the sport of football with me.
She knew positions and each player’s objective.
Not to sound like a jerk, but a lot of girls pretended to like the sport but were out of their league when it came to truly discussing a game.
Looking at her today, I was as enthralled with her now as I was then.
“I should have known,” I said, reaching for her ungloved hand.
“Should have known what?”
“Look at you. You beam when you talk about football, and you’re not even talking about the Coopers. I should have known you were a Hubbard from Lexington, from the Coopers.”
“I genuinely love the game. The business. All of it.”
“I saw that and see it now. I was wrong to be so upset with you.”
Vee pressed her lips together. “We’ve moved on to the next game. That’s what you told me.”
“We have. I just feel I like I owe you more groveling.”
Vee’s sweet laugh rang through the air. “Before you showed up in Lexington, I would have said the same thing. I would have said I deserved some serious begging for forgiveness.” She tilted her head.
“Then we talked about it. Never in fourteen years did I think about why you didn’t return my calls or suspect it was because of who I am.
I mean, I thought I didn’t hear from you because you met all those other girls.
” She arched an eyebrow. “Hundreds, wasn’t it? ”
Scoffing, I shook my head. “Not hundreds.”
“Fin, I never meant to hurt you. I didn’t tell you about the Coopers because I wanted you to like me for me, not for what I could do for you or what my dad could do.”
“For the record, Vee, I love you for you. I did then and I do now. Because right now, the whole Coopers thing is pretty damn overwhelming. And watching you deal with it all is maddening. I want to help, but it’s above my pay grade.”
“That’s not true. You’ve helped more than I could’ve ever imagined.
” She looked around at the crowd of people and back to me.
“Even today. This is fun. You hold me in your bubble and allow me to take a break from all things Coopers. And at the same time, you’re an important part of our team.
You understand what I’m dealing with because you’ve been in the league.
I love you for all those reasons and more. ”
I lowered my voice. “You can say it. It’s my cock.”
Vee snorted her hot chocolate as her windburned cheeks grew redder. Once she controlled herself, she whispered back. “I mean, it’s better than a vibrator.”
“On a scale from one to one hundred.”
“I don’t want you to get a big head, but I’d say one thousand.”
Reaching out, I ran my thumb over her cheek. “I love to see you smiling.”
“It feels good.”
“Back to the cold.”
After we threw away our cups, we clasped hands and entered the tunnel to the seats. “I think the Vikings can pull this off,” Vee said.
The sun made me squint as we made our way back to our seats. “Are you always so optimistic?” My question reminded me of Clark’s rose-colored-glasses statement.
“I guess it depends on the subject. Seriously, with Rowlings back as QB, the Vikings’ offense is better than it’s been.”
I pulled my face away. “You’ve been following the Vikings?”
“I follow all the NFL teams. And after seeing Zane the night of the Titans’ game, I’ve been keeping up.
” She squeezed my hand. “I can’t predict how Simpson would have done during Dennison’s injury, but I’m thankful you were there.
The Coopers could have been the Vikings, struggling.
” Her smile grew. “We’re not looking at a comeback with Troy’s return. Just a continuation of the greatness.”
My faith in Dennison outweighed my desire to be the starting quarterback. I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t enjoyed the position.
With forty seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, I was practically hoarse from screaming. The crowd was in a frenzy. Vee’s sunny prediction was within reach. On the last play, the Bears made it to the Vikings’ three-yard line and were held to a field goal.
Now they were up by six.
Not a given outcome.
Not insurmountable.
The Vikings kick return team ran the ball to the Bears’ forty-nine-yard line. I held my breath as Zane snapped the ball to Rowlings. Rowlings stepped back. My gaze went over the field.
The Bears’ defense was strong with zone coverage. The Vikings’ tight end was open.
“Throw it,” I screamed.
Rowlings ran through his progression right to left then let it rip. Their tight end caught the ball near the thirty-five-yard line and ran an additional eight yards.
Like two kids, Vee and I jumped up and down.
She looked up at the clock. “That play only took eleven seconds off the clock. They’ve got time.”
“They need a touchdown.”
Vee laid her mitten glove on my arm as Zane again snapped the ball. This time Rowlings shovel passed to his fullback. Zigzagging through the defense, the fullback got another first down. The clock stopped again.
With seventeen seconds left in regulation, the Vikings were first and ten at the twenty-three-yard line. The play clock was running down as the Bears’ fans screamed.
“Fuck,” I growled.
Flags flew.
The decibels coming from the Bears’ fans was deafening. From experience, I knew this was one of the stadiums where the noise added to an inability to hear on the field that led to mistakes.
Delay of game.
Vikings were penalized five yards.
That penalty put them with first and fifteen at the thirty-three-yard line. Vee and I stared at each other, both knowing that this was the last play of the game.
Rowlings lined up under center, close behind Zane. The ball was snapped. I held my breath as Rowlings stepped back. Grimacing, we watched as the defense swarmed the quarterback.
“Oh my God,” I screamed.
After Zane snapped the ball, Rowlings handed it back to Zane in a lateral. While the defense swarmed the QB, Zane threw a perfect spiral to the Vikings wide receiver who ran into the end zone.
“That’s my brother,” I screamed. “He played quarterback in college.”
Soldier Field filled with boos at the Vikings’ use of a trick play.
Vee’s smile was ear to ear. “I told you they had a chance.”
The score was tied.
The Bears coach threw a challenge flag.
Vee looked at me with wide eyes.
“The Vikings had to report Zane as an eligible receiver. If they didn’t, that last play is no good.”
The referee’s voice came over the sound system. “After review, the call of the field of touchdown is confirmed. Prior to the play, Graham No. 53 declared as an eligible receiver. The pass was a lateral behind the line of scrimmage. The call on the field stands.”
The stadium that had been deafening was now staring in stunned silence.
Vee and I held hands as the Vikings’ field goal team went onto the field. Again, I held my breath. The Bears’ special team tried to block, but the kick was good.
“They won,” Vee screamed.
Vikings by one.
Because this had been an away game for the Vikings, the team was headed back to Minnesota, and we couldn’t arrange to meet with Zane for more than a few words outside the locker room. Vee pulled a few strings. Being a player and owner, we were able to get where other fans couldn’t.
Vee and I took an Uber downtown. The vast number of people milling around the sidewalks provided the anonymity I promised Vee.
In plain sight while also hidden in the crowds, we ate deep-dish pizza and drank beers before catching a ride to the airport.
An hour and a half after wheels up, we landed back in Lexington.
As we both climbed into bed Sunday night, Vee cuddled closely beneath the covers.
“When you first asked if I’d go with you to Chicago, I was hesitant.”
I kissed her wind-burned pink nose. “You texted back pretty fast. Your answer didn’t seem hesitant.”
“It was.” Her cheeks rose. “I’m glad I said yes. The day was perfect.” She splayed her fingers over my chest. “A real life on-the-road Fin’s-bubble. I only wish we could have spent more time with Zane.”
“Speaking of spending time with my family.”
She peered up at me with her dazzling green stare.
“I don’t know if you think it’s too soon to go away.”
“Go away where?”
“My mom called the other day. She invited us to Thanksgiving. It would be a quick trip to Bowling Green and back. Zane will be there.”
“The Coopers play on that Sunday at home.”
“Thanksgiving is on a Thursday. I’m not pushing you,” I said. “It’s about a two-and-a-half-hour drive.”
Craning her neck, Vee brought her lips to mine. “No matter what I decide, you should go.”
“I’m not going without you.”
“Let me think about it.”
Pulling her closer against me, I gritted my teeth and said, “I understand if you’d rather be with your family.” Clark’s warning rang loud and clear. “I’ll be with you, either place.”
Vee’s head shook from side to side. “I don’t want to be with my family. I’ll go to Bowling Green.”