Chapter 19
Fin
Staring up at the ceiling in my room at the Embassy Suites, I longed to be with Vee.
It was one thing to be separated when the Coopers played out of town.
It was hell when we were playing at home.
While it wasn’t an NFL-mandated rule, having home teams spend the night before the game in the same hotel was common practice.
The camaraderie was supposed to help the players focus and rest. The Embassy Suites had nice-enough beds and rooms, but nothing was as restful as having her sexy, soft, warm body next to me.
I sure as hell wasn’t getting rest.
The Falcons were our next opponent. It was our first home game since Reid Hubbard’s passing.
The nonconference game started with a moment of silence for the Coopers’ owner.
Our jerseys were now adorned with patches with his initials: RH.
While I longed to stand at Vee’s side during the tribute, she was as solid as a rock.
The cameraman caught a tear glistening on her cheek.
During the Falcons game, I was finally suited up and sitting the bench as Troy Dennison did his magic.
The Coopers won that game by a touchdown.
Last week we traveled to Kansas City, Missouri. It was a conference game, and I got to play. The score was lopsided with us in the lead. Pratt chose to rest Dennison. I played most of the fourth quarter and scored one touchdown.
With Thanksgiving only five days away, we were ready to face the Colts tomorrow. While their team was going through a lot, they were still in our conference and Coach Tilson emphasized during tonight’s meetings that we couldn’t take the Colts for granted. We needed to be on top of our game.
I was almost asleep when my phone vibrated on the nightstand. My lips curled at the idea of phone sex. The screen read: Coach Pratt. I sat up, pushing away my thoughts of phone sex. “Coach,” I said, answering the call.
“Graham, Tilson and I decided to change things up tomorrow. Dennison will play the first drive; after that, you’re in.”
“Is… Troy all right?”
“Be ready to play.”
“I will be, Coach.”
The call disconnected.
My head suddenly spun with thoughts and concerns. Dennison seemed healthy during practice. Tonight, at dinner he was laughing and joking with the team. It was probably wrong of me to take advantage of my relationship with Vee, but I wanted to know what precipitated this change. I called her.
“Fin, you’re supposed to be sleeping. You have a game tomorrow.” Her husky voice was a telltale sign she’d been asleep.
“Sorry to wake you.”
“Well, you know, sleeping is what I do when I’m all alone.”
I grinned. “Wish you weren’t alone. This staying in a hotel for home games is bullshit. I wish I knew someone who could bring up this bullshit practice to, I don’t know…the Coopers’ owner.”
Vee laughed. “Right. I’m going to go into Maker’s Mark Monday and during our executive meeting say, ‘Gosh, I’d really like us to change a home pregame practice of housing the team, so I can get laid the night before a home game.’”
It was my turn to smile. “You’ve got the idea. I suggest you might want to work on the wording.” Before she could reply, I brought up the subject I wanted to discuss. “Coach Pratt just called. He said Troy will play the first drive and then I’m in for the game. Is everything okay with Troy?”
“Troy is healthy.”
“Did the coaches talk to you?”
“They did,” Vee said, sounding more awake.
“Tilson, Pratt, Beasley, and I met with Aunt Rachel, Uncle Darin, and Grant earlier today. We’re sitting at 8–0 with four conference games to go, including tomorrow.
I hate to see how battered the Colts are.
Nevertheless, their pain is our gain. Troy can rest. You can win the game tomorrow, not only because the Colts are battered, but because you are freakin’ amazing at” —she scoffed— “well, anything you set your mind to.”
“Is this my pep talk?”
“You called me. The execs and coaches discussed sitting Dennison and keeping him out of harm’s way. This is still an essential game, and the general consensus was that we have faith in you.”
“So you decided to throw me to the dogs and keep him safe.”
“Don’t put it like that.”
I scoffed. “It’s a smart move. If I was higher up, I’d suggest the same. I just wanted to be sure this decision wasn’t because there’s an issue with Troy?”
“No,” she answered right away. “We’re playing the long game, Fin.
We have nine more regular season games. Let’s say we don’t play wild-card weekend.
Then we must win the divisional and conference rounds to get to the Super Bowl.
Dad wanted a Super Bowl win. That’s the goal of business and football operations.
It’s one of the few things my family and I can agree on. ”
“Okay then. I’ve got this.”
“You do,” she said. “Now, get some sleep. I plan on watching you from the sideline.”
“Good night, woman. I love you and wish you were here.”
“Good night, man. I love you too. Get some sleep and stay safe out there tomorrow. Stay away from the big dogs. Tomorrow night, we’ll make up for lost time.”
“Sounds good.”
“’Night.” Vee disconnected the call.
Well, fuck. I wasn’t starting, but I was playing tomorrow. The familiar adrenaline that came with anticipation of a game flowed through me. There was also the trepidation of knowing I would be the target of the defense, all waiting for the chance to plow me down.
The Colts had injuries, but experience taught me that a wounded animal was more dangerous, unpredictable, and prone to fighting. Tomorrow’s game wasn’t a given—Coach Tilson was right.
Sunday morning, I met up with Troy before the bus arrived to take us to Crystal Light. “Pratt called me late last night.”
Troy nodded. “You can win this one.”
“I was just getting used to not being sore the day after a game.”
His somber expression cracked. “You’re right. That will be nice.”
“You’re not upset?” I asked.
“I’m not happy, but I get it. We need to look at the season as having at least nine games to play and win. We’re a team.” He slapped my shoulder. “I’ll be watching the great Fin Graham. Not a bad place to be.”
“We’re a team,” I repeated.
During on-field practice, I ran familiar plays with the eligible offense.
JD and I connected with the ease of years of experience.
Patel was back in the game after missing one.
He and Kylon Lewis were quick to their posts.
Dijon and Treshawn, my backs, were reliable and sure-footed.
All of that meant I was the factor who needed to come through.
In the locker room, Tilson gave us the before-game speech. The game was ours to lose. We couldn’t blame the officials or the other team. Winning was within our grasp. We just needed to want it.
“Do you want it?” he asked.
“Yes, Coach.”
“Do you want it?”
“Yes, Coach,” we all screamed.
“Then get out there and take this win. It’s ours if we want it.”
“We want it!”
As the team trotted behind Coach Tilson through the fog-filled tunnel and out onto the field, the home-team announcer, the Big Hurt’s voice reverberated from the PA system.
“Ladies and gentlemen, your Lexington Coopers.”
AC/DC’s Thunderstruck roared as fireworks shot from the four corners of the stadium. A sea of amber filled the stands as the fans welcomed their undefeated Lexington Coopers.
The roof above Crystal Light Stadium was closed, giving a slightly different feeling to the field. Today’s forecast was for thundershowers. The beauty of a retractable roof was keeping the fans and field dry and comfortable.
The Colts won the coin flip and deferred.
Our kick-return team ran the opening kickoff to the thirty-four-yard line. Dennison and the offense went to work. With six minutes off the clock, Dennison threw to Kylon Lewis, wide receiver, who ran a go route into the end zone.
Touchdown Coopers.
The Big Hurt called the play on the field.
Fireworks exploded.
Turning my attention down the field, I saw the beautiful smile on Vee’s face as she clenched her clipboard. Wearing a long amber skirt with a blue jean jacket and her cowboy boots, she shone as the Coopers’ light.
She wasn’t our moon; she didn’t reflect light.
No, Vee was our sun—radiating her own energy.
The Colts got the ball into the red zone before penalties took them out of field-goal range. They punted on fourth down.
Coach Pratt reached for my shoulder pad, screaming in my face. “Go get them, Graham. We want you in the game because we know you will deliver.”
“Yes, Coach.”