CHAPTER 34 BEN
Nothing ever goes as planned.
It’s a one-hour flight, and it would’ve been faster to just fucking drive.
I’m stuck now, though.
They boarded us, and then there was some mechanical issue.
I’m sitting on a plane on a delayed flight, and all the work I put into this week might just go up in smoke. It was a tight timeline anyway, but I thought I could make it. I’m supposed to get in at two, hop into a car and get to the rec center by two-thirty.
Now I’ll be lucky if I get there by the time the event is over.
I’ve been in touch with Ellie, who’s been amazing through all of this. She’s really rooting for the two of us to get back together, but it took a little convincing on my end to prove I’m worthy of her.
Even I’m starting to believe it. I’m starting to believe I’m good enough—and even if I’m not, I will try every single day to give her everything she deserves.
I keep my eye on my watch as each passing minute closes the window for the grand gesture I wanted to make.
Fuck.
I still have my other gesture, but my dad was right. I need to do something big for her, and the other gesture is small but meaningful.
We finally take off nearly an hour late, and I can still make it.
I can get there by three-thirty barring any traffic issues.
At least I’m at the front of the plane. I can be the first one off, and I can haul ass through the airport.
I tug my ballcap down on my head, hopeful nobody will recognize me.
It’s not likely.
I’m six-five, two hundred fifty pounds, a pro athlete, and the spokesperson for nine different companies. I get recognized pretty much everywhere I go.
I close my eyes as the flight takes off. I recite the words over and over in my head.
I’m ready for this.
It’s the longest hour of my life, but we finally touch down in San Diego at three-seventeen.
I run through the airport even though I hear my name called more than once. I find the car I called the second we landed, and I’m on my way.
I text Ellie on the way.
Me: In the car on the way to the rec center. GPS says eleven minutes.
She responds with a thumbs up, which means she’s working hard for me.
The car pulls up in front of the rec center at three-forty-one, and I grab my duffel bag and hop out.
I make my way inside, and I hear music pumping from one of the gymnasiums to the left. I spot a sign that reads StrongFitKids Jump-A-Thon with an arrow pointing me in the right direction.
“Ben!” a woman standing in the hallway greets me as she looks up. “Just in time. I’m Carla Washington.”
“Great to meet you. I’m so sorry I’m late.”
She shakes her head. “I managed to stall, so we still haven’t announced the grand prize winner.”
“Thank you,” I say.
“You ready?” she asks.
I draw in a deep breath. There isn’t even time to get nervous, but that’s the thing. I’m not nervous. I’m confident this is going to work out how it’s supposed to. I nod, and she heads inside while I wait for her cue.
I hear her voice over the speakers a moment later. “I hope you’re all having a wonderful time! We have one final guest speaker before we make the announcement of our grand prize winner,” she says to the crowd gathered. I move toward the doorway and peek in, and I spot Kaylee right away.
She’s wearing jeans and a t-shirt and she’s standing next to that asshole Cooper Noah as she watches Carla.
She looks different.
It’s like my memory betrayed me to protect me. She glows with beauty in a way I don’t quite remember.
Her eyes dart toward the doorway, and I duck out of view before she spots me.
“He’s a professional athlete who has a soft spot for fitness for both kids and adults,” Carla says by way of introduction.
I move toward the doorway, and I see Kaylee as her eyes dart back toward me.
This time she spots me, and her eyes go wide as she slaps a hand over her mouth in shock.
“He’s best known for bringing the thunder on the field, but he’s also known for having a great time off it.
Please welcome Vegas Aces star tight end, Ben Olson! ”
I wave as I grin and walk into the room, my eyes not wavering from Kaylee. I make my way toward the stage and up the stairs, and I pause in front of her.
“Oh my God,” she murmurs. “What are you doing here?”
“You’ll see.” I shoot her a wink and a grin before I take the microphone from her.
I draw in a deep breath. “Hello San Diego!” The crowd cheers. “And hello little jumpers. I’m proud to be here today at such an important event. When I was a kid, I loved playing with other kids. You know what my favorite thing to do was?” I ask.
Some kid yells, “Jump rope?”
Another kid yells, “Football?”
I chuckle and shake my head. “Run. I loved any kind of running game with my friends. Usually it was tag, but we invented all sorts of games that involved running. All that running as a kid gave me endurance. Do you know what that means?”
A kid toward the front raises his hand, and I nod toward him. “It’s like, um, being able to do something for a long time because you’re strong.”
I nod. “Exactly. Getting exercise as a kid doesn’t have to be boring.
You’re building up skills you’ll use in the future, whether you’re a professional athlete or not.
Physical endurance helps build your mental endurance, too.
It helps you tackle your problems and seek out solutions.
Of course, we all make mistakes.” I pause and glance over at Kaylee, who appears to be wiping a tear away.
“But that endurance and that mindset will help you figure out how to correct those mistakes. I made a huge mistake a couple months ago, and I’ve regretted it ever since.
It messed with my mindset, and it caused me to hurt myself in a game last weekend.
I’ll be okay. It’ll heal. But it’s only because I’ve been working hard to build my endurance since I was your age.
Health and fitness at any age is essential to a good life.
” I glance at Kaylee again. “And so is knowing when you’ve done something wrong and doing everything in your power to make it right again. ”
She wipes more tears away. Cooper is looking at her, but she is looking at me.
I draw in a breath and turn back to the crowd. “So behave yourselves, kids. Build your endurance now. Get into a good mindset. And when you make a mistake, own up to it.” I turn back to Kaylee. “Do what you have to do to fix it. Make it right. Thank you.”
I make my way toward Kaylee, who’s standing on the side of the stage, and Carla meets me halfway across my path. She takes my microphone and moves her attention to the crowd. I think she thanks me for my speech, but I’m not quite sure because my eyes are on Kaylee.
When I get to her, I say softly, “I’m here to make it right.”
“And now we have our grand prize winner!” Carla announces.
“That’s us,” Cooper says, elbowing Kaylee.
“Oh! Right!” She shakes her head as if she’s a little scattered. “I’m, uh…”
“Go,” I murmur, and I stand on the side of the stage to watch her.
“I have our grand prize winner here in this envelope,” Kaylee says, her voice shaking as a hush falls over the crowd. “And the winner is…our fourth grade student from McKinney Elementary, Oliver James!”
Oliver’s mom screams, and Oliver runs up to the stage to claim his prize.
“Thank you all for your participation today,” Cooper says, “and congratulations, Oliver!”
Carla takes the microphone from Kaylee. “Congratulations, Oliver, and let’s hear it one more time for Cooper and Kaylee!”
The crowd cheers for their hosts, and Cooper and Kaylee smile and wave as the event draws to a close. They both run to the side of the stage where I’m standing.
Kaylee’s eyes lock on mine. “Is your shoulder okay?”
I nod then clear my throat as my eyes edge over to Cooper, who stands beside us. “Hey, I’m Ben.” I turn back to Kaylee after he tells me he’s Cooper, which I already knew. “I’m okay. Can we go somewhere to talk?”
“Oh, uh…” she begins, glancing around at the mess inside the rec center. “We need to break it all down. I can’t just leave.”
“Go,” Carla says, walking up behind her and patting her shoulder. “We’ve got it from here.”
“Are you sure?”
Carla nods, and she presses her lips together for just a beat, like she knows what’s coming—like she knows she’s basically giving Kaylee permission to go with me, which could lead to losing her as a valued employee.
And that’s when I know Kaylee has been in good hands.
Carla doesn’t want to let her go, but she does because she cares about Kaylee as a person. And in the weeks I haven’t been able to be by her side, I’m grateful for Carla.
And maybe I’ll even come around to be grateful for Cooper, too.
I mean…I doubt it. But you never know.