Chapter Football Crush
Football Crush
Fiona
Does this count as a first date? I moved in with a guy that I haven’t even dated yet.
Weird.
My life is so weird.
Picking what to wear wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be.
Though I keep second-guessing myself. More layers seem like the way to go, but if we’re in a box, I’m going to be hot.
“Hey.” Hope pokes her head in my open door. “I just wanted to tell you, Dad has warm clothes at the stadium for us if we decide to go sit on the fifty-yard line. So just dress comfortably for the box. And Nonna has already packed Dash’s diaper bag with everything he might need.”
What? “Is your family always this organized?”
She tips her head to the side. “Um…yeah. You know they’re your family, too, now.”
But they’re not. We’re just guests visiting.
Hope walks in and sits down on the corner of my bed, ignoring the massive, oversized chair that’s covered in this fluffy wool. It’s like sitting in a cloud.
“We need to talk.”
Do we? Because these talks kind of freak me out. Especially since I don’t think she wants to talk about her own boy problems.
“My mom died right after I was born, and since then, Dad hasn’t even looked at a woman. For the last few years, I’ve been worried about how he was going to handle life when I moved out. Not that I’m in any rush to go, but it’s going to happen sometime.”
It’s odd that the child is acting like the parent. “Your father can take care of himself.”
“That’s what everyone thinks because he’s rich, smart, and powerful. But my dad was lonely. He made raising me and his business his entire life…until he met you. Then, all of that changed. Bisnonna and I came up with a plan to help the two of you get together.”
What? “I thought you were trying to play matchmaker for Gabe and me.”
Hope snorts. “You two aren’t right for each other. He was just to ensure that Dad didn’t waste time. He’s old enough already.”
Max old. I try to hold back a laugh. That man is so virile and full of life. Old would be the last word to come to mind when I think about him. But to a child, we both probably seem ancient. “You shouldn’t rush a love story. They follow their own timelines.”
“That’s not what Bisnonna says. According to her, sometimes you need to give love a nudge.
And she’s always right. But that’s not why I wanted to talk to you.
Dad’s good. He knows what he wants and is all in.
You, on the other hand…I just realized I never asked if you were actually ready for a relationship. ”
“Sweetheart, it’s not your job to figure that out.” Hope has placed a lot of responsibility on her own shoulders.
“Yes, it is. You’re like them. Like Cammie and Autumn and all the other girls on Willow Street.
And I forgot to ask if you were ready for a relationship before I finagled you into one.
For that alone, I’m sorry, but I’m even sorrier knowing my father might have gone all in with someone who isn’t ready for a relationship because of me.
” Hope’s head drops down and tears fill her eyes.
Part of me wants to say that’s what happens when you meddle in things you shouldn’t. “It’s not that I’m not ready.”
“Huh?” Her head swings up. “But I thought—”
“I know your dad is all in. And I want to be too, but things aren’t that easy.”
“You’re ready? Really?”
“Hope, listen to me. I said things aren’t that easy.”
She waves off my comment. “Nothing important in life is easy. But you’re ready.” A smile spreads across her face.
“I didn’t say that.” Sort of.
“Yes, you did. You’re nervous. I get that. Falling in love is hard. I get it. But my dad is a determined man. He’ll convince you.”
How did this conversation go so off the rails? “Hope, I don’t want you to get the wrong impression. This might not work out. Your father might think he loves me now, but he might change his mind.”
She laughs. Like full-on belly laughs in my face. “You’re funny. Dad doesn’t change his mind. When he decides something, he makes it happen by sheer force of will.”
What happens when he realizes the sight of me disgusts him? My hip starts to itch. Do I have time for a shower?
“This was a good talk.” Hope pops up. “Dress comfortably for the suite. Oh, and don’t wear Gabe’s jersey. Dad is still a bit sensitive about that.”
That girl didn’t listen to a word I said.
This is going to end badly. So badly…
***
Has Max even watched a second of the game? Every time I turn my head, he’s staring at me, not the field. “You know, men are supposed to be the ones who enjoy football.”
“I like football.”
“Could have fooled me. I seem to be the only one enjoying the game.” Though I have to say, watching football is better with Max’s arm around my shoulder.
“This is the best game I’ve ever been to. And I played football for quite a few years.”
What? “You played football?”
“All through high school. I first saw my mom at a game. They hold some really great memories for me. And this is one I’ll never forget.”
There’s no way I’m going to let him know how much those words touch me. “Even if your cousin might lose.”
Max shrugs. “Gabe isn’t going to lose, but that doesn’t matter. I won’t ever forget our first date.”
“Do you always bring your whole family on your first dates?” I tease, but it’s kind of cute that we’re completely surrounded by his family. There are so many people that the suites all around ours contain his family too.
“Seems perfect to me.” He pulls me in closer with the arm that he draped over my shoulders. “What do you think? Should I have brought you roses and taken you to a fancy restaurant?”
“Is that a serious question?”
“It could be. Would you have preferred to have our first date alone with me at a fancy restaurant?”
Why not tell him the truth? “No. When I was little, I used to dream that I was part of a huge family. That we’d have family dinners every Sunday and do all the big things together as a family.
If you could have asked eight-year-old me what she would have thought of as the best date in the world, she would have said this right here. ”
“And what about adult you?” He leans closer.
“She is just as intoxicated by the idea.” I stare into his eyes.
“If you don’t kiss her, I’m going to come over and whap you upside the head.” Emilia grins at the two of us.
“I was planning on it, Nonna.” Max grins at me.
“Less thought, more action.”
Hope got her precocious side from her grandmother, it appears. “I think you’d better kiss me.”
“Well, if I must.”
Smiling lips land on mine. How does that man make something so sexy, fun as well? If we’re going to get judged anyway, I might as well give them a kiss worth ranking. I sink my fingers into his hair and put some effort into making this the best kiss ever.
***
“Are you sure we should have left Dash in the suite with your grandparents?” It’s not like his family hasn’t been helping with Dash’s care the whole time.
“Did you wanna try taking that baby away from her?” Max squeezes my hand.
“I’m not stupid.” Emilia looked a little feral when I offered to take him.
“Then relax and enjoy the end of the game. This is where Gabe is going to shine.”
Max is a nut. The odds are that they’re going to lose. There’s twenty seconds left in the game, Gabe’s team is down by three, and they haven’t even made it to the fifty-yard line. How is the family going to handle it when he loses?
“There’s nothing like watching the winning play from the fifty-yard line. I’m going to kiss you silly when we win.”
“And what if we lose?” I wink at him.
“Then I’ll kiss you twice to cheer me up.”
“You’re incorrigible.”
“I know.” He winks.
It’s too easy to love this man. Far too easy.
Daria’s having a blast cheering at the game and showing Hope new signs. When she said the family was learning, she meant the whole family. Mind-boggling.
If this were real, it would be better than any dream I had as a child.
The teams take their positions, and I prepare to comfort Max when they lose.
Then, all of a sudden, Gabe has the ball and a clear path right down the center of the field.
Impossible.
But it’s happening. He’s got the ball tucked into his side as he maneuvers around the defensive line like they’re moving in slow motion. Grace in action.
Twenty yards.
Ten yards, and a teammate slams into the guy who almost nabs Gabe.
Five yards…he might win this.
Number sixty-eight is close.
Gabe needs to keep out of his reach for two more yards.
One more yard…sixty-eight is within spitting distance of Gabe.
As they call TOUCHDOWN, sixty-eight hurls himself at Gabe, missing his body but landing with his full weight on Gabe’s extended leg.
He made it.
“He won!”
Gabe should be getting up to do the winning dance. That’s what they always do for winning plays. Why isn’t he getting up?
A hush spreads across the field and throughout the stands.
Get up.
Please get up.
Sixty-eight stands up, and we can see it. There’s blood on the field. Gabe’s blood.
“Come on.” Max pulls my hand as he slides out of our row and down the steps towards the wall.
What is he trying to do? Get a better view of Gabe’s injury?
The stairs are filled with everyone in our party. When we get to the wall, Max lets go and hops over it onto the field.
Are we allowed to do that?
An older man that I saw at the family dinner steps next to me and helps lift an older woman over the side into Max’s waiting arms. Then he looks at me. “Your turn.”
My turn for what—Before I can even get the words out, he’s lifting me up and over the wall.
“Got her,” Max shouts up.
“I don’t think we’re allowed here.”
“Gabe is hurt. They won’t stop us. Especially Aunt Bonnie.” He nods to the woman running across the field.
Security is coming from the other side of the field at a much slower rate.
Ruh roh.
As security arrives, which was faster than I would have thought possible, Talon, who is the last person in our group, sets foot on the field.
“You all can’t be here.” The guard comes to a stop, gasping a little for air.
Max steps to the front of our little group. “Do you know who I am?”
That’s the most pompous I’ve ever heard Max.
The guard’s eyes widen as realization strikes. “Mr. Vincenti.”
“That’s my cousin who was hurt. My family is going to walk across the field and make sure he’s alright.”
The guard nods at every word Max says. “Yes, Mr. Vincenti.”
Being a billionaire might have one or two perks.
“That’s a lot of blood.” Daria signs to me.
It’s way too much blood.