Chapter 29
Knox knew the pass was good the second it left his fingers. The spiral sailed through the air over the heads of the defenders. Deon and the cornerback battled for position but Deon was on fire tonight. Between him and Jaylen, the game, which was supposed to be a tight contest, was a blowout.
Deon leapt into the air, snagging the ball with one hand, and pulling it to his chest for a thirty-yard pass for a first down. Now Knox could just kneel out the clock.
“We’re going to the National Championship!” Jaylen screamed as they all celebrated in their huddle.
“Just don’t drop the snap,” Deon lectured like the soon-to-be father he was.
“Conference Champs on one!” Knox yelled as the team put their hands in and shouted.
Zack put his arm around Knox’s shoulder and walked with him toward the line. “Don’t worry. We’ve got this. I’ll hand it to you soft as a baby.” Zack gave a little wistful smile.
Knox grinned to himself as he looked up to the suite, seeing all of Keeneston. But his eyes found Quinn’s. She held Chantel’s hand as Elisha was jumping up and down and Maeve stood near them smiling and taking it all in.
Knox came to stand directly behind Zack. He bent over, slid his hands under Zack and called for the ball. Zack placed it in his hands and Knox knelt instantly. They just needed to do that one more time and the game would be over.
Knox put his arm around Zack as the huddle was fighting not to go celebrate early.
“Guys, guys, a moment,” Knox called out.
“I have a favor to ask you. You know my assistant, Maeve?” The guys all nodded.
They knew of the work she did and several had talked to her on the phone before, especially when it was time for his foundation’s fundraiser.
“She’s going to be at the celebration tonight.
She’s super cute. She’s a little thing and is so smart.
She has a business degree, but she doesn’t like crowds.
She loves you all, even if she’ll give you crap.
But she only lets people she knows well touch her.
So, when you see her, dial it down a bit and don’t wrap her up in a hug or anything.
It’s hard not to do because she’s cute as a button. Oh, and she loves epic fantasy novels.”
“I love epic fantasy novels,” Zack said as the clock counted down.
“You do?” Knox said, acting surprised. “Well, she’s also into science. She always has these cool facts about cutting-edge science inventions on what NASA is up to.”
“I love science. I was a bio major,” Zack said again as they began to walk to the line, all the other guys figuring out what was going on smirking and adding encouragement to Zack to talk to her.
They all knew Zack was a quiet guy who didn’t date much.
He was looking for his endgame and Knox’s teammates were getting the idea that Maeve might be the one for him.
“Really? Cool. I guess you’ll have a lot to talk about.” Knox smiled and patted his shoulder pads before turning to his team. “Okay guys. This is it and then we’re conference champions!”
The crowd was jumping up and down. The stadium was alive as Zack snapped the ball to Knox and Knox took a knee. Blue and white confetti exploded from cannons as the entire team rushed the field.
Sampson and Kate had come down from their box and hurried onto the field with the rest of the coaches and staff to celebrate.
Music blasted and only the crowd for the opposing team left the stadium.
The rest of the crowd waited as a stage appeared within seconds.
Support staff were handing out shirts and hats.
As Knox hugged his teammates and celebrated, he kept an eye on the tunnel where he knew his family would be bringing Quinn to him.
“Great job, Knox!” Kate told him, hugging him. “We've got a lot to do before the National Championship. Which, we’ll start on the day after tomorrow.” Kate winked at him and then hurried over to Deon as Knox’s father finally found him in the crowd.
A reporter was hot on his heels, but his father ignored her as he wrapped Knox up in a tight hug. Knox hugged him back tightly. “You did it, son. Also, she’s in the conference room by the locker room so no one will see her.”
Knox didn’t know how his smile could get any wider, but it did. “Thanks, Dad. Love you.”
“Love you too. Now let’s do the media, get that trophy, and then party. We have a lot to celebrate!”
Mo and Will had quietly planned a celebration at Desert Sun Farm since it was already set up to host large parties.
Holt had flown in and was setting up with his friend, Dallas, to give them all a show as they celebrated.
Keeneston High Schoolers, Belles, and Pam had all signed up to be designated drivers.
They were lining up in the parking lot right now.
“Knox!” Finally, Knox turned to find Quinn running toward him, zigging in and out of the players and their families.
Deon had wrapped his wife up in a hug that left her feet several feet off the ground and Jaylen zeroed in on Elisha Elkins who had come out with Quinn.
She stood off to the side looking as if she didn’t know why she was down on the field when Jaylen reached her.
He didn’t say anything, he simply grabbed her around the waist, dipped her back, and kissed her right in front of a camera.
Instead of posing like he used to with previous girlfriends, Jaylen put his hand up, blocking the shot.
“Knox!” the sideline reporter was yelling, but Knox ignored her. He needed to kiss the woman he loved first.
Knox moved toward Quinn who was running toward him and caught her up in a kiss. His arms held her tight as the charged energy from the game transferred into a kiss that was quickly moving to inappropriate for television.
Knox’s whole life settled into a warm beat of his heart with Quinn in his arms and her lips on his. He rested his hand on her hip and reluctantly pulled away from the kiss.
“You were amazing! I’ve never seen anything like it,” Quinn yelled over the blaring music and the shouts of his teammates.
“You women certainly spurred on the team! You’re our good luck charms.”
“Knox!” Will called out. “Get your ass up here.”
“I have to go, Q. But I’ll be right back.”
Knox joined Deon and Jaylen on the stage as the trophy was presented.
Will gave a speech, then his father did, and finally the microphone was turned over to him.
Knox looked down to where Quinn stood with Chantel and Elisha, smiling as his mother held Quinn’s hand.
Quinn wasn’t just part of his life. She’d found her own group too.
Together, they were going to build something even bigger than this game.
Knox finished the press conference, making sure to give his O-line a lot of credit. He sat back waiting for Jaylen to take the last question before Knox could get to the conference room.
“Jaylen, who was the woman celebrating after the game with you?” a reporter asked, used to Jaylen shouting out whichever social media influencer or model he was currently dating.
“From here on out I will no longer be commenting on my personal life,” Jaylen told him without his famous grin.
He was dead serious. Then he flashed his smile and the crowd relaxed.
“But now we’re going to celebrate. My man here is going to be a father.
We’re Conference Champs. And we’re going to the big game. Thanks for supporting us!”
Knox stood when Jaylen did. He and Deon shared a look of surprise as they left the media room. “Who are you?” Knox asked with a chuckle. Jaylen was never serious in the press.
“I’m a man in love.” Jaylen gave them a wink and hurried to the locker room.
“You coming?” Deon asked Knox, who had stopped at the conference room.
“I’ll be right there.” Knox waited for Deon to go into the locker room. The media room was still full as Will and Trey began answering questions. When the hall was clear, he opened the door. “Please tell me you were able to get it.”
Helena rolled her eyes and held out a light blue bag. “Of course I got it. It’s the exact one she picked out when we were window shopping in New York City.”
“Except, larger, right?” Knox had turned to Helena when he decided to propose.
Helena was the closest thing to family Quinn had, so he’d asked for her approval then for her help picking out a ring.
He’d sent her links to several that he had liked, but then Helena had told her about this one ring Quinn had always talked about being her dream engagement ring.
Knox couldn’t get up to the store in New York to pick it up, so Helena had stepped in.
With him on video call, she’d gone to the store and ordered the ring.
Then she’d picked it up and Knox had flown her down and the stadium staff had helped to sneak her in.
Annaleigh was waiting in the parking lot to take Helena to the post-game celebration that was now going to be a baby celebration and an engagement celebration.
At least he hoped. “She’ll say yes, right? ”
Helena rolled her eyes at him. “You two are utterly in love,” she teased. “You’ll be ridiculously happy together. That’s all I ever wanted for my best friend.”
Helena was a little teary-eyed as Knox hugged her. “Thank you so much for helping me with this.”
Helena nodded and Knox frowned. “Is everything okay?”
Helena shrugged. “I broke up with Augustus.”
“The finance guy?” Knox asked, making sure he had the details right.
“Yeah. He didn’t like that my job interfered with his social schedule. I couldn’t make a firm party and it pissed him off. I don’t have time for fragile male egos. Not all men are like you, who aren’t intimidated by intelligent women. Too bad your brother is already married.”
“How is your job going? Quinn said you’re involved with a really nasty case.”