Risk the Play (Nashville Rampage #6)

Chapter 1

One

Will

The drive to my daughter’s house is short, but every mile still feels like a miracle I don’t quite deserve.

For the first time in years, she’s letting me be part of her life again.

When my granddaughter, Coral, was born, I knew I needed to be closer to them, to be heavily involved in her life, to watch her grow up.

I was tired of living on the sidelines, watching life pass me by.

So, I bought a house two streets over, close enough to be there in minutes if she needed me, far enough not to scare her away.

I carry more regret than I know what to do with when it comes to my daughter.

I should have fought harder. I should have insisted on getting my scheduled time with her.

I told myself I was giving her space, making her life easier, but the truth is, I let her slip through my fingers.

Losing her like that carved something out of me, a wound so deep it never truly closed. Some nights, it still bleeds.

I buried myself in my career—something I always did—hence the reason my marriage to her mother fell apart.

We were young, so young, just eighteen when we found out about Bellamy, and we fought like hell to make it work, but at the end of the day, we grew apart.

I hid behind my job, and my ex, Candice, focused on Bellamy.

They didn’t need me anymore—or at least that’s what I told myself.

I was wrong.

I regret letting them both slip through my fingers.

Candice is remarried, and I’m happy for her. I want that for her, and for our daughter. However, it still feels as though everyone around me is moving forward, and I’m still here, standing still. Watching as life and time pass me by.

I never imagined that the thing I couldn’t fix on my own would be healed by someone else.

One of my players. A man I coached, trusted, and pushed to be better.

I spent years trying to earn my way back into her heart, and all it took was her falling in love with my best tight end for my world to shift.

It’s ironic, maybe even cruel, but I don’t question it.

I’m just grateful to have my daughter back.

Because now, when I pull into her driveway, I’m not just a man filled with regret. I’m a father with a second chance, a grandfather ready to spoil his granddaughter. And this time, I won’t waste it.

The driveway is empty, but I expected it to be.

I’m early for my granddaughter’s second birthday party.

There was another birthday party two weeks ago, one that I didn’t attend.

My quarterback, Knox Beckett, his son, Alexander, turned one.

However, I did buy him a gift. In fact, I brought one for all the kids, even baby Ella.

She’s only a couple of months old and wouldn’t know she was left out, but the grandpa in me couldn’t do that.

Ella is Landry Reynolds’s daughter, my star wide receiver.

She was born a couple of months ago, right in the heat of the end of the season.

But Landry and his wife, Rowan, handled it like champs, and I know his closest teammates and their wives, including my daughter and son-in-law, rallied around them.

They’ve created their own little family, and now, they all live in this very neighborhood. It’s storybook, but at the same time, I’d love to be a part of something like that. I get glimpses because I moved into the same community, but it’s not the same.

I’ve given my entire life to my career, and now, here I am, swimming in regret, and I’m lonely. I have no one to share my accomplishments with, and I’m the one to blame.

Anyway, I came early to see if I could help or watch Coral while my daughter and my tight end, her husband, finish last-minute things for the gathering.

It’s not the only reason why I’m here; I was lonely—living in that big house, staring at the walls. After my early morning workout, I did some work, looking at stats and numbers for the upcoming draft, but once that was done, I was restless, so here I am.

Climbing out of my SUV, I grab all the bags from the back seat and make my way to the front door. I don’t dare just walk in, as there are some things a father just doesn’t need to see. Instead, I raise my hand to knock, but the door is pulled open before I can.

“There’s Grandpa,” Reid says, bouncing a smiling Coral on his hip. “Wow,” he says, eyeing all the bags. “I’m going to need to buy a bigger house,” he jokes.

My granddaughter reaches for me, and my heart swells.

Stepping out of the cold, I strip off my coat, kick off my shoes, and take her into my arms. “How’s my birthday girl?

” I ask her, kissing her cheek. She grins and places her tiny hand against my cheek, and she might as well be thrusting it inside my chest and squeezing my heart.

“And as if this seven-thousand-square-foot house isn’t big enough,” I reply.

Reid grins and shrugs. “She’s full of energy today,” Reid says, bopping her on the nose. “I swear, she’s into everything, and it’s been hard to keep her out of the presents.”

“Her mom was like that at this age,” I say, remembering those days. I survey the room, seeing all the presents, and chuckle. “And you say I spoil her.”

“The bags don’t lie, Grandpa.” He laughs. “And my parents said the same thing about me. We’re doomed,” he says, but he’s grinning like a fool at his little girl.

“I’ve got her. Go do what you need to do.” I wave him off, heading toward the living room, where I know there’s a big basket of toys in the corner of the room. “And only half of these bags are hers. I brought something for each of the kids so they don’t feel left out.”

“Are you going soft in your old age, Coach?” Reid teases.

“Go, get out of here.” I motion him away with a chuckle.

“You sure?”

“That’s why I’m here early. Go. We’ve got this, right, Coral?” I ask as I place her on the floor and sit down next to her.

She reaches into the basket and pulls out a football. “Ball!” she says, holding it up so I can see before she chucks it across the room.

“Do we have a quarterback on our hands?” I ask her.

“We just might.” Reid grins proudly.

“I think we might,” I say, smiling at Coral.

“Thanks for keeping an eye on her. I’m going to go see what my wife needs from me.

” He rushes off. Admittedly, in the beginning, I’d been worried about him being the one my daughter chose.

Not because of the kind of man he is, but because of his career.

Reid, though, makes it work. He gives all the time he’s not on the field to his girls, and I’m damn proud to call him my son-in-law.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s still weird seeing him with my daughter, but she’s always smiling and watching him like he hung the moon. As her father, that smile is all I’ll ever want for her.

“Come give Grandpa a hug,” I tell Coral.

Once the other kids get here, and the rest of the guests, I won’t have this one-on-one time with her.

Her little legs carry her to me as fast as she can, and she crashes into my chest, her arms wide open.

I wrap her in my arms and lift her off her feet, making her giggle.

Damn, do I love that sound.

“Happy birthday, my precious girl,” I say, giving her another squeeze.

“Cake!” she cheers, and I laugh.

“That’s right. Cake, and presents, and your friends are coming over to play.”

“Pway!” she says, before climbing off my lap and rushing back across the room to grab her football. She tosses it again, and it falls just a few feet in front of her this time. I stand to grab it and toss it back when the doorbell rings.

“Coral, there’s someone here for your birthday,” I tell her.

“Ber-day!” She rushes toward the front door. I intercept, scooping her up into my arms, as we make our way to the front door.

Pulling open the door, I see a frazzled Amanda standing on the porch. She’s loaded down with her daughter, Mia, on her hip, two gift bags, a diaper bag, and another that looks like it’s got some food inside. “Hey, Amanda, let me help.”

Leaning in, I manage to take Mia from her mom with my free arm and place her on my opposite side from where Coral is perched. Coral reaches out to take her hand, and Mia giggles.

I laugh with them as I step back, allowing Amanda room to come inside out of the cold. “Come in,” I tell her.

“Thanks, Mr. Warner.” She gives me a tired smile.

“It’s Will,” I remind her. “Or Coach. Mr. Warner makes me sound older than I am.” I laugh.

“Oh, stop,” Amanda says, before blowing her hair out of her eyes. “Age is just a number, right?”

“That’s what they tell me.”

“Thank you for helping.” She places her bags on the floor. “I can take her.” She nods toward her daughter in my arms.

“I’ve got this. Get settled, Momma. Take a breather.

I’m going to be right over here, supervising these littles.

” I give her a smile, letting her know I don’t mind helping, and move back to the large toy basket.

I set Coral on her feet, and she dances around, pointing at Mia, saying, “Baby,” when she’s just a baby herself.

Lowering myself to the floor with Mia in my arms, I settle her on my lap, her back to my front so that she can see Coral, but she turns her head to peer up at me.

I’m a little worried she’s going to start crying.

Her lip quivers, but then something happens I wasn’t expecting. This precious little gem smiles at me.

Mia twists on my lap, so I turn her and help her stand. She holds on to my fingers. Her tiny feet are pressing into my thighs as her legs bounce up and down. Her smile grows, and a giggle escapes her lips.

“Aren’t you the sweetest thing?” I tell her with a laugh.

“Daddy!” Coral exclaims as she takes off running as fast as those tiny legs can carry her, crashing into her dad. Reid swoops down, lifts her up, and tosses her over his shoulder. She cackles with laughter, and Mia laughs, too.

“She’s funny, huh?” I ask the baby.