Chapter 36
Chapter Thirty-Six
ADAM
Ididn’t get to talk to Faith last night, but the day before, she said she was going to try to be here for the state championship game. I pried my hand away from my pocket, which held my phone.
I desperately wanted to check and see if she had texted or landed or, well, anything. But the boys deserved my full attention for now. We were currently up by four against the Mustangs, but with this game, that could change in an instant. I rubbed my hands together.
“All right, boys, that was a great half. I saw a lot of good communication.” I nodded toward the boys.
“I’m proud of this team. I’m proud of you guys out there, win or lose.
” I smiled at each of them. “But…since we have worked this hard,” I grinned, “we may as well try to win. Right?” The boys erupted into cheers. “Any pointers, Captain?”
Jacob leaned forward to see Connor. “Watch it in the key. The ref will keep calling for three seconds.” Then he looked to the other side. “Jackson, don’t be afraid to go for the layup if they double guard me.” He smiled. “Other than that, I’d say let’s make sure all those laps weren’t for nothing.”
The team cheered and huddled around the captain. “Eagles on three. One, two, three, Eagles!”
Danny came running around the corner into the locker room.
“There’s a tunnel!” He bounced on his toes, unable to keep the excitement in only his voice.
He reached for my hand and dragged me to the door. I peeked out the door to find the “tunnel” of people.
“Looks like the whole town is in that lineup.” I chuckled. “They came to support you today. Let’s give it our all.”
The boys yelled again and ran past me as I held the door open. Everyone was waving signs and pompoms and supporting our school’s colors.
This town was something else.
“You too, Coach,” someone hollered in my direction.
“And me!” Danny cheered.
“Oh, why not?” I took Danny’s hand and ran through the tunnel.
The smiling faces of a town I loved surrounded me. A town I was proud to be a part of. Even though it had been hit hard this last month, they were still here for each other. People who don’t live in small towns don’t know what they are missing.
At the end of the tunnel, waving a poster and cheering, was Faith.
My Faith.
I stopped, my heart picking up speed that my body refused to follow.
The sign said, DIBS ON THE COACH.
She came back. Faith came back. I shook my head and couldn’t stop my stupid grin.
“Ms. Faith!” Danny ran over to his teacher. “I knew you wouldn’t let Ms. Jessica be my teacher!”
She tipped her head back and laughed. “I’m glad you at least had someone trying to help while I was gone. I was worried about you kids.”
“So you are staying this time though, right?” I was glad that Danny wasn’t afraid to ask the hard questions.
Faith smiled as she hugged Danny, and then her eyes met mine. “Yep, I’m here to stay. Hillsdale is my home.”
My breath caught in my throat and I closed the distance between us. I pulled her into my arms. “I have desperately missed you,” I whispered to her as I felt the warmth of her against my chest. I leaned back so I could see her eyes.
“I missed you too.” She put a hand on my cheek.
I brushed my thumb down her jaw; she leaned into the touch. “Thanks for coming back.”
“Thanks for giving me a place to come back to,” she whispered, bringing her face closer to mine.
I nodded at the sign that she’d been holding. “I like the sign.”
“Me too.” She chuckled. “Jessica made it.”
My eyes widened. “For you or her?” So help me if I needed to talk to that woman again…
“Me.” Faith smiled.
“Huh?” My forehead creased. “I don’t think I will ever understand women.”
Faith giggled.
“I love you,” she whispered.
“I love you.” I rested my forehead against hers.
I felt like I could take my first breath of air in a week.
I could survive without Faith, but I felt like I was on life support, barely existing.
I looked at her blue eyes and felt like all my broken pieces fit together into something whole.
I kissed her and hoped she felt every ounce of my love for her in that kiss.
Forget the town, forget the game, I had Faith and Danny.
Brandy, the cheer coach, ran over and cleared her throat. “Excuse me, you two.”
I sighed and leaned away from Faith, but I refused to drop her hand until I had to. Brandy handed Faith a megaphone. Faith tried to push it back at her, but Brandy shook her head and handed it back.
Faith sighed and grabbed the megaphone. I dropped her hand and quirked an eyebrow.
She focused on the crowd still lined up as the walls of the tunnel. “I have an announcement. Turns out we have received a very generous donation from Alexander Luxe.” Faith looked around the crowd. “We’re going to save the school!”
The tunnel collapsed, everyone cheering, hugging, and crying. She did it! I shook my head. Of course she had. I closed the distance between Faith and me and I gently took the megaphone from her hand. She handed it over with a puzzled expression.
“Let’s be clear,” I said into the megaphone. The crowd quieted and looked my way. “There is no we about it. Faith and her dad saved our town. Let’s hear it for our own Ms. Faith.” The crowd cheered, and Faith blushed.
I set down the megaphone, lifted Faith in my arms, and kissed her soundly.
At that, my basketball team whooped and cheered, slapping me on the back.
“Wait,” Danny protested. “Where did you get that coat?” He had his arms folded in front of him as he stared down Faith’s dad.
Alexander chuckled and smiled. It was a wide-open kind smile, like Faith’s. “I had it made.” He shrugged. “Thought if I was sponsoring the school, I needed to show up in full support.”
Danny frowned. “I think since I help with the water bottles, I should get one too.”
“I think you’re right. I’ll see that it’s taken care of.”
Danny nodded. I extended my hand toward Alexander. “Hello, Sir, I’m Adam. Thanks so much for being willing to help our town.” My eyes went to Faith. “But even more so, thank you for Faith.”
The buzzer sounded again.
“Everyone off the court,” a ref called and blew his whistle.
“Guess we have some catching up to do later.” Faith winked as she stepped past me. “Go get ’em, Coach.” She swatted me on my backside.
This woman would keep me guessing and smiling for the rest of my life if I was lucky.
The rest of the game was close, but after double overtime, we won. The boys whooped and cheered. Today was like a dream come true.
At the buzzer, students and parents from the stands started rushing the court, cheering and crying.
“Free pie at Merritt’s!” Angie cheered. “Tomorrow morning at ten a.m. Bring camp chairs to sit on.”
The restaurant had taken a hit, but it didn’t stop people from giving and being generous. Angie wasn’t going to rebuild, but between James funding the repairs at no interest and the town begging, she decided she would reopen.
We won. I shook my head in disbelief. Even after the crazy weeks we had. We won. I looked up in the stands to see a blonde in her maroon and gold Eagles jacket jumping up and down screaming. When her eyes met mine, they were filled with happy tears, and the sight of her took my breath away.
Actually, I had already won before the game. Faith saved our town. She had saved me. I charged toward her, taking the steps two or three at a time. I couldn’t wait to pull her into my arms.