Chapter 15
Jackson
The week is spread between football practice and small appearances with Francesca, to keep a good image.
After the troubling press release from our night out at the bar, we’ve been seen doing normal couple things.
A little grocery shopping, coffee dates and she even stops by the field to watch the boys at practice.
Today she’s brought a newswoman and a cameraman to help get my upcoming senior boys noticed.
She’s incredible, still saving some of her good contacts from her old PR company and working selflessly to get the boys noticed. Goldman PR doesn’t know what they lost.
“Relax guys, this is just another practice. I don’t want you doing anything differently.
We’re here to have fun, work hard and maybe get you noticed along the way.
” I grab Jameson by his shoulder, looking at him directly.
“If two people make you nervous, you should throw a ball in front of fifty-seven thousand screaming fans!” I jibe, trying to lighten the mood.
“Coach, if I’m throwing in front of fifty-seven thousand people, it’s because I’m already good enough to do so.”
Oh god, this poor kid looks like he’s going to throw up. I get it. I was him all those years ago. Scared to make a wrong move, scared to walk or talk, scared to breathe. I should have had Adam come down today. He could have shared some old stories about me to make them laugh.
“You’re already good enough.” Looking at them.
“You are all already good enough. How many state titles does this school have? How many of you were a part of that? We are current champions, so I know for a fact every single one of you is good enough.” I glance around at them.
“Every. Single. One. Of. You.” I look back at Chess and wave her over.
“Now come on, hands in!” We start jumping together as one, the boys circle around me, barking, and then our chant starts.
“Who runs this town?”
“The champs!”
“Who runs this field?”
“The champs”
“Who runs this game?”
“The champs”
“Who are we?”
“Champs! Champs! Comets are number 1! Mindset. Heartset. 100 percent!” is shouted in unison. The boys are pumped and run to their spots on the field.
Francesca walks over and stops next to me, running her hand down my arm.
“Looking good, Coach,” she winks at me. Before I can respond, she turns and introduces me to Sally Foster, a sports reporter from the next city over from us and her cameraman, Duke.
I shake both their hands, welcoming them to the town of Christmas.
“Hope you got their hype chant on tape,” I chuckle.
“Caught it all coach, even your pep talk,” Duke says.
I grin. “Thanks for coming down today, especially on short notice.”
Sally waves her hand like it’s no big deal.
“When Francesca called me and said she had an in with the Current State Champs, I grabbed it! I’m excited to show the kids in action, and the hard work and dedication that makes them the champs.
I always love picking one kid and following him, knowing he’s the one that could make it.
After all, you were that kid, weren’t you Coach Gage? ”
And this is why I hate reporters and hate when our practices open up to the public.
This team is not about me and what I used to do, but about the kids and what they’re currently doing.
And currently, they’re a winning team because they don’t quit.
Not because their coach used to be an NFL quarterback.
I adjust my hat, run my hands through my hair, and turn my back on her to watch the boys for a few moments.
I know it’s rude and I see Chess bristle at my side.
Turning back to look at Sally and Duke with his bright red light like its Rudolph’s nose, shining in my face as he records every breath I take.
“Yup, I was that kid, many moons ago. But these kids are the star of the show in this town, Ms. Foster. And they’re doing a damn good job making sure everyone notices.”
My slight tone doesn’t faze her one bit, but I see Chess step back just a foot from us.
Sally continues, “Yes, they’ve got everyone noticing their talents.
Especially that quarterback of yours, Jameson Winters.
He is quite the phenom. His stats are incredible and he’s only a junior.
How has he gone unnoticed until just now? ”
Okay, I can work with this. She wants to highlight Jameson.
I was kind of hoping she would, without being biased towards my other boys, but Jameson has that certain something.
He’s an outstanding student, a great friend, polite, helpful around town and an incredible athlete.
To be honest, I don’t know how he’s gone unnoticed except to say it may be on me, since I don’t allow cameras at my practices until absolutely forced to do so by the athletic director.
“That one is probably on me,” I say with chagrin.
“I don’t like the distraction of cameras and reporters while we’re practicing, no offense.
” She nods at me, letting it pass. “Jameson is more dedicated than anyone I’ve coached here in the last six years.
Probably more dedicated to his skill than anyone I’ve worked with while I was coming up the ranks, too.
He honest to God loves this game, loves the team concept more and I think that’s what makes him special.
His ability to learn plays and retain them, for both offense and defense, is uncanny.
And he’s willing to explain it to anyone who needs it reinforced.
In short, he’s the one everyone on the team goes to, the one everyone can count on.
They know it. He knows it. And it’s why he’s been my captain since he was a freshman, because I saw his dedication straight out of the gate. ”
Sally nods like it’s just another walk in the park.
“So why keep him hidden away? Don’t you want him noticed so he can further his career?
I mean, his stats are incredible. He threw for over seven hundred yards in the last six games of the regular season and his completion rate is almost sixty-five percent. ”
“We’ve made his recruiting videos and sent them out to some colleges. His focus is on this team. The ‘right now’. We’ll work on visiting those interested right before the season starts. That way, the coaches can come see him in an active game.”
“I would think he would be the number one recruit from this area. Anyone who saw that championship game a few months back should be clamoring down these gates to get to him. Do you think he’s being overlooked because your name is attached to him, Coach Gage?”
What.
The.
Fuck.
My blood is boiling, and this right here confirms what I’ve thought about myself.
What the town must think of me. And of course, why the colleges aren’t calling for me, either.
I’m a liability and why would any team want to pick up one of my kids?
I must be rubbing off on them, too. Making them party animals.
Making them the new generation of liabilities.
Francesca steps in. “Sally, I specifically said we were here to focus on the kids today, more specifically Jameson and the other rising seniors. If you are not here to report on them, then I’m sorry to say this interview is over.
Coach Gage and the team have a lot of work to do to prepare for the upcoming season.
As reigning champs, everyone will be looking to be the ones to knock them out.
This interview was to show those people the Christmas Comets are here, still working and still hungry for the next championship. ”
“Oh, of course, Francesca!” her voice is oozing with sour sweetness. “I apologize Coach Gage; I was only trying to understand how your reputation may be another feat to overcome for these boys. They’ve been underdogs every season, yet they still came out on top. That’s something to be proud of.”
Her backhanded comment does not go unnoticed.
Before I strangle this woman, I step away.
“If you’ll excuse me, I need to make sure we are working on the correct drills.
Feel free to stay and film if you’d like.
I can send Jameson and the other seniors over.
” I turn to Chess and hold her stare. “As long as Francesca is okay standing in as their PR agent for the day.” She gives me a quick nod, and I turn and jog to the boys.
I don’t even say goodbye. Or thank them for coming. Which is exactly the reputation Ms. Foster was talking about, rude and abrasive. Whatever. Fuck the reporters. I’ve got more important things to worry about right now.
I approach Jameson, who is warming up with Connor.
“Gentlemen, if you’d like to chat with the reporter, Miss Casanova is waiting for you.
She’ll stand right with you and guide your answers if needed.
Don’t be nervous, just be you. Okay?” I grab their helmets and give a little shake just as I hear Francesca call their names.
I watch them trot over, knowing their hearts are beating super-fast. I was them. I know that higher than life feeling.
I also know the feeling when it crashes all around you.
The rest of practice moves quickly. Sally speaks with Dylan and a couple of other seniors, but doesn’t come over to me again.
Francesca has stepped into that role for me and handled it, thank God.
Before long, I see the reporter and her lackey heading towards the parking lot and I see Chess closing the distance between us from across the field.
“Hey,” she approaches me quietly and cautiously. I hate that she’s on the defensive end here.
“Hey. How did the boys do?”
She smiles. “Great, Jameson is seriously a natural. Easy to talk to, easy to understand. I think the article will be good for him.”
“Yes, as long as they don’t mention his fuck up coach,” I snarl.
“Jackson, I’m so sorry. I had no idea she was going to go there with that line of questioning. I specifically said she could only come down if the focus was on the boys.”
“That is what she got, right? How the boys overcame their coach’s rep.” I slash my hand through the air like I’m standing on a Broadway stage. “I can see it now … number one in the state despite their black sheep of a coach.”
I turn slightly away from her, watching the boys finish their laps, hands on my hips, hat pulled low.
I’m fuming. I’m upset for me; I’m upset for the kids.
They don’t deserve to have to overcome what I did a decade ago.
“Why am I even important anymore? I’m a has been quarterback, who lost his prime a decade ago. What is the attraction?”
“Don’t get down on yourself. You know what the attraction is. You disappeared. No one knows you, except for the stuff they think they know. That’s why I’m here, right? It’s why we’re doing what we’re doing? Bringing the good to light and covering the dark.”
She’s right. It is why we concocted this plan. To fight reporters like Sally who only want to dwell on the past. Who still want to use it to shut me down.
“Jackson, that was your first interview in years. You did well with what you were given. At least until…” She fades off and I turn to her.
“Until what?” I raise a brow.
“Until you went from Jackson Gage to the Jacks-Off Gage we all know and love,” she smirks, then barks out a laugh when my jaw drops.
“Did you just call me Jacks-off… Noches?” Her eyes flare as she sees the attraction in mine come to life as I lazily, and blatantly, stare at her tits. I slowly take a step towards her, raising my eyes back to hers, and then another until I’m chest to chest with her.
Her breathing speeds up and I don’t miss how her lips part slightly, her tongue sweeping out to wet them.
I track it with my eyes, wanting to taste her.
“Only bad girls call me Jacks-off. Are you a bad girl, Chessy?” She squirms as I reach out and feather my fingers across her collarbone.
I watch her swallow and run my hand up her throat into a loose hold around it.
“I can be.”
“Can you, now? I think you may end up being the good girl who gets the bad rep after hanging out with me, after I corrupt you. Are you sure you can handle that? Are you sure you want to be a part of that show?” I’m pushing her again, wanting her reaction, wanting her to allow her true feelings to come to the surface.
I need to know what she’s really thinking.
Her eyes flare at my use of the word show. Hmm, so she doesn’t enjoy being reminded this is all for show after all.
“I signed up for this shit show, so yeah, I can handle it,” she replies gruffly as her wall slides up in my face once again.
“How much can you handle?” I’m not letting this go.
I reach for her hip, her body stiff. I hold her in place, I also hold her stare, neither of us wanting to give in to whatever is happening here.
My mind goes back to the bar again, and how right she felt up against me.
And here we are again—close, in public. It doesn’t feel wrong.
I’m not against this little PDA we have going on here.
“Coach!” Jameson yells and the spell is broken. I lost her heat instantly as she stepped back from me.
I turn. “Huddle up!” he yells, with that grin like the cat who stole the mouse.
I was so consumed with Chess I forgot they finished their laps and were waiting for me.
Shaking my head, I turn back to Chess, who says, “I’ll let you get back to your team.
Don’t want to interrupt your show,” she gives a small smile, eyebrow quirked, and turns to head to her car in the lot.
I watch her for a moment, then run over to the team where they give me slight ribbing.
I’ll allow it since I was clearly distracted.
But I leave the field wondering why I’m doing this? Why do I want her to admit she feels something? The answer hits me so clearly, it’s as if someone spoke it out loud right next to me.
So that I’m not alone in admitting I want more.