Chapter 43
Jackson
Clap, Clap, Clap.
“Gather round! I’ve got something to say.”
The boys all come in close as I jump up on to one of the benches in the locker room. They wait on my words with bated breath, the room so still and silent you can hear a pin drop. The nervous energy is dancing around this room like sparks.
But so is the excitement.
“Do you know what they’re saying about us?” A few grumbles and no’s answer me. “They say that we’re lucky. That us winning States last year was a fluke. We caught lightning in a bottle.”
The grumbles get louder.
“That lightning only strikes once.” I clap my hands together loudly. “That’s what they say.”
Still standing atop the bench, hands on my hips, I continue, “Me? I could say I’m proud of you. I could say whether we win or lose today, I'm happy we got this far. But I’m not going to say that. Know why?”
“Why coach?” A resounding question in unison.
I pause, all of them hanging on my words.
“Because I want to fucking win!” I roar out.
Yeah, I cursed at them. Sue me. I know what gets them fired up.
Cursing. Barking. Chanting. Cheering.
Wash, rinse, repeat.
“Boys!” I yell over their cheering, “I don’t only want to win. I want to destroy. I want them talking about us and this game for years. We aren’t a one hit wonder. We’re a team to be feared!”
“Yes Coach!”
“I want sixty minutes of everything you’ve got!”
“Yes Coach!”
“Now let’s get out there and win this!”
Barking. Jumping. “Ooh! Ooh! Ooh!”
“Mindset. Heartset. 100 percent!”
I hear the announcers begin the introductions and the team runs out, with my assistants and myself right behind them.
We are playing on a neutral field, about forty-five minutes outside of Christmas. And despite the distance, it looks like all of Christmas has shown up for their team. The stands are packed, there are people lining the field and a ton of security surrounds us all.
Texas football is no joke.
I look up to see my family and my girl in the stands, right behind our bench.
Exactly where I knew they’d be. Chess has her Gage’s Girl jersey on, and the rest of our group is all wearing variations of the same.
Gage’s Sister. Gage’s Brother-in-law. Gages Guys.
Even her parents have a variation of the jersey–Gage’s Frank and Gage’s Janet.
I laugh, they’re so ridiculous.
But they’re mine.
And I’m not leaving them again.
The whistle blows and we are in for the most intense sixty minutes of our lives.
* * *
“Give it up for your two-time Texas State Champions… Christmas Comets!”
The crowd is thundering around us. I can feel the ground shaking. The boys haven’t stopped smiling, laughing, crying… the emotions are running rampant.
I’m wearing a cooler full of red Gatorade as I watch the team lift Jameson onto their shoulders.
He’s met with a few of the seniors who are lifted up as well, all hugging in the middle of the field.
I turn to look for Francesca, I spot her and my sister hugging and jumping up and down. I catch her eye and she runs down to the edge of the stands pointing at me, leaning over the railing, ponytail swinging.
“I knew you could do it! I’m so proud of you!” she yells. I can barely hear her over the crowd, but I can read her lips.
It’s time.
I turn to find Jameson, Connor, Dylan and a few others to signal them to come over but they’re already behind me.
“You ready for this, coach?” They’re wearing goofy smiles.
“I’ve never been more ready,” I reply. I watch them jog over to the stands and lift Chess down to the ground.
Just like I asked them to do.
A week ago, when I told them I was staying, we put together a plan to make this night even more memorable. There was never a doubt we were going to win. I felt it in my gut. These kids were hungry, and they wanted this win more than anything else.
Just like I want Chess more than anything else.
Britt helped me make my grand gesture to Adam. Once he and I were all good, he helped me make the grand gesture to Francesca, by letting me tag along with him when he apologized to her, and then let me steal his limelight.
The approval for today’s final grand gesture came by way of me groveling to Chess’ dad, Frank. I spilled the beans about our whole fake dating scheme. It was hard admitting I was self-absorbed and self-sabotaging, but that time was over as Chess had made me see the light.
She made me a better man and I wanted nothing more than the chance to prove it every day.
Frank gave me his blessing. Janet cried. Then I cried when she told me I was already her son and now we would just be making it official, that I belonged to the Casanova’s even though I was giving her daughter a new name.
She runs toward me, both of our arms outstretched to each other and launches herself into my arms, her legs wrapped tight around my waist and her face buried in my neck.
I spin a complete circle from the force of catching her.
She’s laughing, she’s crying, she’s kissing me. I can’t get close enough to her.
I slide her down my body, spotting the team coming closer to us. I see Jameson’s girlfriend Layla lead the cheerleaders over as they make a semi-circle behind Chess’ back.
“Oh, babe! I’m so happy for you! Congratulations! I knew you would do it again!”
“I’ve got a great team here. They make me look good.”
“Mmhm, so humble, Coach Gage.” She winks and kisses me again.
I pull back from her slightly and whisper, “We have an audience.”
She glances over her shoulder, then back to me but not before her eyes widen and she looks back again, pushing away from me and facing the team and the cheerleaders.
She turns back again, and I can’t help but chuckle at the confusion written across her face.
I nod towards the signs.
“They’re here for you tonight, Gage’s Girl.”
She spins once again and I see my sister, Bobby, her brothers, Farrah, and her parents gathered around, as well.
The Cheerleaders are holding signs that spell out:
MY MINDS SET.
MY HEARTS SET.
I’M ALL IN, 100 PERCENT.
MARRY ME?
When she turns back to me, I’m on one knee holding the ring that was in my pocket the entire time. Good luck charm maybe?
Nah. It’s just her.
The woman who makes me rethink my life.
She’s the type you risk a friendship for.
She’s the type you claim.
“Don’t leave me hanging, Chessy. I wouldn’t want to have to spank you in front of all these people for making me wait for an answer.”
She’s stepped close enough that I hope her brother didn’t hear that last part but honestly, I don’t care.
“What do you say, baby girl? Want to do life with me?”
She’s crying as she holds her hand out for me to slide the ring on.
“Yes! Yes! A million times yes!”
I stand up and smother her in my arms.
The team is—you guessed it—barking and my family gathers around, all celebrating with us.
I was an all-star quarterback in high school.
I was drafted first my junior year of college.
I was a starting quarterback in the NFL.
But Francesca is by far, the Biggest Win of my life.