Touchdown on Love

by Lorana Hoopes

  “Lord, I messed up,” she said softly, “please show me how to fix this.”

  With no immediate answer and nothing more to do in Mason’s house without Mason there, Clara locked up and headed to work. Hopefully, she could avoid Justin.

  As she pulled into the parking lot of the facility, her cell phone rang. A sigh escaped her lips as she saw her father’s number again. What could he want this time?

  “Hey, Dad, what’s up?” She tried to make her voice sound more cheerful than she felt.

  “I was wondering if you might be free for an early lunch, Clara. I’m in town on a little business today, and I’d like to meet up with you.”

  Clara bit her lip. Technically, she could probably meet him. Justin wasn’t expecting her until later anyway, but what if Mason showed up after his appointment? He probably wouldn’t though. She had a feeling he was going to do everything he could to avoid her for a while, and if she said no to her father, he would just keep nagging her. “Okay, Dad, I can give you a few hours. Where do you want to meet?”

  “There’s a nice sit-down restaurant on Baker street isn’t there?”

  Clara closed her eyes and tried to picture the town. She was still figuring her way around most places, but Baker was one of the streets she was more familiar with. “Do you mean The Oasis Cafe?”

  “Yes, that’s the place. I’ll meet you there at eleven.”

  Clara glanced at her watch. It was 10:40 now which would give her plenty of time to get there by eleven. “On my way.”

  She hung up the phone and put the car in reverse. Hopefully this had been the right decision. If nothing else, it would buy her a little time to think of what to tell Justin.

  Her father’s car was already in the parking lot when she pulled in. At least she wouldn’t have to wait for him. She hated being the first one to arrive at places.

  As she entered the quaint restaurant, she saw him wave to her from a table near the back. Why had he picked a table for four when it was just the two of them? Or was it just the two of them? There appeared to be three glasses and place settings on the table.

  “Clara, so glad you could meet me for lunch,” her father said as she pulled the chair out across from him. He was not a hugger, so she wasn’t too shocked by his more cordial greeting. Besides, her curiosity was still focused on the extra glass.

  “Don’t you mean us?” she said, motioning to the other place setting.

  A slight pink colored his cheeks, and he cleared his throat. “Ah, yes, I know you’ve been busy, but I ran into an old friend of mine. He’s in town, so I invited him to join us.”

  “You set me up on a blind date?” Clara could not believe her father. First, he had controlled her relationship with Mason. Then he had pushed her into a relationship with Joel whom she had nothing in common with. Now, he was trying to do it again with some other man?

  “It’s not a date; it’s a lunch, and it’s certainly not a blind date. Joel told me you’ve been ghosting him, so I figured this would allow you to explain why and reconcile.”

  Ire flared up in Clara. “You invited Joel? Dad, I broke up with him.” Or she’d figured that if she stopped calling and returning his calls that he would realize she was breaking up with him. He was, after all, a well-educated man with a brain.

  “Funny, it seems you forgot to mention that to him,” her father said with a pointed tone, “but no matter. I assured him you had probably just been busy. He’s willing to forgive you, and you could do a lot worse than Joel.”

  The contempt in his voice referred to Mason, and it took all of her control not to lash out at him. She still didn’t understand why he hated Mason so much. So, he hadn’t been as wealthy as them growing up, he was certainly doing well for himself now. And how could her father just assume she would get back together with Joel because he brought him? And make up an excuse for her? The nerve of this man was incredible.

  Clara opened her mouth to tell him she was not interested in dating anyone, especially someone that he picked for her, but the appearance of a man in a tailored suit pulling out the chair next to her father stopped her.

  “Ah, here he is now. Joel, so good to see you again. It seems Clara was finally able to break free from her busy job to join us.”

  “Is that why you can’t pick up a phone?” Joel asked as he sat down.

  Clara bit her lip to hold back her equally snide response. Her father had pushed her into dating Joel, but now that she really looked at him, she couldn’t believe she had ever agreed to date him. It wasn’t that he wasn’t nice looking; he certainly had been blessed in that area with his dark hair and deep blue eyes, but he was too stiff for Clara’s taste. His suit looked expensive, Armani probably, but that was no surprise. Her father certainly wouldn’t set her up with anyone who didn’t have money. His dark hair was cut close to his head, with every hair seeming to lay in the right place. She doubted he ever left his house with a hair out of place. However, it was his hands that really got her. Not only were they soft as if they never saw hard work, but she was convinced his nails looked more manicured than hers.

  “I figured you were smart enough to get my hint.” Clara smiled as she said the words as if that might diffuse the sting a little.

  “Clara, that is no way to talk to Joel,” her father barked.

  “Well, I wasn’t expecting Joel, Dad,” she said pointedly at him. “I agreed to have lunch with you. When you surprise me with unexpected guests, you get unexpected reactions.”

  The glare he shot her was fiercer than she had seen in a long time, but she wasn’t backing down. Not this time. This time she was standing up for herself as she should have done six years ago and several times since. This was going to be a long lunch.

  21

  Mason

  Mason couldn’t believe he was going to have to watch this game from the sidelines. He was grateful they had advanced, but not being able to play was excruciating. Almost as hard as seeing Clara. He hadn’t spoken to her since the botched movie night, but he assumed she had filled Justin in on the situation because Davis, the other offensive trainer, had checked in with him a few times over the last few days. Over the phone and not in person, but at least he hadn’t had to deal with Clara. Yet.

  “You going to be okay over here?” Blaine asked as he spun a football in his hands. It was almost time for warm ups, and Mason appreciated the gesture of his captain stopping by to check on him. Blaine hadn’t been the only teammate. It seemed almost everyone had wanted to see how he was doing on the flight over.

  Mason shrugged. “Not my favorite place to watch a game, but I’m glad to be here.”

  Blaine nodded as if he understood the feeling. “It wouldn’t be a game without you. Look, I know this is hard, but you cheer for us the same as you would if you were playing. That energy will carry us forward, and we’ll take home that championship ring again this year.”

  “Yeah, sounds good, man.” Mason had been trying to make peace with the fact that he wouldn’t play the rest of this season, but it was still hard. Add that to the night he’d had with Clara, and it had been a rough week for sure.

  A whistle sounded, and Blaine flashed a wave before heading out onto the field for warmups. Mason sat down on the sideline bench and stretched his ankle out. The pain was diminishing, but it still screamed at him when he spent too much time on it.

  “Is this seat taken?”

  Mason looked up to see Clara standing at the edge of the bench. He shrugged and scooted over to make room for her. Though he still wasn’t sure how he felt about her at the moment, Duke’s words reminded him that he shouldn’t judge until he had all the facts.

  “I wanted to apologize to you,” she said, running her hands down her thighs. “I should have told my dad I was with you.”

  “So, why didn’t you?”

  Clara took a deep breath. “My dad has controlled my life for a long time. He wasn’t always that way, but when my mom died, he became super protective.”

 
Mason scoffed. Super protective was not the word he would use to describe her father. Insolent and overbearing seemed like much better adjectives.

  Clara offered a small smile. “Anyway, part of why I took this job was to get out from under my father’s thumb, but I guess some habits die hard. I was afraid if he knew that I was working on your team or with you that he might try to make me go back to the University of Texas.”

  “Why does your father hate me so much?” He watched as Clara sighed and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ears.

  “I don’t think he hates you, Mason. He just never thought you were good enough for me.”

  “Ouch.” Though Mason had figured that was the reason, hearing her say it still hurt.

  “The thing is…” She turned to him, looking him in the eyes for the first time since she sat down. “He’s wrong. You are good enough for me. Maybe too good for me.”

  Too good for her? “What do you mean?”

  “Clara, it’s time to get set up,” Justin’s voice called from over her shoulder.

  “Let’s do dinner later, and I’ll tell you everything, okay?”

  He wanted to ask more questions, to demand that she stay and explain what she meant, but he could see the pleading in her eyes as well as Justin’s impatient stance a few feet away. “Okay, dinner.”

  “Thank you.” She squeezed his arm and flashed a small smile before darting off to help Justin and Davis finish setting up.

  Mason watched her, wondering what she wanted to tell him. Perhaps this was good though. It would give him time to sort out his own thoughts before they had a heart to heart conversation.

  Mason gripped the edge of the bench as the two-minute buzzer went off. This game had been another close one, and the Tornadoes were only up by three points. A field goal from the other team would tie the game, and a touchdown would mean the Tornadoes were done. He wasn’t sure if it was because he wasn’t playing or because it was now up to the defense, but Mason had never felt so stressed in a game.

  The offensive line including Blaine, Tucker, and Jefferson paced around near him. They too could do nothing unless the other team lost the ball, and he realized they must feel as helpless as he did. At least for the moment.

  The two-minute warning ended, and the defensive line jogged back out onto the field. It was first and ten, and their job was to keep the other side from advancing down the field or scoring.

  The crowd noise was so deafening that Mason couldn’t even hear the count from his position on the field, but he saw the ball go flying through the air. He held his breath, hoping the receiver would miss, but the ball landed perfectly in his arms, and though he was tackled immediately, the other team had just gained another eight yards. A few more yards would put them into field goal range.

  A blocked run was the next play, and Mason’s heartbeat thundered in his ears. Third and two wasn’t much, but if the defense could hold them, it might be the end of the game. Of course, there was a chance the other team would attempt a field goal kick even if they were slightly out of range as a last resort. He’d seen miracle kicks win games before.

  The third down play ended with a dropped ball, and Mason held his breath. This was the moment of truth. Either the team would try to get the two yards, or they would attempt a field goal kick. He hoped they would go for the latter. The chances a kicker would miss from this far out was better than the chance they wouldn’t get the two yards. He held his breath, waiting to see what they’d choose.

  He sighed when the kicker remained on the sidelines. His hand ran across the back of his neck as he watched the teams line up again. Having expected a run, he was surprised when the ball flew through the air. Surprise turned to disappointment as the ball was caught well within field goal range. The clock was still ticking though. Only a minute to go.

  After a rushed lineup, the quarterback spiked the ball bringing the downs to second and ten with fifty seconds left on the clock. Plenty of time if the defense didn’t do their job. Mason felt like his heart was being squeezed by a giant vise. He always felt excitement during games, but sitting here watching seemed more nerve-wracking than normal.

  The third down play resulted in no gain, and this time the kicker did come out on the field. A forty-five-yard field goal wasn’t a shoo-in, but it was well within this kicker’s range. Mason bit down on the knuckle of his index finger as the kicker lined up. This could go two ways. Either he made it, and the game went into overtime, or he missed and the Tornadoes moved on.

  The clock continued counting down, and the ball was snapped. The kicker’s form appeared perfect as the ball went sailing through the air. Mason followed it with his eyes, feeling like he was watching it spiral and spin in slow motion as it headed for the goal posts. It was a little far to the right, but when it landed on the other side, Mason couldn’t tell if it had been good or just outside the posts. He turned to look at the large screen for a replay and nearly jumped to his feet when he saw the ball was outside the posts.

  A massive cheer went up around him as the players high fived and clapped shoulders. They had done it. They’d made it to the championship game again. Though Mason was happy for the win, he still felt the sting of disappointment. He’d be watching the championship game from the sidelines this year instead of playing.

  “We did it,” Jefferson said, coming up to him.

  “You did. Great game.” Mason forced a smile to his face. It wasn’t Jefferson’s fault that he didn’t get to play. No, that was his fault and his alone.

  Jefferson’s smile faded into an expression of understanding. “I know it’s hard not playing, but believe me there are worse things than missing a game.” His eyes took on a sadness that didn’t normally reside there, and Mason wondered what was hiding in Jefferson’s past.

  Just as quickly, his eyes brightened and he clapped Mason on the shoulder. “Besides, I learned almost everything I know from you, so it’s like you were out there. In spirit at least.”

  “Almost, huh?” Mason knew Jefferson was trying to make him feel better, and he appreciated the gesture.

  Jefferson shrugged and flashed a teasing grin. “I did know some things before I met you. Had to get on the team somehow, right?”

  His comical expression made Mason chuckle, and the cloud of sadness receded a little bit. He did have a lot to be thankful for, including his dinner with Clara later that hopefully would reveal if a future romance between the two of them had a chance.

  22

  Clara

  Clara caught Mason’s eye as they got off the shuttle back at the Tornado complex. It was late, and the team had grabbed dinner on the way, but she still felt the need to talk to him. After the coerced lunch date with Joel, she had decided it was time to tell Mason everything. It might ruin their chances of a future relationship, but at least she would feel better knowing he knew the truth.

  “So, dinner didn’t work out, but do you still feel like hearing what I have to say?” she asked as she slowed her step to match his slower pace.

  “Of course,” he said with a slight grin. “I’ve been on pins and needles all day.”

  Clara swatted his arm. While she had no doubt he was curious as to what she had eluded to, his response was grossly exaggerated. “I’m sure you have. Did someone drive you here?”

  “I certainly didn’t drive myself,” he said, pointing down at his booted ankle. He was still on the crutches though she had seen him place a little weight on the foot throughout the day. “Duke dropped me off.”

  “Well, how about I drive you home and we can talk there?”

  “Lead the way,” he said, motioning with his arm.

  Clara tried to formulate the words in her head as she drove, but nothing sounded right. They were still a jumbled mess when she pulled into Mason’s driveway, and she had no idea how he was going to react. After helping him out of the car, she followed him up the entrance and into his house.

  “Living room?” Mason asked as he shut the door behind them.
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  “Sure, that will be fine.” Clara took a deep breath as she sat on the couch. She stared down at her hands, collecting her thoughts before glancing up at Mason. “So, I haven’t been completely honest with you.”

  His brow lifted as he cocked his head at her. “Okay, what haven’t you been honest about?”

  “About why we broke up back in high school.”

  Mason leaned forward, an intensity flowing from his eyes. “I knew it. Your father was involved, wasn’t he?”

  Clara bit her lip and nodded. “He was, but so were yours.”

  “What?” Disbelief colored his voice and his expression.

  “My father didn’t think you were good enough for me. To be honest, I don’t think he ever thought you’d become a pro player. I’d love for him to see you now.” She shook her head to rein in her train of thought. “Anyway, he reached out to your parents with his concerns. Evidently, they had some about me. They thought I would distract you and keep you from making pro, so they came up with an agreement.”

  “What agreement?” Mason’s voice was ice cold.

  “He offered to pay for your college if we broke up.” She paused and took another deep breath. “They accepted and he brought the offer to me. I didn’t want to take it, Mason, but I knew college was important for you. You needed to be on a college team to get discovered by the draft. I also knew your parents couldn’t really afford to send both you and Duke at the same time. I know it was wrong, but I thought I was doing the best thing I could for you.”

  “The best thing for me?” Mason’s eyes grew to the size of quarters as his voice rose in pitch. “How was that the best thing for me? You were the best thing that ever happened to me, Clara. I thought I was going to marry you, and I’ve struggled to have a real relationship since because I never understood what went wrong.”

  She blinked at him, trying to make sense of his words. He’d thrown a lot at her, but only a few were sticking in her mind. “Wait, you were going to marry me?”