“If it comes to that.” Sean gripped his hand. “We’ll hold the fort until you get back.”
Gaige nodded. He would be back if it were humanly possible. However, he knew it would take a minor miracle for him to finish the game.
VIOLET COULDN’T BREATHE. She watched in horror as Gaige was hit. Held her breath while they took him away, and still, she couldn’t manage to take any air into her lungs.
“Breathe,” her father ordered, slapping her firmly on the back.
She gasped, bending over until the lightness left her head.
“He’s injured, Dad.” Violet gripped her father’s hand. “Gaige never gets hurt.”
“We don’t know yet how bad it is.”
The stands were abuzz with speculation and worry. Even the Ravens’ fans were angered by the actions of their player. When the head referee threw Phil Stanhope out of the game, a cheer went up from the crowd.
“Bastard,” her father yelled. “He deserves to be kicked out of the game for good. In all the years I’ve been watching football, I’ve never seen such blatant head hunting.
At that point, Violet didn’t care. Ending Stanhope’s career wouldn’t help Gaige.
“Dr. Reed?”
A young man in an usher’s uniform waved at her from the aisle.
Puzzled, Violet turned to him. “Yes?”
“Riley Preston asked me to find you and take you to her.”
Violet didn’t hesitate. “Let’s go.”
“THE X-RAYS SHOW a crack in two lower ribs on your right side,” the team doctor informed Gaige.
“Not a break?”
“No. But the injured ribs are on your throwing side. Even if we could wrap you up like a mummy, the pain will be excruciating.”
“Are you kidding?” Gaige yelled. He looked at Riley. Then Claire. “Is he fucking kidding? Get out the industrial strength duct tape. That shit can fix anything.”
“I know you want to get back out there, but in all good conscience, I can’t recommend returning to the game.”
“Claire!”
“Get out of my way.” Claire pushed the doctor aside. She opened her rucksack and began taking out her collection of salves and special tape.
“Now see here, young woman,” the doctor blustered.
Claire spared the man a single glance. “I would tell you to stop acting like an old woman, but that would be an insult to old women the world over.”
“Just who do you think is in charge?”
“Not you,” Riley said, stepping forward. “I don’t have time to deal with your ego. Gaige trusts Claire and so do I. She’s going to fix him up so he can finish what he started.” Riley’s eyes narrowed when the doctor was about to protest. “If I didn’t know better, I would think you were a Ravens’ fan.”
“I—”
Riley didn’t care what he was about to say. She spotted Violet and rushed across the room.
“How is he?”
“Sore,” Violet led her to where Claire had finished rubbing her secret recipe balm onto Gaige’s ribcage. “Nothing is broken but not for want of trying.”
“God that feels good,” Gaige said, his head tipped back.
“Hi.” Violet took the penlight from the table. “Let me see.”
Gaige didn’t say anything as she examined his eyes. Feeling her touch, seeing her beautiful face, was enough. Violet was here. Between that and Claire’s magic potions, he felt ready to slay dragons.
“Lift your arms,” Claire told him as she began to wrap his ribs.
“Am I in your way?” Violet asked.
“Nope.” Claire began to apply the tape. “Gaige, why don’t you put your hands on Violet’s shoulders. That will give me the room I need.”
Gaige hesitated. “Do you mind?”
“I’d say it’s just what this doctor ordered.” Violet put aside the light. “No signs of a concussion. Do you have a headache?”
“No.” Gaige kept his eyes glued to her face. It was the best medicine in the world.
“Good.” Violet nodded. “Here’s the deal. You’re stuck with me, Gaige Benson. Do you have a problem with that?”
“No.”
“Simple and to the point,” Riley laughed. “Smart man.”
“I love you.” Violet had decided that if she waited for Gaige, she would be old and gray before she told him how she felt.
“I love you, too. I always have.” Traditionally, this would be a good time for a kiss, but that would have to wait. “Will you marry me, Violet?”
Violet’s eyes lit up, a brilliant, shining blue. “Here’s the deal,” she said again. “I was always rooting for you to win. But if you lost, I would have been okay with that.”
“Hey,” Riley gasped.
“However,” Violet grinned. “I’ve changed my mind. You will go out there. And you will win the game. Then, I will agree to marry you.”
“Sounds fair,” Riley said.
Finishing up, Claire nodded.
“And if the game goes a different way?” Not lose. Gaige refused to speak the L word. He had already pushed his luck to the limit today. He needed it to hold a bit longer.
“Will it?” Violet raised her eyebrows.
“No.”
“Again, short and to the point.” Claire stood back, surveying her handiwork. “It’s going to hurt, but you should be fine. Just don’t let anymore big, bad men fall on you.”
With a little help, Gaige dressed, this time with a special pad around his ribcage. Just before he left the locker room, Violet handed him three painkillers and a bottle of water.
“When we win this game, I’m going to hold you to that promise.”
Violet stood on her toes, her mouth taking his in a lingering kiss. Her eyes said it all. The faith she had in him. And the love that had started in the heart of a nineteen-year-old girl and finally bloomed all these years later.
“So, you want to join us on the field?” Riley asked as they watched Gaige run out of the tunnel.
“Thanks, but I think I’ll go back to my seat.”
Violet knew the second the crowd became aware of Gaige’s return. The roar grew, rippling across the stadium. She swore the building shook with their jubilation. She entered the elevator, and just as the doors closed, she heard the chant begin—and Violet joined them.
“Gaige. Gaige. Gaige.”
“IT’S ABOUT TIME, slacker. While you were taking a nice little break, we’ve been keeping the ball warm for you.”
“I appreciate it.” When Sean tossed him the football, Gaige caught it with ease. “I see nothing has changed while I was gone.”
“Like I said, we were waiting for you.”
As if on cue, Baltimore turned the ball over on downs. Gaige looked at the clock. One minute, forty-seven seconds. Well, shit. In football, that could be an eternity. Or it could pass in the blink of an eye. He warmed up his arm while the return team ran onto the field. As he tossed the ball to his QB coach, Gaige watched the action play out.
The punt returner for the Knights caught the kick at the fifteen-yard line. Go, Gaige urged him. Go!
“Good field position,” Coach Coleman told him. “You know what to do, Gaige. This one is in your hands.”
“Don’t worry, Harry.” Gaige shook hands with his longtime coach. “I won’t let you down.”
Gaige blocked everything from his mind but the task at hand. He didn’t remind himself what was at stake. The goal was the same as every time he stepped onto the field. Orchestrate a drive to the end zone. For most of his life, he had excelled at doing just that.
One more time, he told himself. Make it count.
“I CAN’T LOOK,” Violet said, hiding her face in her hands.
“You’ll never forgive yourself if you miss this.” Her father pulled her hands away. “Watch. It’s a moment that will never come again.”
Knowing he was right, Violet straightened, her eyes seeking out Gaige. You can do this, she sent the thought to him. Just before he st
epped into the huddle, Gaige looked into the stands—at her. Violet swore she could hear his answer. Short and to the point. I know.
THE CLOCK TICKED away every precious second, showing them no mercy. Logan burst through the defense, giving them a much-needed first down. But they had no timeouts left. Twenty-five yards to the end zone, Gaige had no choice but to throw the ball into the turf. It burned a down, but it also stopped the clock.
There was no need to hurry his teammates into the huddle. They knew the stakes.
“You know I hate clichés.” Gaige looked around the circle. They were tired and worn down, but to a man, there wasn’t an ounce of quit. “But I have to say it. The end zone is only one pass away. This one is for all the marbles. Are you with me?”
“Hell, ya,” they yelled as one.
“Then let’s do it.”
Gaige gave them the play. His side was on fire, but he blocked out the pain. He took the snap. The clock started ticking down the final seconds. Baltimore tried to break through, but his line held. There wasn’t a clear path to Sean. He had defenders on both sides of him, giving Gaige a narrow window to deliver the ball.
There wasn’t time to think. Gaige cocked his arm, the laces right where they were supposed to be, Gaige waited for a second longer until he saw a sliver of daylight, then let the ball go.
As one, every person in the stadium watched as Gaige made what would later be called one of the most amazing passes in Super Bowl history. Threading the needle right into the hands of his favorite receiver.
The gun sounded. His teammates lifted Gaige onto their shoulders, forgetting about his injury. It didn’t matter, he didn’t feel anything but elation. They set him down in front of Harry Coleman. The grizzled old coach had tears in his eyes and didn’t care who saw them.
“Thank you,” Harry said as they hugged.
“No, thank you, Harry.”
Gaige’s eagle eyes searched the crowd. It was chaos. If the fans weren’t celebrating, they were pushing their way toward the exits. Finding Violet in all that mayhem should have been impossible. It took him exactly ten seconds. She was the lone still figure in a sea of movement.
From twenty rows up in the stands, Violet met his gaze. She didn’t jump up and down. She didn’t flap her arms or blow him big, exuberant kisses. She stood there, her light brown hair pulled back from her face—the blue and gold Knights’ scarf wrapped around her neck—and smiled.
If he lived to be a hundred, Gaige knew he would remember that moment for the rest of his life.
“Can we get a few words, Gaige?” A network reporter asked.
“I’ll be right there.”
He looked again, but Violet had disappeared. No doubt swept away in a sea of excited bodies. It didn’t matter. He would find her. No matter what. He would always find her.
EPILOGUE
FIVE YEARS LATER
IT WAS A sight Gaige never tired of seeing. His backyard filled with friends and family. The number grew every year. Ex-teammates. Current players. Sean and Riley. Logan and Claire. Their children. And his Violet.
Life after football had been an adventure. Gaige did what interested him and said no to what didn’t. Speaking engagements. A little broadcasting. He even made a movie. It was a small but pivotal role. The reviews had been kind, and Gaige would consider doing it again if the part interested him.
Violet’s transition to Seattle had been a smooth one. Her reputation made it easy for her to consult at several of the local hospitals while maintaining her private practice. They worked together on his foundation, expanding its reach. His passion project had become hers and with her at his side, they helped more and more people every year.
At the moment, the love of his life was chasing down a three-year-old with the speed of a wide receiver and the shiftiness of a running back. Violet insisted their son would be a doctor. And Gaige was fine with that. Whatever made his boy happy was fine with him.
“We’ve gotten domesticated.” Sean handed Gaige a beer, leaning against the deck railing. “Who would have thought it possible?”
“I knew I had it in me.” Gaige tapped his bottle against Sean’s. “You were the wild card.”
“It took the right woman. At the right time. I’m retired. I have two healthy, beautiful children. And my wife is the sexiest owner in the NFL.”
“That isn’t saying much.” Riley swatted her husband on his fine behind. “You can do better than that.”
Sean wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close. “I have the sexiest wife in the world.”
“Except for me,” Gaige winked at Riley.
“And me,” Logan joined them, his arm around Claire’s shoulder.
“They are so competitive we could be here all night.” Violet took Gaige’s outstretched hand. “Let’s call it a tie.”
“I’m good with that,” Logan nodded. He was the only one of the three men still playing for the Knights. Two more years and he would happily call it a career. But for now, he still loved the game. “Let’s get you some food,” he patted Claire’s growing waistline.
Claire laughed. Following Logan, she said over her shoulder, “The you’re eating for two line never gets old.”
“Sean,” Riley nuzzled his cheek. “Would you find Dougie? If we let him, he would chase that puppy until he fell down with exhaustion. Tell him if he takes a break for his dinner, he can play with Digger for another hour.”
“I love my boys, but they can wear me out.”
Riley had more energy than anyone Gaige knew. Last summer she took her place as president of the Knights, fulfilling her grandfather’s wishes. Her boys, Douglas, and Benjamin, were the spitting image of their father. Something she lamented with good humor. They already had learned to wrap the female population around their little fingers.
“Those boys are going to be heartbreakers, just like their father.”
“Look how he turned out.” Gaige gave her a sympathetic hug.
“She’s right,” Violet said when Riley was out of earshot. “Women are going to fall at their feet.” She turned into Gaige’s arms. “And Dylan will be right beside them.”
“Are you worried?”
“No,” Violet smiled, recalling what he had said to Riley. “Look how you turned out. The woman who marries our son will be very lucky. I know I am.”
Gaige looked into her beautiful blue eyes, so familiar. So filled with love. It had taken a long time for them to get here, but it had been worth every ounce of heartache.
“I’m the lucky one.” He touched her lips with his, deepening the kiss when he heard Violet sigh with pleasure.
“Where is our little linebacker?”
“Surgeon,” Violet corrected. She knew that he was teasing. But when he was ready to make a career choice, football, medicine, or something completely different, she wanted Dylan’s options to be left open.
“Our son is telling Grandpa about his trip to the zoo.”
Violet’s father had moved to Seattle a few months after the Super Bowl. He loved the city and even more, loved being near his grandson. It had been love at first sight. And Dylan felt the same.
“Are you happy?”
Gaige asked Violet that question every so often. Not because he was worried. He could see it in her eyes. But he liked to hear her say it.
“I wake up every day, happier than the last,” she rested her head on his shoulder. “Are you?”
Gaige smiled. Just like he did, his Violet liked to hear the words.
“I have you and Dylan. Damn straight I’m happy.”
They had their whole lives ahead of them. New dreams. New memories. New fires that fueled his waking hours.
Gaige looked forward to every twist and turn. Right here, in the arms of the woman he loved.
COMING SOON
HOLLYWOOD LEGENDS
DREAMING AGAIN (Book Four) coming in July
DREAMING OF A WHITE CHRISTMAS (Book Five) coming in December
HART OF ROCK AND
ROLL
FLOWERS ON THE WALL (Book One) coming in August
FLOWERS AND CAGES (Book Two) coming in September
FLOWERS ARE RED (Book Three) coming in October
FLOWERS FOR ZOE (Book Four) coming in November
AN EXCERPT FROM AFTER THE RAIN
PROLOGUE
LOGAN. LOGAN. LOGAN.
Logan Price closed his eyes, taking it all in.
“Hear that, kid?” Starting quarterback Gaige Benson slapped him on the back. “Two games under your belt and you’re a star. Now let’s go out there and add super to the front of it.”
The announcer for the team set them in motion down the tunnel with his familiar introduction.
“And now, let’s hear it for your division champion SEATTLE KNIGHTS.”
The roar of the crowd. There was nothing like it. A packed stadium. Fans chanting his name. Few people would ever experience what it was like to take the field in a professional football game.
Logan Price had been working for this his entire life. He could still remember in exact detail the first game he ever saw. Too small to climb onto the stool in his father’s bar by himself, his old man had lifted him onto the seat.
Stay and be quiet.
Not an easy order to follow for an active, inquisitive little boy. One look at the game and for once, Logan had no problem following his father’s command. The old TV transported him to a foreign world filled with bright lights and shiny helmeted warriors. Logan didn’t know what he was watching. He did know he wanted to be one of those men.
A Sunday afternoon in rural Oklahoma. Lefty’s Pub was filled with after-church drinkers who figured they had done their duty to God and family. The rest of the day was their time. A beer. Or two. Or six. Cronies who understood a man’s need to unwind before the start of another workweek.
And football.
If the Friday night high school game was their true religion, the Sunday afternoon games were a close second. As Oklahoma boys, they hated anything Texas. The men of Denville gathered every week to root for whichever team was playing the Dallas Cowboys.
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