Joe Football

by Autumn Sand

  “She hasn’t moved since we hit. I checked for a pulse, but…” Jana’s voice drifts off.

  I can’t think about that now. She isn’t dead. “I’ll have to get you out first, ’kay?”

  Jana nods at me frantically. “My legs are pinned.”

  I try to angle my body towards the front to get a better look at what is pinning her. The front of the car is smashed in. Double fuck. “See if you can recline your seat backward,” I tell her, hoping that it will work. She reaches to the side of her seat and the seat starts moving back. Thank goodness, something might just go right. I reach over and unsnap her seatbelt. “Okay. Do you feel any pain anywhere?”

  “My head and my legs are sore.”

  “Okay, good.” If she can feel pain, then she isn’t paralyzed. “I’ll try to be careful with you.” Pulling her out of her seat, I call out to Wayne to catch her. Lifting her up, I push her as gently as possible out the back window. Wayne catches her just as the car shifts again. The car slides downward slightly and stops. My heart drops to the pit of my stomach.

  “Bro, all good?” Wayne yells out.

  “Yeah, all good,” I lie. Fuck no, it’s not all good. “Gotta make this quick. Not sure how much time we have left,” I continue honestly. I climb to the front as smoothly as a guy my height can. I do the same thing that I had Jana do. I release Favor’s seatbelt and recline her seat back. Climbing to the back again, I slide her out of her seat. In her unconscious state, she is dead weight. Calling out to Wayne to make sure he is ready to grab her, I lift her towards the opening of the back window. Wayne and Cal slide her out as I climb out behind her. I make sure she is safely clear of the car before I climb completely out. Feeling it shift downward again, I jump, just as the car goes crashing down to the bottom of the ravine. I land awkwardly on the ground and feel a jolt of pain go through my knee.

  Wayne has Favor spread out on the ground, still unconscious. Ignoring the pain, I crawl my way over and check her pulse. It’s there, albeit a faint one. Letting out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding, I hear the distant sirens coming closer. Kissing the love of my life on her forehead, I say, “Help is coming, baby. Hang in there for me. Help is coming.”

  Chapter 29

  Brice

  The day after the accident, we are all at the hospital. Favor regained consciousness in the ambulance, and the doctors are keeping her for further observation. Jana and Cal were released earlier this morning, but stayed to wait for further updates on Favor’s condition. Kyne and Birdie Hollister came up immediately after hearing the news of the accident.

  They are both taking this hard, considering how Trevor died. Neither one of them has left her side since their arrival.

  “Mom, I’m okay, really,” Favor says, as she tries to elevate her bed. Her mother instantly stands to help her daughter sit up, and fluffs her pillows for her.

  “Please, I need you to take it easy.” Birdie kisses her daughter’s forehead. “You don’t know how much I was worried when we received that phone call last night.”

  “Both of us.” Kyne stands up and squeezes his daughter's hand. Tears fall down his face as he gives his daughter a faint smile. “I-I have to tell you something.”

  “Dad, its not necessary. We both said a lot to each other through the years. I’m just happy to have a father, that’s all.”

  “I wasted so many years,” he says under his breath.

  “We all did.” Birdie smiles warmly at her husband and daughter.

  “Thanks to Brice, I’m alive.” My fiancée smiles at me as I stand at the foot of her bed.

  “Brice, I can’t thank you enough for risking your life for our little girl.” Birdie gives me a hug.

  Kyne extends his hand for me to shake. I pause for a second and look at it. Deciding, if Favor can push the past aside, so can I, so I take his hand.

  “I didn’t do anything.” What they don’t seem to understand is she is my life, my reason to live.

  There’s a knock on the door and the same police officers who were on Cal’s case walk in. Instantly recognizing me and Favor, they nod at us. Cop number one seems to be a Kyne Hollister fan, and instantly falls all over himself at seeing him.

  “We are here to ask some questions about the accident last night,” Cop number two says, taking out his notepad and pen.

  “That was no accident. That son of a bitch, Kevin Shore, ran my fiancée’s car over.”

  “Are you sure?” Cop number one says.

  “Yes, I am. Cal, Jana, and I saw him and his friends in the car.”

  “Cal? As in Calson Deysine? The one that was attacked a few months ago in the club?” Cop number two asks.

  “Yes, the very one,” I say, through gritted teeth.

  “Is Mr. Deysine still here for questioning?” Cop number one asks.

  “In the waiting room,” I reply, as I walk over to Favor’s side, holding her hand.

  “And where were you, Mr. Walker?” Cop number two asks.

  “I was driving into town with Wayne and Egon, to meet my fiancée and friends at the Wreck Room. On our way into town, Kevin’s car drove past us. The front of his car was badly damaged, but we didn’t think anything of it. We thought it was a deer or something. Anyway, we kept driving until we saw Cal standing in the middle of the road, waving us down.”

  “Did you have an altercation with Mr. Shore earlier yesterday, Miss Hollister?” Cop number one asks.

  “Not myself, but my friend Jana did. She was dancing, and Kevin wanted to dance. She pushed him away, and he got upset. We left right after.”

  “And soon after that, he ran you off the road?” Cop number one presses.

  “Correct.”

  “Listen, officers, I want this madman placed behind bars. As you know, my wife and I have already lost a son to a car accident, and we almost lost a daughter. A person like this clearly should not be walking the streets.”

  “We will do everything in our power to do so, sir. We’ll have to question the other witnesses,” Cop number two says, as Cop number one heads towards the door.

  Both officers exit the room to question Cal and Jana, and I step out to see what I can overhear.

  “Mr. Deysine, it is nice to see that you are up and about,” Cop number one says.

  Cal looks down at his feet, and Jana gives him a hard look. “Are you here to question us about the maniac, Kevin Shore?” Jana asks, while Wayne holds her from behind in his arms.

  “Yes. Miss Hollister and Mr. Walker have advised us that Kevin is the one who ran the car, that you were a passenger in, off the road.”

  “Yes, he did. He is also the one that beat up Cal,” Jana cries out. “He could have killed us all.”

  “Is that true, Mr. Deysine? Is Mr. Shore the person who beat you up that night?”

  Cal looks at Jana and back at his feet again. He seems to not know what to do.

  “I swear Cal, if you don’t tell them the truth, I’ll never speak to you again. He almost killed us. And Favor, who has always been there for you.” Jana tries to go over to Cal, but Wayne holds her in place.

  Cal’s chin trembles before turning his attention back to the cops. “Yes. Yes, he is the one that beat me up that night. He is also the one that ran us off the road last night.” He whispers out the words.

  Relief settles over me that Cal has finally admitted the truth. Egon walks over to me and claps a hand on my shoulder. “How is my future sister-in-law?”

  Looking away from the cops talking with Cal, I focus on Egon. “Good. Anxious to get out of here.”

  “When can we break her out of this joint?”

  “Doctor said he would clear her to leave later today. She is going to go home to recuperate. Her parents are beside themselves.”

  “Going with?”

  “Yeah. I can’t let her out of my sight, especially after what happened last night.” A lump forms in my throat. “I can’t believe that I almost lost her.” The emotions from last night overwhelm me, and I can’t
talk as I hang my head.

  “Bro, you saved her. Don’t focus on the ‘would of, could of’ bullshit. Focus on the here and now. She is alive because of you. Now, if that don’t earn you a lifetime of blowjobs, then I don’t know what will,” he says with a laugh.

  Leave it to Egon to turn this moment into sex. I have to laugh at his comments, as somewhere in the back of my head, I wonder, Has it earned me that privilege?

  Epilogue

  Favor

  Spending the past two weeks at my parents’ house while I recuperate has been great. My parents have shown me the love I’d always hoped for, and Brice has become completely overprotective. I swear, if I so much as act like I am about to trip, he is running to catch me. That accident shook him to his core, and it has made me realize just how much we are meant to be together. I still can’t believe he risked his life to go into the car to rescue Jana and me. He sprained his knee in the process, but the doctors said he would be fine and back to one hundred percent in no time at all. Thank goodness for that, as discussions with pro teams are just beginning for him, and an injury could’ve put a stop to it all.

  It’s wonderful to see how my parents have completely welcomed Brice into our family. Brice’s mom offered to fly out to see me, but I didn’t want her to take off work on my account, so I thanked her, but told her not to worry. She has called me every single day to check on me, and I love her even more for it.

  Kevin Shore and his friends were arrested soon after my release from the hospital. Kevin was arrested on two criminal charges; the first being a hate crime, and the second, for purposefully running someone off the road. Kevin’s father, who is a well-known attorney in the state, will represent him in court. I’m afraid the court of public opinion has already condemned Kevin, with me being Kyne Hollister’s daughter. My father has placed a lot of pressure on the District Attorney to pursue this to the fullest extent of the law.

  Walking outside on my family’s property, Brice and I are enjoying some alone time together.

  “Ready to get back to campus?” he asks me, while holding my hand as we walk down a pathway leading to the woods.

  “Yes, I guess. I’ll miss having my big bed, and you in it.” I stop to give him a quick kiss.

  “Not like that big bed of yours has seen any action.” He winks at me. The doctor gave me the ‘all clear’ a week ago. Brice, being so damn overprotective, has resisted the urge, as well as my nightly pleadings.

  “By no fault, or lack of trying on my part,” I retort.

  “I just want to make sure you’re healthy.”

  “The doctor said I was good to go.” I put on a pouty face.

  He smiles at me and kisses my lips. “Babe, you don’t know what it was like seeing you like that. I thought I might lose you.”

  “I’m okay. Especially when I’m in your arms. Besides, I’m made from tougher stuff. I’m Kyne Hollister’s daughter, after all.” I give him a sheepish grin.

  “I know. Just be patient with me, ’kay?”

  “Okay. I get it.” And I do. It would’ve torn my heart out if I’d seen him that way, so I can give him this.

  “Hey, I got a call from Egon earlier.”

  “What is he up to?”

  “His band got an offer. It’s not the best offer, but it’s something. They get to record one album, and the record company will send them out on tour with one of their bigger acts, to promote State of Mind’s debut album.”

  I stop in my tracks, and begin jumping up and down. Wait, did I just become Jana? “That is great. We have to celebrate when we get back.”

  “Jana and Cal have already started planning the party,” he says, holding me in place, fearful I might hurt myself with my jumping.

  “When do they start recording?”

  “Over the summer. They’ll be heading to New York to cut the album.”

  “Will he be dropping out of school?”

  “Not sure. Probably. I just don’t see how he will be able to work on the album, and then promote it while in school.”

  “Is that what he said?”

  He shrugs his shoulders. “Nah. It’s what he didn’t say over the phone. I think he is waiting for us to get back to talk to me. We’re like brothers, and have always been together, since we were kids. It’s going to be strange, now that one of us is leaving. I’m happy for him, though.”

  “The distance won’t matter. Your friendship is strong.”

  “I know. It’s just going to suck not being able to hang with my boy whenever. But hey, I still have you.” He smiles down at me.

  “Yes, you do, and don’t you forget it.” We kiss before intertwining our fingers, and begin walking again. “Hey, I have an idea. Why don’t we go to New York this summer? You and I haven’t figured out what to do, anyway.”

  He stops to give it some further thought. “You know, that might work.”

  “Exactly. After we break for summer, we can spend a week with my parents, and then a week with your mom, before we head to New York for the summer. It will give us two months with Egon before you have to be back in time for football practice.”

  He cups my chin with his fingers. “You wouldn’t mind?”

  “As long as I’m with you, it doesn’t matter.”

  “I knew there was a reason why I love you.” He leans in for a kiss.

  “Ditto,” I tell him as I gently grab his collar, pulling him closer to my lips.

  The pieces of my life have finally fallen into place. I have my parents back, and our relationship has never been stronger. I have my best friends, and Wayne, the “brother” I can always count on to be there for me. And I have Brice, the football player I never wanted to date but always knew I needed. Life is perfect.

  THE END

  A Letter From the Author

  Dear Reader,

  As always I thank you for taking the time to read my book and making this journey with me. I hope that you enjoyed Favor and Brice’s story as much as I enjoyed writing it. In some ways Brice is currently my new favorite book boyfriend, shhh, don’t tell Tick that (smile).

  As usual I took on some hard topics and I try to show there is a path to happiness. In some ways writing this book has helped me to grow as an individual as I did my research on the hard topics of Drunk Driving, and Hate Crimes. I do not condone any of this in any form whatsoever.

  If you or someone you know is a victim of a hate crime, I urge you to call the police and never take matters into your own hands.

  I also urge you to never drink and drive. It’s not just your life that is on the line.

  Be Healthy, Be Safe, and most importantly Be Blessed,

  Autumn Sand

  Acknowledgements

  I can’t believe this is my third book! Boy does time fly. I have enjoyed each and every moment of my writing journey and I am so happy that you have come along for the ride.

  Now for the favorite part of my journey, acknowledgements. I could never thank these people enough who have helped me make this happen. First, I want to thank the reader for reading. I appreciate each and everyone one of you, thank you. Next, my incredible friend and P.A. Britta Neal who always manages to get me back on track. Jennifer Reynolds, my wonderful publicist, who is constantly promoting my work. Tracy Willoughby and Kelley Benson, who started out as readers but I now consider my friends.

  Of course I have to thank my street team, Autumn’s Twisted Sisters! What an incredible group these ladies are. They are very supportive and I love them to pieces. Shout-outs t Carl, Richard, Chucky, and Melanie for being there every step of the way.

  There are a host of other’s that help to make my world better and they know I love them all.

  About the Author

  Autumn Sand was born and raised in New York City. Considering herself a true New Yorker in every way from the restaurants that she eats to the shoe fetish she has. Oh yes at one-time Autumn has had a shoe collection of 300 and has the credit card statements to prove it. Other than shoe shopping she has
various interests such as reading, writing, and traveling. Autumn has worked in the fashion industry for most of her adult life before pursuing writing. She is reluctant to call herself an author but considers herself a person who writes words that people just so happen to like to read. As you can tell Autumn has a sarcastic sense of humor and loves to make her friends laugh in all occasions. She enjoys a good glass of wine but her go to drink of choice is a Jack Daniels and coke with a twist of lime.

  I would love to hear from you. Please email me if you would like to join my mailing list for future updates on upcoming books or just to tell me your favorite part of the book. Don’t forget if you loved the book to rate it and leave a comment on your eBook forum.

  Email: contact@autumnsandauthor.com

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  Bonded

  You know I couldn’t leave you without telling you about my upcoming release, Bonded. This will be book three of the Twisted Hearts Series.

  Hmmm, let’s see I could tell you about it but what fun is that if I could show you instead.

  Enjoy!

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