Sacked: A Novel (A Gridiron Novel Book 1)

by Jen Frederick

  I don’t blame Knox at all. But Riley said that Knox’s test was stupid, and he either loves me or he doesn’t. I try to tell her it wasn’t only the fact I had intentionally mistaken Ty for Knox, but the things I’d said to him afterward and how I’d almost ruined their season.

  She steadfastly disagrees, which makes me love her all the more. She’s wrong, but she’s on my side. I’d found a teammate in the person I’d least expected.

  I miss the guys. Even the Horny Toads all looked at me with sad eyes during the last game, when the stands were nearly empty. No more Warriors to cheer us on. A figure stood two fields away. I pretended it was Knox, but we still lost.

  A number of players on the softball team play broomball during the winter, so I signed up for the Horny Toads broomball team. Ryan tells me the Horny Toads play worse broomball than softball. Our team doesn’t win a lot, but we have fun playing the game. I need a little fun in my life.

  I’m existing. Some days it’s hard to get up in the morning, but at some point, the piercing pain will fade. It’s got to, because I can’t live my entire life feeling like I’m only half a person.

  “Why are you wearing your suit, by the way? Is there a team event I don’t know about?” I straighten the collar on his tailored suit.

  “Yeah, special team event. How’d your meeting with Financial Aid go? You okay next semester?” He maneuvers the Jeep out of the parking lot and onto the road.

  I try to keep my eyes away from Union Stadium, two blocks from the ice rink. Not that Knox is there, but it reminds me of him and that hurts.

  “It’s not great news.” I look down at my cheap disposable phone. “I talked to Financial Aid and they said without Mom or Dad co-signing a loan, I probably won’t get enough to cover the full cost of tuition. And since Western is out of state for us and I have to pay the full ride, waiting tables won’t cut it.”

  “Can I co-sign for you?”

  “No. You have the same sketchy credit situation I have.”

  He squeezes the steering wheel tight in frustration. “When I’m out of school, I’ll help you pay for college.”

  “Jack, I can take care of myself. I’ve got an associate’s degree. I can get a job somewhere, and I’m three semesters from getting a bachelor’s degree. I can still write. The Agrippa Learning Center plans to submit my grant almost unchanged, and if they get it, I’ll have a great resume builder. I just need you to be my brother.” I reach over and squeeze his hand.

  “Do you love Masters? Like forever love him?”

  I choke on my saliva. “Where did that come from?”

  “I just need to know.”

  Well, this is awkward. “What does it matter?”

  “It just does,” he insists.

  “Fine. Yes, I do.” There’s no point in lying about. I’m not exactly Miss Happy Pants every time Jack sees me. “But it doesn’t matter, because in a few months he’ll be drafted, and he’ll meet some beautiful actress or model, and he’ll forget he ever met me.”

  Jack ignores my whiny comments. “No doubts about him. You okay with the way he treated you?”

  “What way did he treat me? I had to pretty much assault his brother to get Knox to believe I didn’t want to see him.” I glower at Jack for his unfair accusations.

  “The ban by Coach was shitty. Completely unnecessary.” Jack pulls the vehicle into the athletic center parking lot.

  “Did you forget something?” I peer out of the tinted windows.

  “Sort of. Sit tight.” He climbs out, but instead of running inside, he rounds the front bumper to my side. “Come on.”

  “I don’t think I should be here. I’m under a ban, remember?” I look around for signs of Coach Lowe. I’m with Jack, but there could be random Warrior players around. I don’t want to get anyone in trouble.

  “I know, but we’ll be quick. I promise.”

  “I don’t know, Jack.”

  But Jack won’t be denied. He reaches in, unbuckles my seat belt, and lifts me out. “Hold your horses! I’m coming,” I grumble and zip up my jacket.

  My boots make a crunching noise in the snow as we hurry indoors. We walk down one hallway and then another until we reach the door labeled “Practice Facility.” I jerk out of his grasp. “Jack, I can’t go in there.”

  He turns and grips my shoulder. “Do you trust me?”

  “Yes.” But now that he asks me, I’m wondering if I should.

  “Then come on.”

  It’s because of the urgency of his voice that I allow him to pull me inside. I gasp because it isn’t empty. A bunch of his teammates are there, all dressed up in their away suits. Riley is there with a big garbage bag in her hands.

  Knox stands with two older people, who look suspiciously like his parents from the photos I’ve seen.

  And…a woman wearing a judge’s robe.

  “What’s going on?” I must have said that out loud. “Is someone from the team getting married?”

  I try to remember who was dating seriously enough to get married, and why I would even get invited to the wedding.

  Knox breaks away from his parents and comes over to grip my hands. “You, if you’ll have me.”

  “What?” I nearly shout.

  “Come on, let’s go out in the hall.” He drags me back to the doorway where Jack and I entered. I feel a million curious stares at my back, and am intensely grateful when the door slams shut.

  Under the bright fluorescent lights, I see darkness under his eyes. A slight bruising, as if someone slapped him or he hasn’t slept well. Perhaps he’s partied late. He certainly has good reason to. My throat begins to ache. Why has he come here? It’s tortuous to see him in person. It’s one thing to watch him on the television. There’s something about the pads, helmet, and uniform that provide a distance. I can see him as just Knox Masters, the really great football player, instead of Knox Masters, someone who whispered he loved me and took me to heaven every night we stayed together.

  Here, in the flesh, with his beautiful face looking at me intently, all I can remember is that at one time I could lay my hands on his shoulders, crawl into his lap, and tug his head down to kiss him. It’s both painful and glorious to stand this close to him, but not touch him as if he’s mine.

  “Ellie, I know about Jack, the ban, all of it.”

  My heart stops and then stutters to life again with a roar of adrenaline as his fingers curl around my cheek. The callouses scratch against my skin in that rough, familiar way of his.

  “Then why am I here?”

  “The ban is for anyone but family members. We get married and the ban is solved. I mean, yes, you can’t go to the games, but you never did anyway. There are only two games left before the playoffs: the last regular season game and then the conference title game. After we win the national championship, I’m announcing my eligibility, and once that’s done I won’t be a student athlete anymore. You can come to my pro games.”

  He says they’re going to win likes it’s a foregone conclusion. The rest of his words don’t make any sense, at least not to me. “Wh-what?”

  “She doesn’t believe you.” Jack pokes his head out the door. “Our parents have spent her whole life convincing her that she's second class. That she's not valuable because she doesn't wear pads and she doesn't have a penis. She's never had anyone want her that way. She's waiting for the other shoe to drop.”

  I gape at Jack. He gives me a sad smile.

  Knox takes my shoulders. “The only other shoe I've got has a hell of a lot of love. Some horniness, too. I love you, Eliot, and I want you to be my wife.”

  My eyes start to blur, but it looks like he’s unbuttoning his coat and getting down on one knee.

  “I feel like I was born knowing I should be a football player. The moment I touched the pigskin, the universe shifted into its rightful place. I felt that very same way when I saw you sitting on the top of Union Stadium all those months ago. It's why you were my first.”

  He thumps his hand
against his heart. “I love football, but I love you more. None of this—the wins, the glory, the triumphs—will taste as sweet without you. Will you, Eliot Anne Campbell, be my wife?”

  He picks up my limp hand and slides a beautiful diamond on my finger. It’s an antique setting with a gorgeous center stone, surrounded by filigree in white gold and diamonds. The whole thing is blindingly beautiful.

  I can’t believe this is happening to me. Nothing this good has ever happened in my life. I don’t have any proper response in my head. It’s a whirling, confused muddle. This gorgeous man is proposing to me. He wants to pledge in front of all of his friends and family that he wants me, the most imperfect of beings, as his forever.

  I have only one answer I can give him. The only answer he deserves.

  My hand goes to my throat as I whisper a shaky, watery, “Yes.”

  Knox jumps to his feet. “All right, then. Let’s get you dressed.”

  Not the response I thought I’d get. Maybe a kiss? A hug? But instead, Riley rushes through the door, and from the garbage bag she pulls out a beautiful ivory gown—no it’s a skirt. Made with a mountain of tulle.

  “What is this?” I cover my mouth. The tears that I’d fought back start to fall. Jack gets flustered, but Riley grins. Knox laughs outright.

  “Do you love it?” Riley asks with a tinge of apprehension.

  “Of course, I do.” I pull her into my arms and hug her tight. “You are my best friend, aren’t you, Riley?”

  “Yup. We’re sisters of the heart.” She gets teary, too.

  I hug her, dwarfing her tiny body in my embrace. She rushes me down the hallway into a training room where I shed my jeans for her frothy creation. Her bag produces a tight white cashmere sweater with a scoop neck banded in pearls and tiny cap sleeves.

  “The waistband is satin,” she explains, and in the back she ties it into a huge bow.

  It looks like a dream. She even produces a veil. Together we fix my makeup. Riley brought everything I’d need, even a pair of white heels.

  “How did you do this?” I ask, fingering the white netting.

  “It didn’t take that long. And since it’s just a skirt, I could make it somewhat adjustable.” She pulls at the skirt and veil to get it just right.

  “What about a marriage certificate?” I fret. “Is this even legal?”

  “You’ll sign that in front of the lady with judge’s robes. She’s apparently a real judge that Hammer’s mom knows.” Riley grabs me by the shoulders. “Are you sure about this? Because I’m sure that there are other ways for you to pay for college. And the football season is almost over. Knox and you can be together when it’s over.”

  This is why Jack asked me all those questions in the car. He thinks that marrying Knox will get me back into school, but I’d never marry anyone just for that reason.

  “I love him, Riles. My heart beats for him, and when he’s not with me, I’m not complete. It’s reckless, but if he wants me, then I’d be a fool not to take this chance with him.”

  It’s not even a chance. The way he looks at me with all that love and certainty, it’s about the least risky act I’ll take my entire life.

  A hallway door bangs open and we both jump. Riley and I exchange nervous looks. Is that the coach? Someone else who could get us all in trouble? We peer out of the glass in the door and I see my father.

  At first, my heart flutters with excitement. He’s here to give me away. But then as he gets closer I realize he’s not wearing a suit, but instead slacks and a sweater. My dad’s a businessman. He knows what to wear to every occasion. Plus, there’s the pissed off look on his face that doesn’t match with a I’m happy you’re getting married expression.

  I pull open the door and step out. He stops a few feet away from me, his brown shoes nearly brushing the edge of my voluminous skirt.

  “Hi, Dad.” I hate that my voice trembles as if I’m a scared little five-year-old.

  “I heard about this nonsense from your mother and have come to put a stop to it. I know the full details of your punishment. You are to stay away from the team. If you do not, your brother could suffer severe consequences.”

  He grabs my arm to drag me away.

  I jerk out of his grasp. “No, you’re wrong. The exact terms—”

  He throws up a hand. “I don’t need to hear your bullshit. You’re coming with me.”

  The door to the practice facility opens and closes. “Sir, please shut up and sit down, or get the hell out.”

  “Knox Masters.” My father looks the dark-suited figure up and down with disdain. “You’re welcome to fuck my daughter when it doesn’t jeopardize my son’s play on the field.”

  “It’s not Knox. It’s his brother, Kintyre,” I say.

  Ty smiles at me and straightens his black tie. “It’s the tie, isn’t it?”

  Knox has a blue one on—Warrior colors.

  “I just know, Ty. You can’t pull those tricks on me.”

  “You don’t know how happy I am that I can’t.” He leans in and gives me a soft kiss, then offers his arm to Riley. “May I walk you down the aisle?”

  She grabs his arm, but turns back to give me a worried glance. When Jack appears, she gives a sigh of relief.

  Jack takes one look at our dad and charges out. “What the hell are you doing here? You told me you wouldn’t come if the commissioner himself showed up.”

  I notice for the first time that Jack stands three inches taller than Dad, and that Dad looks…small and weak.

  “I thought you’d stop this farce, but I got a phone call from Masters’ parents begging me to attend, and that I would regret not seeing my only daughter get married. What I’ll regret is not saving you from your sister and her idiocy.” He straightens the bottom of his sweater. “I came to put an end to this disaster.”

  “It’s not a disaster.” Jack shakes his head in disgust. “You’re the disaster. Get out. Neither of us wants anything to do with you.” Jack turns to me and puts his arm around my shoulders. “Come on, Ellie. Let’s finalize the new team. I think you made a good decision with your draft pick.”

  I let him draw me away, because in front of me waits my new life. Behind us, I hear our dad sputtering, but when we get through the practice facility door, a line of broad shoulders blocks the doors. No one else will come in.

  Knox’s mother comes forward. Jack stops in front of her and steps to the side. Mrs. Masters lifts a strand of pearls and hooks them around my bare neck. “Something borrowed.”

  I have to swallow rapidly to keep from crying. “Thank you, Mrs. Masters.”

  “Nicole, my dear. It’s Nicole.” She pats my cheek. “Or Mom.”

  Then she steps away and Jack takes her place again. He draws me forward to stand next to Knox at the fifty yard line. His teammates draw close.

  “I’m not supposed to have contact with the football team,” I hiss.

  “There's no one here but your family. And your family to be. Amirite?” Knox asks.

  “I don't see anyone else,” Jack answers. The two of them look into the crowd of navy and black suits who all turn and look behind them.

  Jack turns back and shrugs. “No one here but family.”

  The judge marries us. It’s all a blur for me. I say the words “I do” when prompted, but I mostly remember Knox’s strong hands holding me up the entire time.

  36

  Ellie

  After the vows, the hugging, the back slapping, Knox hustles me outside and half carries, half drags me toward his SUV. He nearly shoves me into the passenger seat and then races around to his side of the vehicle. Climbing in, he locks the doors, starts the engine and then turns to me.

  His hand comes up to cradle my skull, tilting my head toward his. “I’ve missed you, baby.”

  “I missed you too.” There’s no point in pretending I don’t still love him.

  He inhales deeply, his eyes shuttering closed for a second before popping open again. A half smile appears on his lips.
“Three weeks seems like three years, doesn’t it?”

  “It’s been endless,” I admit.

  “Baby, I am so sorry.”

  “What are you sorry for?” I jerk back in surprise, but Knox pulls me toward him, only to have my progress stopped by the console between us.

  He curses and turns to put the SUV in reverse. “I need to get you out of this car. These victories, the past weeks…” He takes his eyes off the road for a minute to glance at me, and I see real anguish there. “None of it will be right until you’ve forgiven me and I get to hold you again.”

  A sob lodges in my throat. I swallow heavily to drive it away, but it makes my voice hoarse when I reply. “I’m so sorry I lied to you about Jack. I’m sorry I kissed your brother. I’m sorry that I placed your team in jeopardy with my actions.” I cover my eyes. “If anyone needs forgiveness, it’s me.”

  Knox barks out an abrupt laugh. “And I didn’t put you through the ringer with my stupid fucking test?”

  “It wasn’t stupid,” I cry.

  He curses again. “I wish we weren’t in this fucking car, because I need to hold you right now.”

  “Where are we going?” I use the veil to wipe my tears. I hope mascara comes off tulle.

  “Hotel.” He grins. “Gift from my parents.”

  “I can’t believe they let you get married.”

  He drapes an arm across the back of my seat and tangles his fingers in my hair. “We’re adults. I’ve always known what I wanted since I came out of the womb. They knew better than to argue.”

  I suppose that’s right. He’s a bulldozer, forging forward to take what he wants. And somehow he wants me. “I love you,” I whisper.

  His hand tightens in my hair and he makes a sharp right into a parking lot of a strip mall that’s apparently closed for business on Sundays, because the lot is empty. In one swift movement, he has the parking brake on and my seatbelt is off. He hauls me over the console and into his lap. It’s a tight, uncomfortable fit. The steering wheel digs into my side. My legs dangle awkwardly over the console. Knox’s seat belt hadn’t fully retracted in his haste, and it pokes into my right butt cheek.