Love at the 20-Yard Line

by Shanna Hatfield

  “What’s that?” Haven asked.

  “ACL is the anterior cruciate ligament. When the ligament is torn, you can lose stability in your knee, and it really messes things up.” Brody gently rubbed his hand up and down Haven’s back as he talked. “It was a bad injury and cost me my guaranteed ticket to play pro ball. After months in therapy, I barely played my senior year, still trying to rehabilitate my knee. I finally worked my way into an NFL training camp and made the team’s practice squad. Then I screwed up big time.”

  “What happened?” Haven couldn’t imagine what Brody might have done to lose such a great opportunity.

  “I went out partying with a few of the guys, stayed out too late, and had too much to drink. The next day at practice, I could barely function and it just happened to be the day the team was making cuts. Between my knee injury and my lack of performance, I was out.”

  “That’s why you don’t drink, isn’t it?” Haven asked. When Brody went to the after-game parties, he always had the bartender give him iced tea.

  “Yeah. I learned my lesson the hard way.” He shifted his leg and the ice fell off. Haven picked it up, took it to the kitchen, and set it in the freezer since it had thawed.

  When she returned to Brody’s side, she once again curled up next to him. “Then what happened?”

  “After going home and moping for a while, Mom told me to either keep chasing my dream or find a new one. She said the one thing I couldn’t do was sit around pouting for the rest of my life, so I worked at it until I got on with an arena football team. This is my third year playing. I spent two years on a team in Nebraska until I was picked up by this team.”

  “Do you wish you were still there? Closer to your mom?”

  “I wish I was closer to Mom, just because I worry about her, but I’m not sorry I ended up here, Haven. One of the best things that ever happened to me was meeting you.” Brody tipped up her chin so he could look into her blue eyes. Filled with love and acceptance and longing, Brody knew he’d never get tired of staring into their vivid depths.

  “I love you,” she whispered, stretching up and giving him a kiss that made him temporarily forget about football, injuries, and everything else except how right it felt to hold her in his arms.

  “I love you, too.” He rubbed his thumb across her cheek.

  “What happens next, Brody?”

  “I keep playing to the best of my ability and keep praying I get chosen for a training camp. From there, I’m confident I’ll make it to the playing field.” It sounded simple, but the process was so uncertain and difficult.

  “For your sake, for the sake of your dreams, I hope it happens.”

  “Me, too. I’ve wanted this for so long, I don’t know what I’d do if it doesn’t happen.”

  Although they both sat thinking about Brody’s career and his impending departure from the area, neither voiced their thoughts.

  Instead, they watched a movie and pretended they’d always be able to spend time together.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  “This is super exciting!” Allie sat next to Haven as they watched the beginning of the football conference semifinals.

  Ranked as the number one seed, Brody’s team hosted the semifinal game. Depending on if they won, the championship could play out the following week on their home turf.

  Haven’s entire family came to the game to cheer Brody on to victory.

  Hale sat beside her and they both leaned forward and waved to their parents who sat in a section on the other side of the arena along with Wes, Tammy, their two boys, Tom, and some of his friends.

  “I guess we should have let Uncle John and Aunt Rachel sit with you,” Allie said, waving at Haven’s parents.

  “Mom wanted to sit with the boys.” Haven nudged Allie with her elbow. “Besides, I like sitting with you when you behave yourself.”

  “I’m always a well-behaved lady.” Allie pointed her nose in the air, affecting a haughty demeanor.

  Rick choked on his soda and almost snorted it on the people sitting in the row in front of them. Allie whacked him on the back with more force than was necessary.

  “Find something amusing, babe?” she asked, glaring at him.

  Rick shook his head. “Not at all, miss prim and proper lady.”

  Haven and Hale both laughed.

  “Oh, just be quiet.” Allie turned away from Rick and focused on the game.

  Haven jumped to her feet and cheered when Brody caught a pass and ran it to the end zone for a touchdown. The crowd chanted the now familiar, “Jump it up, Jackson! Jump it up!”

  The game was close, but the home team pulled ahead to win. Haven was thrilled for Brody and his teammates.

  After the game, they sat in her kitchen eating ice cream and cookies. The excitement rolling off Brody was a palpable force. They’d spent a few minutes celebrating at the after-game gathering with his friends then escaped to the quiet of Haven’s apartment.

  Wound up from both excitement and good news he’d received earlier that day, he was full of energy.

  “Want to go for a walk?” he asked as they finished the ice cream and put their dirty dishes in the dishwasher.

  “Now? It’s almost midnight.” Haven glanced at the clock on the wall.

  “Why not? It’s warm out and I’m too pumped to sit still.” Brody studied Haven. “If you’re tired, I’ll leave so you can go to bed.”

  “No. I’ll go with you.” She stuffed her cell phone in her pocket and grabbed her keys as Brody opened the door.

  The moon was bright and the air warm, for a June night, as they sauntered toward the park. Instead of heading to the swings when they reached the park, Brody walked toward a display of flowers. He’d noticed the roses were in full bloom when he ran past the park yesterday.

  The heady scent of the blossoms floated in the night air and Haven breathed deeply.

  “Mmm. There’s nothing like the scent of roses on a summer breeze,” she said, looking up at Brody.

  With the light of the moon shining down on them, an old poem his mom used to recite about love and June nights came to mind. He suddenly understood what it meant. The author had to be outside near a fragrant flower garden with a beautiful girl in the moonlight when he composed it.

  Haven squeezed his hand and smiled at him. “Congrats, again, about winning tonight. One more game and you guys could be the champions. It’s so exciting!”

  “Yeah, it is exciting,” Brody said. Winning the game wasn’t nearly as exciting as the thought of kissing Haven in the moonlight, though.

  He recalled how she looked the night he’d accidently fallen asleep in her bed. An image of moon beams spilling across crisp sheets, highlighting her soft skin and tempting curves filled his thoughts. Determined to dislodge the tantalizing vision, he picked her up and swung her around.

  She laughed and tipped back her head, wrapping her hands around the back of his neck.

  “You’re going to make me dizzy, football man.” Haven’s voice sounded breathy, causing Brody to swallow hard. Desire for the sweet, lovely girl in his arms swept over him with a brutal force.

  He set her on a bench then sat down beside her and took her hand in his, twining their fingers together. “I have something I need to tell you.”

  “Okay.” Haven’s smile faded away as she waited for Brody to say what was on his mind.

  “I just found out I’ll be going to a training camp. I…um… I’ll be leaving the first of July.”

  “Congratulations! I’m so happy for you. It’s what you’ve been working toward.” She hugged him then sat back as the truth hit her. Brody was really leaving. “That’s just a few days after the championship game. I… I hoped…” Haven’s voice caught and tears burned the back of her eyes.

  “I know, baby. I know.” Brody surrounded Haven with the comfort of his arms. “I don’t want to leave you, I can’t ask you to go with me, and we both knew this is what would happen.”

  “Why can’t you ask me to go wi
th you?” She pulled back and stared at him.

  “Because I don’t know where I’ll be six months from now. They could cut me loose and I'd end up with nothing. I have no certainty or stability in my career at this moment in time.” Brody shook his head. “The last thing I would do is uproot you from your family, your friends, and a good, solid career to chase my dreams. I won’t ask it of you, Haven. It’s crazy to even think about it.”

  “Crazy or not, I’d go with you,” Haven said, surprising them both.

  Brody stared at her for a while before he kissed her temple and sighed. He rubbed his hands up and down the length of her back, trying to offer comfort. “It makes me happy to know you’d go wherever I go, Haven, but I can’t do that to you. Maybe when I know for sure where I’ll be, we could talk about something more permanent. For now, though, I won’t ask and I can’t stay.”

  “I’m going to miss you so much, Brody. I know we both said no strings attached, but I didn’t plan on loving you so much.” Haven buried her face against his neck.

  Brody felt the moisture of her tears against his skin and it made his heart ache with acute pain.

  “Come on, doll. No crying for me. Let’s just be glad we have a little more time together.” Brody brushed away her tears with his thumb. “I think we should pack as much fun as we can into the next ten days. What do you say?”

  Haven couldn’t speak around the lump in her throat, but nodded her head. Brody was right. She’d have plenty of time for crying once he was gone. Now was the time to make as many memories with him as she could.

  “Is that a yes?” he asked, tilting her chin up so he could look in her eyes. She gave him a lopsided smile that tugged at his heart. He kissed each damp cheek then traced her dimples with his finger.

  “Yes,” she whispered.

  “Let’s start right now.” He stood and bowed to her. “May I have this dance, Miss Haggarty?”

  “What are you talking about?” she asked, brushing the last of her tears from her cheeks.

  “Don’t all girls want to dance in a rose garden in the moonlight? Did you lose your Romance 101 guidebook?” Brody teased, holding out his hand to Haven.

  “I guess I did. Maybe you’ll have to coach me.” She gazed at him with her heart in her eyes and a soft smile on her lips. “For a man who told me when we first met he thought romance was stupid, you’re really quite talented at being romantic.”

  “So it seems.” Brody located the song on his phone that often made him think of Haven - a song about building dreams with a pretty girl. He set it to play then took her in his arms and danced among the roses with moonbeams swaying around them.

  “What’s on the agenda for tonight?” Allie asked as she sat on the corner of Haven’s desk at her office.

  “What agenda?” Haven typed the last line of a report she needed to finish before she left for the afternoon.

  After mentioning to Mr. Young about Brody only being in town for another week, he told her to take off all the time she needed. She’d left work early every afternoon. Brody was busy with practice and finalizing arrangements for when he left town during the day, but the evenings they spent together, making memories.

  “Oh, give it up.” Allie spun Haven’s chair around to face her. “I know you and Brody are trying to cram as much fun and excitement into the time you have left as humanly possible. Aunt Rachel told my mom that the two of you went on a picnic in the mountains, you took a boat ride on the river, and she mentioned something about paintball.”

  “Yeah, that was Brody’s idea. Hale and Abby went, too. It was a lot of fun” Haven turned her chair back around and finished the report. She sent it to Mr. Young before she turned off her computer and cleared the top of her desk. Quickly picking up her purse, she nudged Allie off her desk and the two of them walked outside. “Brody’s never been fishing, so I’m taking him out to our fishing hole.”

  Allie grinned. “Cool. Can Rick and I come?”

  “Why do you want to come? You hate to fish.”

  “I know, but Rick likes it and I think it would be nice to hang out with you both. We haven’t got to spend much time with Brody since you usually keep him all to yourself.”

  “Fine.” Allie would show up whether she invited her or not. “But you two have to drive your own vehicle, leave when I tell you, and bring the bait for the fish.”

  “Yes, boss.” Allie winked at Haven before she walked to her car and left.

  Haven stopped at the grocery store on her way home. By the time Brody arrived, she had a cooler filled with sandwiches, chips, cookies, and fruit, along with bottles of soda pop and water.

  He hefted the loaded cooler, pretending it was too heavy to carry. “Are you feeding an army?”

  “No, but Allie and Rick are joining us.” Haven picked up the fishing poles and box of tackle Hale dropped off for her to use. She grabbed a stack of towels and an old quilt she took on picnics.

  “Will Allie scare the fish away?” Brody set the cooler in the back of his pickup and took the fishing poles and tackle box from Haven, placing them in the back as well. He helped her in his truck and shut the door.

  She set the towels and blanket on the seat between them as Brody backed out of the parking space and pulled out on the street.

  “Just tell me where we’re going.” He followed Haven’s directions that took them out toward her parents’ home. Before they reached the house, he turned down a dirt road and drove toward a creek.

  After parking beneath an old cottonwood tree, Haven spread the blanket on a flat grassy spot while Brody got out the cooler and set it on one corner of the blanket. Haven opened the lid and removed a bottle of soda, handing it to Brody before closing the lid.

  “Don’t you want one? It’s hot out here,” he said. The air was sticky and humid as they sat close to the water. The area Haven chose was secluded from view by the trees, though. Despite the heat, a sea of green grass combined with blue sky, and an earthy smell for the perfect summer backdrop.

  Haven grabbed the bottle from his hand and took a drink. “I’ll share yours for now.”

  Brody grinned at her as she handed the bottle back. He screwed on the cap then set the bottle on top of the cooler before stretching out on the blanket and tugging Haven down beside him.

  “I bet I can find more shapes in the clouds than you,” she said, pointing to the clear blue sky.

  “If you can find any clouds, more power to you.” He turned his head so his lips brushed hers. “Personally, I can think of more entertaining things to do.”

  “Like what?” Haven softly trailed her fingers along the inside of his arm, making a familiar tingle race all the way from his fingers to his toes.

  “Like this.” He rolled onto his side and pulled her against his chest, kissing her deeply.

  “Don’t let us interrupt,” Allie said, looking down at them.

  “Oh!” Haven disentangled herself from Brody then they both got to their feet. “Couldn’t you honk or something?”

  “I could, but where’s the fun in that?” Allie grinned at Brody. He smiled and stepped forward to shake Rick’s hand.

  “We forgot the bait, so you’re either going to have to dig for worms or forget about fishing for tonight.”

  “I don’t need to fish.” Brody’s main interest in going fishing with Haven was to get her somewhere secluded and have her to himself for a few hours. Now, he had to spend the evening with Allie and Rick. Not that he minded too much. Haven’s cousin was always entertaining.

  “How about we eat?” Haven suggested, pointing to the cooler. After setting out the food, the four of them talked and ate, laughing at funny stories Allie and Haven told on each other.

  “Are you planning on swimming, Haven?” Allie asked. They used to spend as much time swimming in the fishing hole as they ever did fishing.

  Haven shrugged her shoulders. “Maybe,” she said.

  “You swim in that?” Brody jerked his thumb over his shoulder at the water. “I figu
red it was only a foot or so deep.”

  “It is close to the bank but out in the middle there’s a spot that’s several feet deep,” Haven said. “You wouldn’t want to dive in it, but you can definitely get wet out there.”

  “I’m game if you guys are,” Rick said, helping put away the remnants of their meal and looking around.

  “You’re always game, babe.” Allie patted his arm. “Come on, I’ll introduce you to the wonders of a redneck swimming pool.”

  “Is that what you call this?” Brody grinned at Haven.

  “Among other things,” she said, brushing crumbs off her shirt as she stood.

  She unobtrusively studied Brody. He looked incredibly attractive in his T-shirt and cargo shorts. When he pulled the shirt over his head and stood like a bronzed statue with the sun backlighting him, Haven decided there were no words to describe how he looked.

  Allie’s mouth dropped open. She dug in her pocket, pulling out a twenty-dollar bill and slipping it in Haven’s hand.

  Haven looked at it and turned a curious glance to her cousin. “What’s this for?”

  “I told you I’d pay money to see him without his shirt on and that really is worth twenty bucks,” Allie whispered so only Haven could hear.

  Haven grinned and tucked the money in her pocket. Rick and Brody kicked off their shoes and walked to the edge of the water. The two girls discarded their shirts, shorts, and shoes before going to join the guys. Allie wore a revealing bikini while Haven was in a much more modest tankini.

  “Dare you to go first, Al.” Haven gave her cousin a nudge toward the water.

  “Dare accepted.” Allie grabbed Rick’s hand and tugged him into the creek. They took several steps then dropped into the hole.

  Rick resurfaced still wearing a look of surprise, but Allie laughed.

  “That’s priceless.” Brody grinned as he and Haven walked into the water. Prepared for the drop, they took the last step into the hole.

  The four of them splashed and played in the water for a while until the air started to cool. Allie said Rick needed to get home because he had to get up early for work, so they grabbed two of the towels Haven left on the truck seat and took off.