AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“It’s a football game, baby. You’re not trying to represent a family member in court. You’re allowed to sit with whoever you want.”
“If I’m going to be caught on camera at another football game, being next to Ella Wright is a hell of a lot cooler than having some guy not kiss me,” I say, and I flop back against the pillows. “This is amazing. I’m so glad you’re rich and famous.”
“I’m going to buy you a dictionary so you can learn what the definition of famous is, because it isnotme.” Shawn tosses his phone to the side and leans into my space. “But I’m glad you’re happy.”
“You could have nothing to your name and I’d be happy with you, Shawn.” I touch his cheek, and he turns his head to kiss my palm. “You’re the greatest gift I’ve ever been given.”
“You and me, Lacey girl. I’m going to be pulling you into supply closets until the end of time. Bringing you home for Christmas and spending late January with your parents. I’m going to keep loving you, when I’m on the field and when I’m off. And, most importantly, we’re going to have a big family together. We’ll have matching pajama sets and create our own traditions,” he whispers in my ear. “I love you so much.”
“I love you too, Shawn,” I whisper back. “But if you think for asecondI’m going to let you win another snowball fight, you’ve got another thing coming.”
“You’re cute when you’re delusional,” he says, and he presses himself above me. “If you want to touch me, you could just ask.”
I roll my eyes and grab a pillow from behind my head. I smack him in the face with it, and his laughter rings in my ears until the early morning when he holds me close and I know I’m home.
EPILOGUE
Lacey
One year later
“I’m so nervous!”I yell. I wring my hands together and stare at the field. There’s only two minutes to go, and the Titans are down six points.
“Shawn knows what he’s doing,” Maggie yells back, leaning in close and trying to talk over the deafening roar of the crowd. It’s nearly impossible to hear her with a hundred thousand fans who descended on Las Vegas to cheer on the Titans at the Super Bowl. “He doesn’t even look nervous,” she adds.
I’m glad she’s been keeping tabs on him, because I’ve been too afraid to look at him the whole game. I chance a glance at him now during a timeout, and I see him laughing. Elbowing one of his players on the sideline and patting their back. Twisting his hat backwards on his head and adjusting his microphone closer to his mouth.
He puts his hands on his hips, and his spine straightens. It’s like he can sense me staring at him. He turns around and looks at me over his shoulder, and he’s grinning from ear to ear.
Shawn holds up a finger to an assistant coach and jogs my way, waving off the security personnel who try to stop him from getting too close to the stands.
“Watching me, Lacey girl?” he shouts from eight feet below me. “I was starting to think you might be crushing on someone from the other team.”
“I’m worried,” I answer.
I didn’t think it was possible for his grin to stretch wider, but it does. I see his teeth and the wrinkles around his eyes—those laugh lines I love so much. He reaches up to the top of the concrete wall and pulls himself onto the ledge so we’re inches apart.
“Hi,” he says.
It’s reminiscent of our first kiss over a year ago, down to the camera showing us on the big screen.
A lot has changed since then, though.
I took over the chief physician position at my pediatrician’s office, and Hannaford was fired. My work-life balance has never been better.
Shawn led the Titans to last year’s Super Bowl, but they lost. A string of injuries derailed their hopes of a championship.
They bounced back stronger than ever. That loss made them hungrier. More determined. They started this season with a three-game losing streak, but they’ve gone on to have the best record in the league. Shawn won Coach of the Year, an accolade that came with a shiny trophy. He keeps it in his office at the stadium because he says he wouldn’t have won anything without his team.
He’s the most humble guy I know.
And now they’re close—so close—to finally winning it all. What he’s been working on for five years is almost here.
The Titans just need to score one more touchdown, but the clock isn’t on their side.
They have yards to go, and the seconds are slipping by like sand in an hourglass.
Still, Shawn is here with me, and there’s not an ounce of strain on his face.
