Page 30 of The Maverick's Homecoming

Finn respected Oscar’s analysis of the situation. Last year, the Titans had lost to Bronco Valley by a dismal 55–3. This year, their town and their team were coming back strong. But the hard fact remained that Tenacity hadn’t won a game against Bronco Valley since the year Finn headed for the University of Michigan.

Still, Finn had proudly drunk the Kool-Aid when it came to the Titans’ chances this year. He was rooting for his boys and he just knew they would come through.

Friday dawned cloudy and cool with no rain in the forecast. Great football weather. At 5:00 p.m., when the team assembled on the field for warm-ups, every player was raring to go. Barrett led them through an easy jog, dynamic stretches, and some light speed and agility drills. After that, they reviewed position-specific walk-throughs and special-team plays.

Back in the locker room before the game, Finn delivered a pep talk and ran down the starting lineup. In the previous week, he’d spoken to each player privately to assign them their positions and explain the reasoning behind his decision. They all knew already whether or not they would be starting. But as tradition dictated, today Finn formally announced the starting lineup to the entire squad.

All the guys seemed pumped. No one was surprised that Remy O’Dare would lead the team as starting quarterback. Remy was tall, lean and smart. He was damn quick on his feet and he had a hell of a throwing arm. On another happy note, middle linebacker Darren Tuttle, son of Rufus the EMT, had made the starting lineup, too.

At the rear of the group of players, Kenzie looked every bit as proud of the team as Finn felt. She sported school colors—maroon scrubs with silver trim—and she rested a slim hand on the proud swell of her belly. When their eyes met briefly, she nodded.

And then quickly glanced away.

* * *

Kenzie loved game night. The energy was palpable, as everyone was excited, ready to cheer the team on.

Yeah, she was a bit annoyed with Finn. She and Finn were supposed to be friends. And shouldn’t a friend have called or texted her to check in at least once in the past week?

And was she being absurdly unfair? Absolutely. After all, she could have calledhim.

But she hadn’t called him. Because that kiss on Saturday night…

She might as well just be honest about it. Friends did not share kisses like that one.

She needed to stop thinking about that kiss.

But she didn’t. Instead, during random moments alone at home, she would find herself idly brushing her fingers against her lips, daydreaming about the exact feel of his mouth touching hers.

“Get a grip, girl,” she muttered under her breath.

Because tonight was not about whatever was or was not going on between her and Finn Monahan.

Uh-uh. Tonight, the Titans were playing and she had a job to do.

By kickoff, the bleachers were packed. Kenzie sat on the sidelines not far from the team, her medical bag at her feet, ready to jump into action the moment she was called upon.

In the stands, both sets of cheer squads shook their pom-poms and challenged everyone to “get fired up!”

On the Titan side, tall, burly math teacher Joseph Cutbank roamed the stands. As T-Grizz, the team’s mascot, the math teacher wore a surprisingly convincing grizzly-bear costume, one with sharp teeth and wicked-looking claws. Mr. Cutbank also wore a Greek helmet and a shiny maroon cape. In his giant paw, he brandished a double-edged wooden sword painted silver to match his helmet.

T-Grizz backed up the Titans’ cheer squad, urging everyone to their feet to shout “Go! Fight! Win!” He also mimed the way they should stomp their feet as they roared, “De-fense! De-fense!” and join in to holler “Score, Titans, Score!” when the offense got anywhere near the goal line.

Truly, Joseph put on a great show. Besides encouraging the crowd, he provided sound effects, alternately growling like a giant bear and letting loose with a battle cry that would have done a Greek warrior proud.

The Titans scored first. What a moment! Tenacity fans—Kenzie included—surged to their feet, shouting and clapping, whistling and stomping. The Titan side of the stands went wild.

But then, the Bronco Valley team took control.

The Titans made it to the end zone a second time, and converted the extra point. They also scored a successful field goal, giving them a final score of seventeen points.

It wasn’t enough. When the game clock ticked down to zero, Bronco Valley had triumphed by a score of 27–17.

* * *

Finn kept his head up and his shoulders back. He acted proud, smiling and waving, shaking hands with Bronco Valley’s head coach. He played it cool and confident. Because it was part of the job to walk tall no matter the final score.

And come on, what was his damn problem, anyway? What had he expected? He’d known going in that the Titans were unlikely to win, yet the loss had hit him hard.