Page 39 of Playing It Forward

“I’m awake.” Focus, I remind myself. I need to focus.

“Good. Then throw.”

Corbin jogs twenty yards downfield while Tanner and Gage continue chirping at each other near the sideline. I plant my feet and fire.

The ball wobbles in the air. My stomach drops. Quarterbacks aren’t supposed to throw wobblers. Not franchise quarterbacks. The pass dies before it reaches Corbin and he has to slow down to haul it in against his chest.

Silence fills the air.

Tanner blinks. “Did our quarterback throw a worm burner?”

“I slipped,” I lie. I resist the need to roll my shoulder. To flex the muscle in a desperate effort to relieve the pain.

Coach Wilson folds his arms over his chest. “Try again.”

Heat creeps up my neck. I roll my shoulders before accepting the next snap.

This time I overcompensate, and the pass sails high over Tanner’s fingertips.

“Oh shit,” Gage mutters.

Now the field’s gone completely quiet. It’s not the normal practice quiet either. It’s the awkward kind. The kind where everyone’s pretending not to stare while absolutely staring. And where are they staring?

At me. Because quarterbacks don’t miss this way. Not quarterbacks of my caliber.

Coach Wilson narrows his eyes. “Again.”

I grit my teeth and motion for Brock to run the next route.

My shoulder aches as I rear back and throw. The ball wobbles. Wobbles. Jesus Christ. It dies halfway through the route before Brock awkwardly scoops it out of the air.

Nobody says anything for a beat.

Then Tanner whistles low. “Well… that was horrifying.”

“I’m fine,” I snap.

“Didn’t say you weren’t,” Tanner says carefully, which makes it worse. Because the goofball is never careful unless something’s seriously wrong.

Coach Knox blows the whistle. “Bring it in.”

The offense gathers around him while I avoid eye contact with everyone.

Knox clears his throat and I lift my gaze to meet his. He’s studying me. “What’s going on?”

I resist the urge to squirm. “Nothing.”

“Bullshit,” Brock growls.

“It’s not my shoulder,” I bite out automatically.

Knox’s eyes sharpen immediately. Fantastic. Way to sound guilty as hell. I might as well hire a skywriter while I’m at it.

Gage rubs a hand over his jaw. “This about Terri?”

Tanner gasps dramatically. “Our fearless leader has been defeated by feelings.”

I growl. “Shut up.”