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I stretched my hand forward. “Hi, I’m Lennon. Wes’s, uh… Wes’s friend.”
Gloria dropped the strawberry in her hand and came over to meet me. “Honey, aren’t you sweet? I’m Gloria and this is Bud. We’re the parents.” She smiled.
“It’s so nice to meet you both.” I wanted to tell them how great this was, but I’d heard nothing about Wes’s mom, and the only thing I knew about Bud was how he drove his son to be a compulsive winner.
Bud scratched the back of his head, and I pretended not to notice that I’d seen Wes do that same exact thing when he was working through a problem.
“So, Wes invited you here? To our booth?”
I nodded. “Yes, sir.” I held up my ticket as if I had to prove it to him.
Gloria tugged on his arm. “Bud, it’s his box. Don’t be an ass in front of the girl.”
It was hard to smile. The tension was filling the deluxe stadium box. I didn’t know if there were enough beers in that bar to lighten the mood or not.
“I’ll just stay out of your way and you won’t even know I’m here.” I walked to the front of the glass and admired the field.
The cheerleaders were running with flags across the end zones. At least I had watched a few games with Wes, so I should be able to keep up. I didn’t want his parents to know I was a complete football idiot.
Gloria sat next to me in a leather seat. “I’m glad Wes has a friend.” She held a beer in her hand. “It’s usually just Bud and me up here. This will be fun.” She handed me a cold bottle.
“Thanks.” I smiled at her. I could see where Wes got the green in his eyes.
“So what do you do, honey? Model?”
I choked. “Oh God, no…I mean, sorry. No, ma’am. I’m a surgeon at San Antonio Mission Hospital. In orthopedics.”
“And you’re with my son?”
I nodded. “Mmmhmm.” I was going to need more than just this first beer.
“Well, isn’t that something?” She turned over her shoulder. “Bud, did you hear that? Lennon is a surgeon.”
“Surgeon? Not a cheerleader or a swimsuit model? Huh.”
“Don’t listen to him,” Gloria whispered. “Once the game starts, you might as well cover your ears anyway. I bring these.” She revealed a pair of earbuds from her pocket. “He curses so much I have to listen to the game on my phone. Can’t stand to listen to him yell.”
“Oh.” I didn’t know what to say, but I had a feeling I was getting ready to get a first-hand account of how Wes Blakefield became the man I knew.
She patted my hand. “Glad you’re here, honey. I need a girl on my team.” She winked and planted the earbuds in her ears.
I took another sip of beer and watched the introduction for the Volts while the San Antonio fans booed. I sat forward in my seat as they began to introduce the Wranglers. Every player’s picture popped up on the jumbo screen, but when they announced Wes’s name, the place went insane. It was deafening.
“Just play some damn ball. Enough with the circus show,” Bud grumbled behind us.
But I didn’t let him ruin the moment. I watch
ed as Wes ran onto the field, waving to the fans, smiling that gorgeous smile of his, and my heart clenched in my chest. He was mine. Millions of fans could cheer. And his parents could sing his praises. The cheerleaders could do somersaults all day for him, but Wes Blakefield was all mine.
I waited outside the locker room with Bud and Gloria after the game. I stood behind them, knowing this was part of their game ritual with their son. Bud made sure I knew they belonged here and I was just along for the ride.
He explained to me that Wes would have to finish up with the team, then a press conference, and then wrap with the coaches before he would see us. He also told me he knew every coach and trainer on the team, pressing the point he had been a part of this machine a lot longer than I had.
Wes walked through the door, freshly showered, in a dark suit and tie. God, I loved how sexy he looked like that. But before I could throw my arms around him and congratulate him, his mom kissed him on the cheek, leaving a big lipstick mark. It wasn’t something I really wanted to follow.
“You missed three receivers out there, son.”
“Hey, Mom.” He kissed her on the opposite cheek and ignored his father. “I guess y’all met Lennon.”
